Mexothelioma

Primary Lung Cancer andSecondary Lung Cancer - Mesothelioma

2008-11-19T19:12:00.000-08:00

Cancer is a disease related to the uncontrolled growth of tissue, leading to the accumulation of mass (called a tumor or lesion.) Normal cells in the body divide and grow in an orderly controlled manner. When cells grow uncontrollably and this growth invades other tissues or organs, the growths are called malignant or cancerous. When a mass of tissue, or tumor, is benign, it is relatively stable and does not invade other tissues.

Cells from malignant tumors can break away and travel to other parts of the body, usually through the bloodstream, but also through the lymph system. When these cells find new host organs, these cells can grow into tumors in the new tissue. This spreading process is called metastasis and when a cancer has reached an advanced stage to where the malignant cells are attacking other organs, it is said that the cancer tumors have metastasized. The tumors in new organs are always made up of cells similar to those of the original tumor.

Benign tumors do not metastasize. They can often times be removed through surgery and not re-occur.
Lung Cancer
Lung cancer occurs when lung tissue develops cancerous growths. Primary lung cancer is cancer that originates in the lung tissue. Secondary lung cancer is cancer that spreads, or metastasizes, from other organs.
Primary Lung Cancer
There are several different types of primary lung cancer. These are divided into two main groups:
Small Cell Lung Cancer
Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
Pleural mesothelioma is often thought of as a third type of primary lung cancer. However, it is not a lung cancer. Mesothelioma does not develop in the lungs, but in the serous membranes surrounding the lungs. As such, it does not fall into the typical categories of lung cancer. Mesothelioma can also occur in other tissues, in the lining of the abdomen, call peritoneal mesothelioma, and in the lining of the heart, pericardial mesothelioma.
Small Cell Lung Cancer
Small Cell Lung Cancer comprises approximately 20% of the primary types of lung cancer. It is called small cell cancer because the tumor cells are very small, with the cells containing almost exclusively the cell nucleus and nothing more. This type of cancer is also referred to as “oat cell” cancer. Chemotherapy is often suggested for this cancer in the early stages because of the rapid way it which it spreads. Surgery is not a good option to stop the spread early on. This type of cancer is most closely linked to smoking; non smokers rarely have it.
Non-Small Cell Cancer
Non-small cell cancer falls into these categories:
Squamous cell carcinoma
Adenocarcinoma
Large cell carcinoma
Adenosquamous cell carcinoma
Undifferentiated carcinoma
Each category of non-small cell cancer are physiologically similar and they respond to treatment differently than to small cell lung cancer.
Squamous cell carcinoma is a common type of primary lung cancer. This type of cancer is also linked to smoking and it develops from the cells than line the airways in the lungs. Squamous cells are thin, flat cells that look like fish scales. Commonly the tumor growths are located in the center of the lungs near the large airways (bronchi). It is also referred to as epidermoid carcinoma. It comprises approximately 30 to 35% of the non-small cell cancer in the US, affecting men and the elderly most frequently.
Adenocarcinoma, like squamous cell carcinoma, develops from tissues in the lung airways. But, it develops from the glandular secretory tissues. (tissues that produce mucus). It is often found in the outer airway passages, not the main bronchi, like the squamous cell variety. The incidence of this cancer is increasing. It comprises about 40% of the non-small cell lung cancer in the US and is the most common lung cancer among women.
Large cell lung cancer is named after its appearance. The cells look large and unnatural under the microscope. These types of cells grow quite quickly.
Adenosquamous carcinoma are cells that appear flat under the microscope, like the squamous cells, but derive from the glandular secretory cells, like the adenocarcinoma.
Undifferentiated carcinoma includes cancer cells that cannot be identified as one of the other groups. The cells appear abnormal under the microscope and multiply uncontrollably.

Secondary Lung Cancer
Secondary lung cancer is cancer that has spread to the lungs from other organs. Many different types of cancer spread to the lungs, because of its very high blood supply. These include breast cancer and colon cancer.

The type of cancer is very important when it comes to treatment. The different types of cancer cells respond differently to different types of chemotherapy and other therapies. When cancer cells spread from other organs to the lungs, then the lungs have to be treated for the other type of cancer, not lung cancer. This is an important distinction. For example, breast cancer that spreads to the lungs, has to be treated for breast cancer, not lung cancer

Mesothelioma Chemotherapy - Treatment Types» Side Effects

2008-11-19T19:08:00.000-08:00

Mesothelioma chemotherapy uses chemical substances to treat the fatal cancer called malignant mesothelioma. Although there are a number of mesothelioma treatment options available, none have yet to be successful in combating the disease. Mesothelioma chemotherapy falls into two categories; traditional mesothelioma and new mesothelioma treatments.

Chemotherapy has been used in the treatment of cancer since the early 1940s; however, scientific advancements and greater understanding of the nature of disease have allowed for continued research and development of newly targeted chemotherapy agents. Chemotherapy treatments are most effective when dealing with relatively “young” cancer cells that have not yet formed a solid tumor mass; it is extremely difficult for chemotherapy drugs to permeate a solid tumor mass.

There are a number of mesothelioma chemotherapy drugs being used in the treatment of the rare cancer; however, none have been able to provide a successful treatment for malignant mesothelioma. Like standard chemotherapy agents, most mesothelioma chemotherapy drugs work by impairing cell division or initiating programmed cellular death (apoptosis). For example, anti-angiogenesis mesothelioma chemotherapy drugs inhibit the formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis), preventing tumors from establishing a pathway through which to receive the nutrients and oxygen required for metastasis (tumor growth and spread).

One of the more traditional chemotherapy drugs used for the treatment of malignant mesothelioma is cisplatin. Cisplatin is a platinum-based drug type that is part of a family of three similar drugs (others include carboplatin and oxaliplatin). Cisplatin cross links DNA in a number of ways, preventing rapidly dividing cells from duplicating their DNA to accommodate further cell division. Today, cisplatin is often used in conjunction with some of the newer types of chemotherapy drugs like Alimta (pemetrexed), Onconase (ranpirnase) and/or Veglin.

Mesothelioma Chemotherapy Treatment Types
Mesothelioma chemotherapy treatments are not always used with curative intent. Some of the more common mesothelioma treatment types include:
Combined modality chemotherapy: mesothelioma chemotherapy is often used in conjunction with other treatment types such as radiation therapy or surgery. For example, trimodality therapy involves the utilization of radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery.

Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy: otherwise referred to as preoperative chemotherapy, neoadjuvant chemotherapy is used with the intent to reduce the size of a tumor mass prior to surgical treatment.

Adjuvant chemotherapy: otherwise referred to as postoperative chemotherapy, adjuvant chemotherapy is used after surgical treatment if there is a risk of cancer recurrence.

Palliative chemotherapy: mesothelioma chemotherapy that is used to treat symptoms of the disease as opposed to providing a curative solution is a palliative technique.

A patient's chemotherapy dosage varies based on their body surface area (BSA), an approximation that helps to determine body volume. Such a dosage strategy is designed to provide the perfect balance of chemotherapy treatment while avoiding any toxic side-effects.

Mesothelioma Chemotherapy - Side Effects
Mesothelioma chemotherapy regimens are physically and mentally exhausting for patients. Continuous chemical treatments take their toll in a variety of ways, some of which include:
Nausea and vomiting
Hair loss
Lowered number of red blood cells (anemia)
Diarrhea
Constipation
Secondary neoplasm
Weakened immune system
Increased risk of cardiovascular disease
Hepatoxicity
Nephrotoxicity
Ototoxicity
Cardiotoxicity
Dependent on the patient and the severity of their disease, chemotherapy treatments can be administered on both an in-patient and out-patient basis.
Drugs in use:» Alimta» Anti-Angiogenesis» Cisplatin» Onconase» Veglin

Treatment of Mesothelioma

2008-11-19T18:55:00.000-08:00

Mesothelioma treatments have thus far been unable to limit the spread of the deadly cancer.

Treatments for mesothelioma are divided into two categories: traditional mesothelioma treatments and new mesothelioma treatments.Traditional mesothelioma treatments are the same as those used to treat most other cancers, and include:
Surgery
Chemotherapy
Radiation therapy (radiotherapy) Traditional mesothelioma treatments are often used in conjunction with one another in an effort to provide the most thorough and effective care. For example, trimodality therapy combines all three traditional methods of treatment.

First, chemotherapy is administered with the aim of slowing the growth of malignant mesothelioma.
Next, surgery designed to physically remove a mesothelioma tumor mass is performed (extrapleural pneumonectomy is often performed as part of trimodality therapy). In the final step, postoperative radiation therapy is used to target any lingering mesothelioma cells. Although trimodality therapy has been unable to eradicate malignant mesothelioma, it has proven to be effective in prolonging patients' survival time by as much as five years (the average post-diagnosis survival time is one to two years).

New mesothelioma treatments have been researched and developed with the hope of succeeding where traditional methods have not. Mesothelioma researchers are optimistic that new mesothelioma treatment modalities will eventually prove to be successful, though they have yet to yield results that are any better than traditional methods.
New treatments for mesothelioma include:
Development of new chemotherapy agents
Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)
Photodynamic therapy (PDT)
Immunotherapy
Gene therapy

As with other cancerous diseases, the progression of mesothelioma is typically broken into stages, with the treatment options based on the stage of the disease.
Stages of Mesothelioma

The staging commonly used for mesothelioma is the Brigham staging system, and it can be described as follows: Stage 1 occurs when the tumor lies completely within the capsule of the
pleura, without swollen lymph nodes (adenopathy).

Stage 2 has the characteristics of Stage 1, except that the tumor has spread and there is presence of adenopathy. The boundaries of the tumor still allow for a resection (removal of the tumor) without cutting into other organs.

Stage 3 includes extension of the disease into the chest wall or into the heart, through the diaphragm or peritoneum, or outside the pleura to involve the lymph nodes.

Stage 4 occurs when the cancer has formed in distant organs through metastases.
Unfortunately, none of the treatment strategies have been shown to be particularly effective against the disease