Types of Pain and Medications Used For Mesothelioma

Almost everyone with mesothelioma experiences pain, the more so as the disease advances. Most patients use of a variety of pain medications to reduce pain and maintain their quality of life. Here are the kinds of pain that people with mesothelioma must deal with, and the types of pain medications used to control the pain.

Mild to moderate pain

Non-opioids: Examples are acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin and ibuprofen. You can buy many of these over the counter, without a prescription. Some stronger NSAIDs do require a prescription.

Tingling and burning pain

Two other groups of drugs, antidepressants and antiseizure medications, have proven to be very useful in managing tingling and burning sensations. Taking an antidepressant does not mean that you are depressed or have a mental illness, and taking an antiseizure medication does not mean that you are going to have seizures. If your doctor prescribes one of these s/he is simply making use of some additional therapeutic properties of these drugs.

Antidepressants: Drugs such amitriptyline, imipramine, doxepin and trazodone have proved helpful in alleviating pain when there has been nerve damage. They are also helpful as aids for sleeping. A prescription is needed for these medicines.

Antiepileptics: Carbamezeping, lamotrine, and gabapentin are three of the most used antiseizure medications. All of these require a prescription.

Moderate to severe pain

Opioids: Examples are hydrocodone, codeine, morphine, hydromorphone, oxycodone, fentanyl and methadone. All of these medications require a prescription. Nonopioids may also be used along with opioids to control moderate to severe pain.

Breakthrough Pain

ACTIQ (Oral Transmucosal Fentanyl Citrate) is the first analgesic (pain relief) drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration specifically for breakthrough pain. It comes as a lozenge on a handle, a lollipop for pain. Fentanyl, ACTIQ's active ingredient, is a very effective opiate, 100 times stronger than an equivalent dose of morphine. It dissolves in saliva, and is absorbed through the mucus membranes that line the mouth. Pain relief occurs within 5 to 10 minutes. People find the drug easy to use, effective, and easily tolerated. Oxycodone and hydromorphone can also be used for breakthrough pain, but neither of these are available as lozenges in the mouth absorption.

By Frederick Schenk

Lung Cancer - One of the Most Fatal Illnesses in the World

Lung cancer is an ailment of unrestrained cell development in the lung tissues. This growth may lead to metastasis, spreading to the adjoining tissues and penetrating prematurely the lungs. It is the most popular cancer cause of death in men, and the second most common in women.

Frequent symptoms of lung cancer:
1. Continuous chest throbbing
2. Persistent coughs that become severe
3. Shortness of breath, puffing, or huskiness
4. Constant troubles with pneumonia or bronchitis
5. Coughing up blood
6. Inflammation of the neck and face
7. Loss of appetite or significant weight loss
8. Exhaustion

Types of Lung Cancers:

A. Small-cell lung cancer occurs when malignant cells form in the lung tissues.
Small lung cancer has three different types, classified according to the forms of cells developing as cancer. These are:

1. Small cell carcinoma
2. Union of small cell and large cell carcinoma.
3. Joint small cell carcinoma.

These three kinds may contain many different types of cells. The cancer cells of all types may grow and multiply in different ways.

Stages of Small Cell Lung Cancer

Limited stage - cancer starts in the lung tissues, and in the adjacent lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are tiny, bean-shaped structures near the lungs.

Extensive Stage - cancer has propagated beyond the lungs to other parts of the body.
B. Large-cell lung cancer is a disease in which malignant cells form in the tissues of the lungs.

Five types of large-cell lung cancer

The five types of large-cell lung cancer have differing varieties of cancer cells. The cancer cells of each category produce and multiply in unusual effects:

1. Squamous cell carcinoma - Cancer starts in the squamous cells, thin flat cells that appear like fish scales. It's called epidermoid carcinoma.
2. Large cell carcinoma - Cancer in which the cells are big and seem to be irregular when examined under a microscope.
3. Adenosquamous carcinoma - Cancer that begins in cells. Cancer cells appear to be firm when inspected under a microscope.
4. Adenocarcinoma - Cancer that begins in groups in glandular assets.
5. Undifferentiated carcinoma - Cancer cells that do not seem to be normal. They spread fast.

Treatment:

1. Surgery - Surgery is the ideal medication for lung cancer. The body is normally opened up for the lungs to be treated directly.
2. Radiation is a common treatment for lung cancer. Radiation therapy utilizes high-energy rays to destroy cancer cells. It distresses cells only in the treated area.

a. External radiation is the most common radiation treatment for people with lung cancer. Radiation comes from a huge apparatus outside your body. Mainly people go to the hospital or clinic for treatment. Treatments are typically 5 days a week for more than a few weeks.

b. Internal radiation is rare. Radiation is released from a seed, wire, or another device, to the body.

Treatment of Large-Cell Lung Cancer:

• Chemotherapy - This is cancer treatment making use of drugs to prevent the increase of cancer cells. Drugs are either taken by mouth or injected in the veins and muscles to destroy cancer cells. These drugs go into the bloodstream to treat cancer cells in the body. When chemotherapy is placed straight in the spinal column, an organ, or a body cavity like the abdomen, these drugs generally distress cancer cells in those parts.
• Laser therapy - Laser is used to destroy cancer cells.

By David Urmann

Do You Know These 5 Unusual Lung Cancer Symptoms

Lung cancer is one of the top killers in developed and of late developing countries. More than a million deaths are reported worldwide. Smoking still remains the number one risk factor for lung cancer. Other risk factors include passive or second-hand smoke, Asbestos exposure, Radon exposure, and genetic mutations. Lung cancer remains one of the most preventive cancers and yet many people are falling prey to this deadly cancer.

Early diagnosis still remains the mainstay in helping people with lung cancer have a longer life expectancy. There are some unusual symptoms of lung cancer that you should be aware of to help in an early diagnosis.

1. Shoulder or upper back pain: Shoulder or upper back pain is an often unnoticed symptom of lung cancer caused by the tumour pressing on the lining of the lungs.

2. Swelling of the face and neck: The venous drainage of the upper part of the body is Superior Venacava. Pressure from the tumour can lead to impaired venous and lymphatic drainage leading to swelling of the face and neck.

3. Frequent pneumonia and other lung infections: The tumour cells can trap bacteria and this results in frequent lung infections and pneumonia.

4. Male breast development: Gynacomastia is the name for development of breasts in men. Breast growth is due to the presence of Oestrogen and some lung cancers can produce amounts of Oestrogen that stimulate breast development.

5. Hoarseness of voice: The tumour can press upon important organs like the voice box or nerves involved in speech and this results in hoarseness of voice.

If you know someone who has developed these symptoms then there is a possibility that they have lung cancer and it needs to be checked by a doctor.

By Raj Iyer

Smoking and Mesothelioma

Smoking tobacco products has long been held as the world's culprit for any disease. Fortunately for smoking, it is not the culprit behind mesothelioma. In fact, smoking does not ever cause mesothelioma. So far, the only scientifically linked cause of mesothelioma has been exposure to asbestos.

While it is true that smoking does not cause mesothelioma, it does not help anyone who has been diagnosed either. In addition, those who have been exposed to asbestos, either recently or a long time ago, should not smoke because smoking increases the chances of developing mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure.

Once a person has been exposed to asbestos, smoking is known to complicate the chances of developing an illness directly linked to asbestos. People who smoke and have been exposed to asbestos have 50 to 84 times the chance of developing asbestos as people who do not smoke and have been exposed to asbestos. There is therefore a related effect between smoking and asbestos, although smoking does not cause mesothelioma.

In the case of people who are scared that they will develop mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos, the best thing to do is quit smoking. Smoking is known to weaken and damage the lungs. In addition, it is known to reduce the body's natural defenses and ability to remove asbestos fibers. When the fibers cannot be removed by the body, they are allowed to stay in the lungs and continue to irritate cells. This leads to more cell damage and scarring which increases the odds of developing mesothelioma down the line.

Another nasty side effect of smoking is that smoke from cigarettes irritates air passages and causes the body to produce more mucus in the lungs. The production of mucus prevents air from getting into the deeper parts of the lungs and in turn prevents the removal of asbestos fibers.

Once a person knows he or she has been exposed to asbestos, the top priority should be working on quitting smoking. A smoker that has ever in their entire life been exposed to asbestos should see a doctor to be checked for symptoms of mesothelioma and other diseases that are directly related to asbestos. Even if there aren't any signs or symptoms of the disease, the trip to the doctor is imperative for early detection.

By Joseph Devine

Mesothelioma: True Causes

The relationship between mesotheliomas and asbrstos was first reported in by Wagner and colleagues in 1960. After that time, this relationship has been confirmed by other reliable reports.

Asbestos touches on six naturally occurring minerals with prospicient fibers, including chrysotile, ammonite, crocidolite, anthophyllite, tremolite, and actinolite. There is a long reaction time period between the exposure and the development of mesothelioma, which is generally between 30 – 40 years.

Industrial exposure to asbestos increased significantly during the world war II when there was a dramatic need for manufacturing requiring asbestos-related products. Asbestos is widely used for industrial purposes in more than 3,500 diverse products because of its tensile strength, thermal resistance, and chemical stability.

Its primary uses are in cement pipes and construction products such as flooring, roofing, insulation, tiles, packing and gaskets, electrical products, friction products, and coatings.

In the United States, occupational exposure is limited to not more than two fibers (0.5um in length) in 0.5 Cm3 of air in an eight-hour period. It is expected that this regulation will significantly decrease the future incidence of mesothelioma.

Roughly 70% of patients have had exposure. In addition Para-occupational exposure by household members and persons living downwind of factories or mines may account for 8% to 20% of cases. The risk of mesothelioma is increased 40-fold for insulation workers and threefold to tenfold for construction and shipyard workers. Cigarette smoking does not increase the risk of mesothelioma, but the combination of cigarette smoking and asbestos exposure markedly increase the risk of lung cancer.

Pleural mesotheliomas are much more common in men, whereas peritoneal mesotheliomas are about equal in frequency between the sexes. Asbestos fibers are thought to reach the peritoneum via the pleural lymphatics.

Mesothelioma: What You Need To Know

Mesotheliomas are benign and malignant tumors derived from mesothelial tissues or serosa. They may originate from the pleura, peritoneum, pericardium, and other miscellaneous serosal surfaces. Although the skin is considered to be the body’s largest organ, the serosa is actually many times greater in overall area.

Mesotheliomas are relatively rare. There are about 1,200 new cases in the United States each year. This represents less than 1% of all pulmonary cancers. However, their incidence is rising, and it is estimated that there may be as many as 5,000 by the year 2010.The increased incidence is clearly related to increased exposure to asbestos, which occurred after 1940

Cancerous mesothelioma is an uncommon type of cancer that is found in the layer of cells lining the internal organs of the body. As I write, there are three recognized types of mesothelioma.

Pleural mesothelioma: Of the three recognized mesothelioma cancer, pleural mesothelioma is the common form of the ailment. It accounts for about 70% of reported cases and it takes place in the lining of the lung.

Peritoneal mesothelioma: Occurs in the lining of the abdominal cavity known as peritoneum.

Pericardial mesothelioma: This kind starts in peridardial lining the heart.

The main cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos, secondary causes like smoking combined with exposure asbestos can accelerate it in some individuals. Industrial and factory workers are among the most vulnerable class of people to mesothelioma because by the nature of their jobs are more exposed to it.

Symptoms of mesothelioma will only be recognized after many years in those who have been exposed. The reason being that mesothelioma grows very slowly. There are folks right now that are carriers of mesothlioma that are unaware, but in due cause it will made known.

Triggers of Lung Cancers

I believe you know the old saying that “prevention is better than cure” When you know and understand the factors that triggers off lung cancer it will be wise and easy for you to avoid those factors in order for you to maintain a healthy life. Therefore; the purpose of this article is to highlight the sometimes overlooked triggers of lung cancer; trusting that you will be disciplined and wise enough to stay clear of such factors.

Smoking

The most common trigger of lung cancer is smoking. Cigarette smoking accounts for about 90% of lung cancers globally. Tobacco is a highly addictive, that is why people who have formed the habit of smoking can hardly do without it. Every stick of cigarette smoked increases the risk of contacting lung cancer. Doctors reckon that a chronic cigarette smoker that has smoked two packs of cigarette per day for about ten years has a twenty-pack year smoking history and are therefore susceptible to lung cancer attacks.

Pipe and cigar smoking are also triggers of lung cancer. Though smokers in this class have lower risk of contacting lung cancer

Non Smokers

Non Smokers sharing, living or working with active smokers also stands the risk of contacting lung cancer. They inhale the smoke of the cigarette of their pals or colleagues every time they are at close quarters.

Free gas

In big cities across the world free gas are been emitted. Randon which occurs naturally in rocks and soil in certain areas. Natural gas decays to produce uranium. Uranium can form a product called radon which emits ionizing radiation. Radon gas is known to cause lung cancer in big industrial cities.

Asbestos

Those who work in asbestos producing factories or live close to these factories have been reported to be exposed to lung cancer.

Radiation

Exposure to radiation, either through one's occupation or for medical reasons, such as repeated x-rays, though this is quite uncommon.

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