Important Nutritional Tips For Mesothelioma Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is one of the main treatments that cancer patients can to treat the disease. It involves the use of anticancer drugs to kill the cancer cells, however normal cells are also destroyed in the process.

This destruction of cancer cells leaves the body in a weak state. In addition, chemotherapy has a number of side effects, such as nausea. If cancer patients do not eat properly, they can become malnourished and pass away not from cancer, but from an infection or other illness in their weakened state. These are some tips to improve the nutrition of patients undergoing chemotherapy:

1 -. Chemotherapy can cause anorexia{poor appetite} so choose foods that really pack a nutritional punch, so when you do eat, even if it is just a small amount, you are consuming nutritional foods high in protein and calories. Keep healthy snacks with you at all times. You should also consider adding daily multivitamin to boost your diet, but you must discuss this with your doctor before you add them.

2 - Unfortunately, chemotherapy can also cause constipation and diarrhea - sometimes both in the same patient. To avoid these problems, drink plenty of fluids and avoid anything with caffeine. You may also want to cut most of the dairy out of your diet. Foods with good soluble fiber, such as mashed potatoes and bananas, can also be added to your diet to help with constipation and diarrhea.

3 - One of the best ways to boost your diet during chemotherapy is to add as much protein to your diet as possible. Proteins, such as those found in meat, nuts and beans, can help you feel better during treatment, and can help fight cancer more effectively. Even if you do not care for meat or are dealing with anorexia, there are many ways to add protein to your diet. Here are some great tips for integrating protein whenever possible:

• When making pasta, add a beaten egg at the last second. As you stir, the heat will cook the egg, adding a great source of protein.
• Eat peanut butter with fruit.
• Add extra beans to soups and other dishes.
• Add powdered milk to recipes like muffins, mashed potatoes, and meatloaf.
• Prepare protein drinks and keep them with you all day, so you can get protein even just a sip at a time.
• Nuts are a great protein-enriched snack to carry with you throughout the day.

You can talk to a dietician about more ways to add protein to your diet.

4 - In addition, if you're dealing with anorexia, your should add many calories to your diet to keep up strength. Some of the best ways to do this include:

• Spread butter or margarine on crackers.
• Stir unsweetened whipped cream into mashed potatoes.
• Add honey to cereal or desserts.
• Sprinkle granola into yogurt.
• Choose dried fruits as a healthy snack, and add them to meals or baked goods when possible.
  

A mesothelioma patient should seek to know as much as possible about the different methods of treating the disease so that they can cooperate maximally with treatment.

Bello Kamorudeen

Mesothelioma Prognosis - Why Do Some Patients Survive Longer?

There have been some few patients who have survived far beyond the usual one year prognosis for most mesothelioma victims and a handful that have even been cured, with no trace of the aggressive cancer several years after treatment (though recurrence is always possible).

Many medical experts are baffled by this observation and for most of the time they are yet to find a real scientific basis to explain why some mesothelioma patients survive and others do not.

There seems to be one common factor amongst those that have survived the disease for longer times - the immune system. Studies of those who have either survived or been cured of the disease reveal that most of these patients participated in some sort of therapy that enhanced their immune system. Some treatments included clinical trials in immunology while others involved alternative therapies dealing with the immune system.

A number of mesothelioma survivors have posted their stories on the Internet and have spoken to patients and their families with the hope of providing a brighter outlook for their future. These same survivors have also presented their cases to doctors and researchers. The most outspoken of these individuals is Paul Kraus, an Australian mesothelioma survivor. Kraus was diagnosed with abdominal/ peritoneal mesothelioma in 1997, a form of the disease that is tougher to treat than the more common pleural mesothelioma. Kraus worked in a factory 35 years earlier where he was exposed him to blue (crocidolite) asbestos.

Upon his diagnosis, Kraus changed his diet (he's now a vegetarian), added many vitamins and supplements to his daily routine, began "juicing," and tried a treatment known as ozone therapy. Kraus explains, "They took blood out of a vein, used an ozone machine to add ozone (a molecule composed of three oxygen atoms) to the blood and reintroduced it into my body through a drip. The rationale for that was that cancer does not like an oxygenated environment." The research in putting the protocol together took a lot of time, but in the long-run, Kraus believes the combination of all these treatments stabilized his mesothelioma. Today, tests show he still has the disease and his body is a bit weaker than it was, but he has no pain and his doctors tell him he has many more years to live. Kraus stresses the fact that he is not the only mesothelioma survivor.

He has cited the case of a man diagnosed 14 years ago at age 58 (no name given) who had a chest wall resection after diagnosis and has had no symptoms or recurrence since. His doctors believe there was "moderate host inflammatory response" and that spontaneous regression may be an immune-mediated phenomenon" - in other words, his immune system played a role in his survival.

Another survivor, Rhio O'Connor - who recently published a book about his fight with mesothelioma - has lived with the disease for seven years. He opted against the conventional methods of treatment like surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Instead, with the help of several medical physicians, he developed a regimen that included 100 supplements per day, changed his diet drastically, and now practices what he calls "mind-body medicine" (such as non-stress techniques like meditation). In his book, he recommends a variety of alternatives to traditional medicines and treatments.

All mesothelioma patients should be encouraged to participate in clinical trials especially those that are trying out new methods of boosting the immune system.

Bello Kamorudeen

Mesothelioma Trials-What Are the Different 4 Stages of the Trial?

A mesothelioma patient is not compulsorily required to attend the trial of his/her mesothelioma lawsuit because most times by the time the lawsuit commences the patient will be too weak to attend, but if the patient decides to attend then he/she must be prepared to go through the different stages pf a trial. Each trial is different but there is usually an order of events in all civil cases and they will all pass through the following stages:

1. First, the judge (and possible a jury) will hear opening statements. Your lawyer will start by outlining your case. In response, the defendant's lawyers will outline how they hope to disprove your case. Opening statements are not evidence, but a brief outline of what each position hopes to prove during trial.
2. After opening statements, both parties will submit evidence for the judge and possible jury to review. This will include factual findings and testimony. Evidence such as old receipts, air quality tests, and medical records may come into play. Personal friends, family members, coworkers, doctors, and related experts may also be called to testify. If you are going to testify, upon being sworn in, your lawyer and the defendant's lawyer will proceed to question you about the case. Before this portion of the case, your lawyer will have reviewed with you not only the questions he or she will ask, but also the questions the defendant's lawyer is likely to ask of you. It is very important to assert your side of the case while answering all questions honestly. Witnesses will go through the same testimony process as well. Physical evidence, such as medical records or work history, will be submitted as evidence to the court.
3. Presentation of the evidence is followed by closing arguments. This element of trial is extremely important, especially in the case of a jury trial. The plaintiff will give closing arguments first. This speech will sum up the facts, discredit the defendant, and ask the jury to empathize and rule in your favor. The defense will then present a closing argument as well, in which they will attempt to refute your claims.
4. If the trial involves a jury, all 12 members of the jury will retire to a conference room to deliberate after closing statements. Deliberation by the jury can take just an hour or two, or it can take several days. In high profile cases, the jury may be sequestered and sent to a hotel instead of home. However, in most civil cases, the jury is not sequestered. When the jury reaches a verdict, all are called back to court and the foreman of the jury (elected by the other jurors) announces the decision.

Sometimes upon the completion of this initial trial the defendants can appeal the verdict if it does not favor them, the period of time for this appeal varies sometimes it lasts up to a month and some other times it takes longer. If the defendant wins the appeal, you may also be able to also challenge this decision if factual errors are found or procedures were not carried out correctly. This depends on the court and on the details of the appeal case.

Keep in mind that at any point during the trial, you and the defendant can decide to reach a settlement out of court if the defendant is willing to pay a reasonable amount of money. Usually if the defendant's lawyer sees that you have a very strong case at some stage of the trial they will approach you for a possible out of court settlement. Once this is agreed upon the complaint by the plaintiff is withdrawn and the trial is stopped.

Mesothelioma victims should seek to know as much as they can about mesothelioma trials and lawsuits so that they do not get easily discouraged along the way.

Bello Kamorudeen

Mesothelioma Info-You Need to Know the Basic Facts {part 1}

Mesothelioma (also known as 'diffuse' or 'malignant' Mesothelioma) is a type of cancer, which typically affects the thin membranes that line the chest (pleural mesothelioma). Less commonly it can affect the linings of the abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma). It may also affect the lining of the heart {pericardial mesothelioma} and very rarely the lining of the testes {testicular mesothelioma}.

Pleural Mesothelioma

The pleural lining has two layers - an inner (visceral) layer which lines the lung and an outer (parietal) layer which lines the chest wall. The pleura produces pleural fluid to lubricate the space between the two layers allowing the layers to slide easily over each without friction other as we inhale and exhale during breathing.

Pleural Mesothelioma causes the pleura to thicken. This will lead to compression of the lung or attachment of the tumor to the chest wall. Fluid, sometimes several litres, can collect between the two layers and cause breathlessness. This is known as a Pleural effusion.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma

The peritoneum also has two layers, the inner (visceral) layer which is next to the abdominal organs and the outer (parietal) layer which lines the abdominal wall. This cancer will make the peritoneum to thicken and fluid to collect in the abdomen, this collection of fluid is called ascites and it causes abdominal swelling. Peritoneal Mesothelioma is not as common as Pleural Mesothelioma.

What causes Mesothelioma?

Exposure to asbestos is the major cause of this type of cancer. There may however be some other unknown less common causes. It has previously been a rare disease but is now occurring more frequently because of the heavy use of asbestos in the post-war years. For most people diagnosed with Mesothelioma the exposure happened 20-40 years before the onset of symptoms (It may in some instances be a longer or a shorter interval than this.). Sometimes the asbestos exposure may have been very brief and not always easy to identify. However most commonly, the cancer usually shows up in people that have had repeated exposure to asbestos, usually in a working environment. There are several types of asbestos all of which have been known to cause Mesothelioma.

How is Mesothelioma diagnosed?

Early diagnosis is difficult as the symptoms do not appear until the disease is well advanced, and in most cases the first obvious sign is sudden difficulty in breathing caused by an accumulation of fluid in the pleural space - a pleural effusion. There may also be some other symptoms like as chest pain, weight loss, hemoptysis {coughing blood in sputum},and anaemia. Scans and X-rays can provide strong evidence to support the diagnosis especially coupled with a history of asbestos exposure. However, these symptoms are also common to other less serious diseases so other diseases to be certain of a correct diagnosis more investigations often need to be carried out.

These tests include Scans, Fluid taken for laboratory examination, possibly needle biopsy or keyhole surgery to take a biopsy (a small sample of tissue) is likely to be carried out to help with the confirmation of the diagnosis. These tests and results may take several weeks to complete.

What are the available treatment options?

Mesothelioma does not respond very well to usually recommended cancer therapy such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. There are a number of trials being run in an attempt to improve treatment but nothing has been found to cure this disease. The type of treatment offered depends on several factors. These should include patient choice, the general condition of the patient, and the stage of the how cancer {the level of advancement of the cancer}.

The initial most helpful treatment is that which deals with symptoms.

Removing fluid from around the lung can help to relieve breathlessness. Firstly the fluid may be drained either by drawing off fluid or inserting a small drainage tube. However the fluid often re accumulates and the chest physician or surgeon may perform a procedure called a 'Pleurodesis'. This is an attempt to stick the lung surface to the chest wall by inserting sterile talc into the pleural space. This may be done by a surgeon using 'key hole surgery' otherwise called VATS - Video Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery.

Surgery

There are minor forms of surgery which the surgeon may carry out during the VATS procedure to remove some of the bulk of the tumour. Surgery may also improve some of the symptoms of the disease.

A very major operation which is called an Extra-pleural Pneumonectomy(EPP) is only suitable for a very select group of patients with early stage disease and who are physically and mentally able to tolerate such extensive surgery. The operation involves the removal of the whole affected lung along with its lining, the lining of the heart and part of the
diaphragm. This operation can only be carried out by a limited number of thoracic surgeons in the country.

Chemotherapy

This is drug treatment used to try to destroy or control cancer cells. Unlike some other cancers there is no evidence that chemotherapy ever cures Mesothelioma. Some trials and studies have however indicated that it may help to improve symptoms temporarily and may extend life expectancy slightly.

Not all patients with Mesothelioma will benefit from chemotherapy and there is no way of knowing which patients will benefit and which will not. It is important for you to discuss this with the doctors and nurses involved in providing it.

Radiotherapy
This is the use of high energy radiation to kill diseased cells in the body.

In Mesothelioma it can be used in two ways:

1. A short course of treatment to the chest wall where a biopsy has been done. This is a preventative measure and is intended to stop Mesothelioma growing in the skin layer.
2. Some patients with pain may get some benefit from radiotherapy to help to kill any remaining cancer cells after major surgery.

Bello Kamorudeen

Bello Kamorudeen is the author of several mesothelioma articles. For complete information on mesothelioma visit http://www.mesotheliomacorner.blogspot.com