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Asbestos is one of the most commonly used substances in established Australian homes built before the late 80’s and should be removed if it’s found within your home.

Identification and removal of Asbestos is an important part of keeping your home in top condition to ensure your families health.

To gain a better understanding of the associated risks simply go to Google News and type in “Asbestos Removal”. With over 300 articles results of people directly or indirectly affected it highlights the serious issue with Asbestos.

Trained professionals should be the only people to handle Asbestos to ensure the situation is handled in a highly controlled manor. Asbestos that is present in your roof needs to be removed carefully not to expose the surrounding area to the tiny particles that can indeed cause such severe health problems and terminal illness when inhaled.

Places you could expect to find Asbestos in Australia –

Within the Queensland Goverments website you’ll find the following information:

‘Fibro’ was one of the most commonly used products used in building between 1940s until the late 80s in Australia. Fibro contained approximately 15% asbestos and was generally used in a variety of locations including; wall and ceiling sheeting within houses, businesses and government buildings because of its resistance to chemicals, heat and overall strength.

Asbestos was not only used in Fibro. It was also present in Roofing (known as Super Six Sheeting), ceiling and floor tiles, as insulation for pipes and buildings, as a fire retardant,in fabrics and materials, in cars (gaskets and break lining), and as a chemical and food filter in manufacturing.

Asbestos was once used in insulating homes roofs because of its ability to withstand heat. It was thought of as the perfect material to insulate your home among other products as it was soft and it was practically fireproof.

Why is Asbestos so dangerous?

Although the Link between Asbestos and lung cancer was discovered in 1955 by a Scientist named Richard doll, it took and additional 30 years before the public began to acknowledge the true affects.

Why is Asbestos so dangerous? Asbestos is a silicate mineral. There are many serious health issues (including lung cancer) associated with inhaling of the thin fibrous crystals.

Between the 1940’s and 1980’s Asbestos was used in the construction of most homes and businesses.

With the discovery of the connection to lung cancer, it was identified as important to remove the substance from a lot of homes carefully not to contaminate the air of the home. This is where Asbestos Removal Brisbane comes in.

Removing Asbestos is considered to be a highly dangerous Job. The only people that should handle Asbestos are full qualified and trained professional to ensure the safe removal of Asbestos from your home. It is important to remember Asbestos fibers are deadly and are the difference between and safe home and workplace.

Treatment of malignant mesothelioma can be very difficult for a wide variety of reasons. First and foremost, mesothelioma can be difficult to correctly diagnose and may not show up in a patient for decades. This can create problems for treatment because with mesothelioma, as with all cancers, treatment is more difficult the longer the disease has been allowed to progress. In addition to the difficulties created by delayed treatment of mesothelioma, the disease often does not respond to traditional cancer treatments, further complicating treatment. Also, the organs that are involved in mesothelioma cannot be partially or wholly removed usually, which means that surgical options can be extremely limited. Lastly, the fact that the majority of mesothelioma patients are men of advanced age, usually over 50, means that some more radical treatment approaches cannot be used because of declining health due to old age.

Altogether, this can mean that even mesothelioma patients that have been recently diagnosed can be given a fairly negative prognosis from their doctos. Statistics are hard to come by, but British scientists suggest that 10% of newly diagnosed mesothelioma patients will live for at least three more years; Only 5% will live five years or longer. For patients in the first stage, 50% live for at least two more years. However doctors can be mistaken, and a diagnosis of mesothelioma is in no way always tantamount to a death sentence. In one famous case, scientist Stephen Jay Gould survived with peritoneal mesothelioma for almost twenty years. Eventually, he died from another kind of cancer.

There are four stages of malignant mesothelioma, which measure how far the disease has progressed. How a patient’s mesothelioma is treated depends largely on which stage he or she is in when the disease is found.

* Stage I: Localized mesothelioma that exists only in the lungs, the diaphragm or the pericardial lining.

* Stage II: Advanced mesothelioma that has spread into the lymph nodes of the chest.

* Stage III: Advanced mesotheioma that has spread into the wall of the chest, the center of the chest, the lining of the heart and the diaphragm. Stage III malignant mesothelioma may or may not have spread to the lymph nodes.

* Stage IV: Advanced mesothelioma that has spread far from the chest and abdomen into other organs.

Surgery

Patients with Stage I or milder Stage II mesothelioma are generally offered one or more of the conventional cancer treatments: surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. For early-stage patients, surgery for mesothelioma aims to cure the disease by literally cutting the cancer out of the patient’s body. The most common type of surgery for pleural mesothelioma is a pleurectomy/decortication, which is where doctors remove all or part of the tissues lining the lungs and chest cavity. If doctors find that they can’t remove the cancer without removing the lung underneath those tissues, they may remove one lung as well; this is called a pneumonectomy. A more radical type of surgery for pleural mesothelioma is called an extrapleural pneunonectomy (EPP). In the case of an EPP, surgeons will remove parts of one lung, the pleura, the diaphragm, and the lining of the heart. These are quite dangerous and difficult types of surgery, which will not be recommended lightly by doctors or surgeons.

Patients with peritoneal mesothelioma — the kind that affects the abdomen — may be offered cytoredutive surgery. In this surgery, doctors are trying to remove all of the cancerous tissue they can find in the abdomen and gut. Doctors may also opt for a peritonectomy, in which the entire lining of the abdomen is removed. Again, this is not an easy surgery and may not be possible for everyone, but it has been successful in some patients. Patients with pericardial mesothelioma are not generally offered surgery.

Radiation and Chemotherapy

In addition to or instead of surgery, doctors may offer an early-stage mesothelioma patient chemotherapy, radiation or both. Radiation and chemotherapy are designed to kill the cancer cells without killing the patient. Unfortuantely, in order to kill the cancerous cells, these treatments often kill healthy cells as well. This is why cancer patients often lose their hair, have trouble eating and feel generally weak and sick during treatment. Doctors who prescribe chemotherapy or radiation may also suggest dietary supplements or other measures to control these symptoms.

Chemotherapy is any treatment where patients are given chemical medication specifically designed to attack the cancer cells as the undergo cell division. The drug is swallowed or injected into the bloodstream regularly over a period of weeks or months, in cycles that give a patient some recovery time in between treatments. A patient could stay at home, only requiring visits to a doctor’s office for treatments; sometimes, they can even have the treatments at home. In some cases, doctors may choose to apply chemotherapy drugs directly to the cancerous tissue; this requires surgery, so patients must check into a hospital. There are many different kinds of chemotherapy drugs, and scientists are trying to develop better ones every day.

Radiation therapy seeks to kill the cancer cells with high-energy rays of radiation, such as x-rays, that stop them from growing. With external-beam radiation, patients will be subjected to directed rays of radiation directed as specific parts of the body affected by cancer. This treatment lasts about 30 minutes a day and is given in the exact same way each day over a period of weeks. In internal radiation therapy (brachytherapy), doctors put a container of radioactive material next to the cancerous tissue, using surgery or an existing body cavity. Some will be left in the body; others will be removed and replaced. Lastly, radiopharmaceuticals are sometimes used to administer radiation treatments, with the drugs being either injected, inserted into a body cavity or swallowed.

Lung cancer staging refers to a system of classifying where the cancer is in its growth. This allows physicians a guide to help determine what treatments would be most effective and how aggressively those treatments should be administered. It is also a way of determining the potential outcome of a particular case of lung cancer. The lower the stage, the better the odds of a full recovery.
The process of deciding what stage a lung cancer has reached is called “staging the lung cancer.” This is accomplished through a series of tests, such as x-rays, blood tests, bone scans, etc. The goal is to determine the size of the tumor or tumors and if the cancer has spread to other tissues (metastasized). X-rays, MRIs and CAT scans help to determine the size and location of the tumors. Bone scans and blood work can help to determine whether the cancer has spread to other organs or to the bones. PET scans can indicate whether or not a tumor is actively growing.
Lung cancer staging is also dependent on the type of cancer. For instance, in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), there are four stages, while in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) there are two … limited stage and extended stage. Here’s a quick overview to give you an idea of the differences between the various stages:
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Stage I: The cancer is confined to the lungs. This stage obviously offers the best prognosis. Lung cancer caught in this stage has better than a 49% five year survival rate.
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Stage II: The cancer is confined to lung tissue and the lymph nodes within the lungs, the recovery rate is 40-50%
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Stage II: The tumors have spread from the lungs, but are confined to the chest area. Larger, more invasive tumors are generally diagnosed as belonging to this stage.
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Stage IV: The cancer has spread away from the chest and invaded other parts of the body such as the liver, adrenal glands, bone, brain, and/or other sites.
Small Cell Lung Cancer Limited Stage: The cancer is confined to the chest area, and has not spread outside the point of origin.
Small Cell Lung Cancer Extended Stage: The cancer has spread beyond the chest to other parts of the body.
The treatment recommended by your doctor will take into account the stage of the lung cancer, as well as the size and location of the tumors and your general overall health. Of course, you’ll have input into how aggressively the cancer should be pursued and all that entails. More and more oncologists are coming to accept that the prognosis of a patient with lung cancer — as it is with any cancer patient — is profoundly affected by the patient’s attitude and decision making.

It is necessary for all the Americans to have an understanding of Asbestos legislation. Asbestos legislation refers to the US government’s attitude towards the asbestos Victims. Asbestos was widely used in the industry for a considerable amount of time. However, asbestos is harmful contaminant and causes harmful diseases such as asbestosis and a fatal cancer known as mesothelioma. It is important for our government to understand the plight of Asbestos victims, and streamline asbestos legislation for providing due compensation to asbestos victims.

Bail out bill:

In spite of the serious nature of Asbestos health hazards, government is taking it very lightly. The last version of the bail out bill of the Asbestos Legislation has provisions that inadequately compensate asbestos victims. The amount proposed in the proposed legislation is not sufficient to take into account the plight of millions of workers, their dependents, reduced life expectancy, and massive medical bills. The companies that have been using Asbestos, in spite of being aware of its ill effects, should be asked to compensate for the lives and health of hapless asbestos workers.

Over the next 20 years, chances are that every year more than 10,000 Americans will die of Asbestos related disease. More than 2,500 Americans are being diagnosed for mesothelioma each year. In spite of these alarming figures, the federal government has not invested in early detection and cure of these diseases. This Asbestos legislation ignores the vital need of funds required for compensation to asbestos victims and research for asbestos related disease. To add to the woes of asbestos victims, mesothelioma patients as termed as ‘beyond help’.

This proposed Asbestos legislation puts the law obeying companies at a disadvantage. According to the proposed bill, the companies responsible for causing asbestos exposure are going Scott free. A public opinion drive is going on wherein all the persons are requested to write to the senators to put some more sense in the forthcoming asbestos bill. This is important because the people who have been wronged should get their due compensation. Moreover, asbestos legislation should contain provisions for stringent measures to curb the use of this harmful contaminant.

Lung cancer is a very serious form of cancer. It is the most common form of cancer diagnosed in the United States. It can cause more deaths than any other cancer among men and women. Lung cancer makes up fourteen percent of the total cancer records and twenty-eight percent of cancer deaths in America.

This is because lung cancer is usually diagnosed when it is already in its advanced stage, thus controlling the disease becomes almost impossible.

The reason for this is that coughing, which is the most common early symptom of lung cancer is being neglected. Smokers associate coughing with mere itchiness in the throat.

Lung cancer involves uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the lungs. This may cause the formation of mass called tumor.

Two types of lung cancer tumor are benign or non-cancerous and malignant or cancerous. Treatment of this disease depends on the status of the tumor whether it is benign or malignant. However, lung cancer generally has no cure; you can only lessen the symptom, which is the goal of the treatment for this serious health problem.

Even if all evidences points to smoking as the major cause of this disease, non-smokers may develop it as well. In other words, not all lung cancer patients are smokers. This is because breathing impure air is the real reason behind the disease.

Additionally, those non-smokers who receive cigarette smoke from nearby smokers may also develop lung cancer, this is known as second hand smoking.

Another cause of the disease is the exposure to asbestos ashes. Asbestos ashes may cause Mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the lungs or abdominal cavity.
Two major types of lung cancer are small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer.

Small cell lung cancer, or oat cell lung cancer as other doctors call it, accounts for twenty to twenty-five percent of cancers around the United States. This cancer is strongly linked to smoking.

The second type is non-small cell lung cancer. Non-small cell lung cancer has three sub-divisions depending on the type of cell affected.

The three types of non-small lung cancer are Squamous cell carcinoma, Adenocarcinoma and large cell lung cancer.

Studies show that non-small cell lung cancer grows and spreads slower than its small cell counterpart, and like small cell lung cancer, the major cause of this is smoking.

There are various treatments for lung cancer, however the treatments are mainly dependent on the type of cancer, the stage of development and the condition of the patient.

If it is diagnosed in its early stage, lung cancer tumor may be removed and the disease can be brought into remission.

However, because symptoms of this cancer only show when the disease is already on its advanced stage, it is thus difficult to control its growth.

Additionally, as mentioned earlier treatments on lung cancer especially on its advanced stage are merely to lessen the symptoms, bringing it down to remission may be impossible at this stage. This is because other tumor cells may already be developing in other organs of the body.

Surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy may be helpful but it is actually not cure, it is merely to lessen or halt the growth and development of the cancer.

Avoiding smoking and too much exposure to impure air will help you avoid lung cancer. Reinforcing your immune system by regular exercise, well-balanced diet and taking vitamins will help you avoid the scare of lung cancer.

Always be aware of the condition of the air around you to make sure you will not develop this deadly disease.

If you are a victim of Mesothelioma cancer, how will you get into Mesothelioma treatment?

The best way is to find reliable Mesothelioma cancer information and learn first everything that is relevant to Mesothelioma.

Do you think that Mesothelioma treatments are effective in one or two applications only? It depends to the patient’s body on how we react to the Mesothelioma treatment.

The doctor is the first one who is being aware for applying Mesothelioma treatment. We already know the advantage and disadvantage in taking them.

And most of the time Mesothelioma treatments are being useless in some reason. Mesothelioma treatments are broken down into two categories:1.Traditional treatments

Traditional mesothelioma treatments are similar to other standard cancer treatment modalities.

Two or more traditional mesothelioma treatments are often used together to better combat cancerous cells.

Traditional mesothelioma treatments are often used in combination with one-another to best target cancer cells.2.New treatments.

New mesothelioma treatments are in the process of ongoing research, development and testing.

New mesothelioma treatments are being evaluated in mesothelioma clinical trials in hopes of a mesothelioma cure.

While mesothelioma treatments are slowly inhibiting the victim from being able to enjoy the life they have left, big business is slowly killing the rights of mesothelioma symptoms victims all over the country.

Most of the Mesothelioma treatment options are too high in price that ordinary victims cannot afford to have such treatment.Various Mesothelioma Treatments

* Bronchoscopy

* Biopsy

* CT scans

* Laparocoscopy

* Mediastinoscopy

* Thorocoscopy

* Peritoneoscopy

* Radiotherapy

* X-ray

* Fluid drainage

* MRI scan

Usually, some medicines and necessary materials are used to function well. With this kind of Mesothelioma treatment, a victim will recover faster.

Having a treatment is necessary because it gives life to the patient or victim in order to survive. Put hope mostly on the family and relative of the patient, and the most important role is to cure everyone with a disease like Mesothelioma cancer.

To be better familiarized with Mesothelioma cancer, join some group or programs relative and concerned with epidemic cancer for the purpose on how to prevent cancer by applying new health technology, healthy lifestyle, diet and nutrition counseling, and alternatives.

Mesothelioma treatments are constantly being developed through clinical trials and research. Mesothelioma treatments are advancing, but the disease still claims far too many lives each year.

Mesothelioma treatments are themselves very aggressive, and invasive, and in many cases not recommended. Treatments are very expensive and usually range -between four hundred thousand and eight hundred thousand dollars.

Emperors have cherished it. Egyptians had their burial clothes from it. Royals made their prized covers and napkins from it. It was indestructible material and valued as such. Throughout history asbestos has been used and in some empires valued more than gold itself. For all its glory it has one huge downfall. It was killing people and they did not even know it.

Asbestos is a common name describing a group of fibrous metamorphic minerals composed of hydrous-magnesium-silicate groups. Its unique chemical composition makes it an excellent insulator, flame retardant, high tensile strength and resistance to chemicals. Put it simply it was the material of choice with all around purpose.

There are several main groups of asbestos.
Chrysotile, also known as White Asbestos, is obtained from serpentine rocks. Its chemical composition is Mg3(Si2O5)(OH)4. This form of asbestos is less friable, making it the least dangerous of all.
Amosite, also known as Brown Asbestos and Grunerite, is an amphibole from South Africa and its chemical composition is Fe7Si8O22(OH). Its harsh, spiky fibers have good tensile strength and resistance to heat.
Riebeckite, also known as Blue Asbestos and Crocidolite, is an amphibole from Africa and Australia. Its chemical composition is Na2Fe2+3Fe3+2Si8O22(OH)2. The needle-like fibers are the strongest of all asbestos fibers and have a high resistance to acids. This is the most dangerous type of asbestos due to its fibrous structure and composition.

Why is asbestos so dangerous?

To answer this question lets look at the formation and decomposition of asbestos.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral. Upon crystallization the molecules bind by linear polymerization producing oriented crystalline structure. This three dimensional crystalline structure is very similar to other crystals and gemstones. What makes asbestos different is that two of the planes of this molecular arrangement are much weaker than the third one. Once sufficient force is applied the crystalline structure breaks along its plane with linear fragmentation, producing fibrous material. This breakdown will continue to the molecular level. The average size of respirable asbestos is 3-20 microns and can be as thin as 0.01 microns. To make things worse this small size being airborne is easily dispersed making it that more difficult to contain. With such as small size we can not see it or taste it yet we are breathing it and accumulating it in our lungs.

Once in our system our body can not get rid of it. Our defense systems will fight it and try to get rid of it causing several types of diseases. Two predominant types are Asbestosis and Mesothelioma. The dormancy period for Asbestosis can be as much as 20 years and for Mesothelioma as much as 50 years.

One of the first recorded reports of asbestos dangers was back in 1898.
Chief Inspector of Factories of the United Kingdom reported to Parliament in his Annual Report about the “evil effects of asbestos dust”. In 1918 US government report stating that it was the practice of American and Canadian life insurance companies not to sell coverage to asbestos workers due to the assumed injurious health consequences. In 1926 the Massachusetts Industrial Accidents Board approved the first successful compensation claim by asbestos worker. Since then there are numerous reports of the danger of asbestos yet the big companies continued to use asbestos to great extent. The heydays for asbestos were during the 1940s and 1950s. The profits were much more important than the human lives.

If you suspect that you have asbestos in your surrounding do not try to remove it yourself. Call the appropriate authorities and they will handle it. They are properly equipped to safely dispose it.

Lung cancer is now the most common form of cancer in the United States. Lung cancer causes more death than any other cancer cases among men and women in this country. Fourteen percent of all cancer records in the United States are lung cancer cases and twenty-eight percent of cancer deaths are from lung cancer patients.

Major causes of lung cancers are cigarette smoking and breathing impure air including asbestos exposure. Asbestos exposure can lead to Mesothelioma, a cancer in the lining of the lungs or abdominal cavity.

Severity of lung cancer depends greatly to the amount of time a person spent smoking. As compared to non-smokers, smokers are at high risk of lung cancer. In fact, smokers are twenty-two percent more at risk of acquiring lung cancer than their non-smoking counterpart.

Additionally, because lung cancer symptoms do not manifest until it is already on its advanced stage, minor lung cancer symptoms are often ignored.

This is because minor lung cancer symptom such as frequent coughing is often associated with itchiness in the throat. Smokers believe that this is an ordinary occurrence among smokers, thus they are not alarmed until they feel more severe lung cancer symptoms.

When this happens, truly the lung cancer symptom shows because of the advanced stage of the cancer. The uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the lungs is already manifesting through the lung cancer symptoms and by this time, secondary cancer cells are already developing in other organs of the body.

Severe lung cancer symptoms include persistent coughing, chronic chest pain, which is associated with shortness of breathing, wheezing and hoarseness of the voice.

Often, because of the similarity of lung cancer symptoms to bronchial asthma, people who self medicate usually try to treat the shortness of breathing with asthma medication.

The medication is thus useless because it is not working on the actual disease. It is thus imperative that minor discomforts such as shortness of breathing be brought to the attention of a competent doctor for evaluation. This will avoid treating a disease with a different medication such as in self-medicating patients.

Other lung cancer symptoms are blood in sputum, recurring cases of pneumonia or bronchitis, neck and facial swelling, sudden weight loss and constant feeling of fatigue. All these lung cancer symptoms occur on the terminal stage of the cancer, and this makes it almost impossible to manage lung cancer and it symptoms.

Additionally, because there is still no known cure for lung cancer, treatments especially on its advanced stage are done to lessen the severity of the lung cancer symptoms. Remission of the disease may no longer happen on the advanced stage.

Thus, it is imperative that minor lung cancer symptoms be monitored. It is still easier to manage lung cancer at this stage, other than in the advanced stage.

Finally, as mentioned earlier, smoking is the major cause of lung cancer, if you cease smoking, this effort will help you slow down the possibility of lung cancer. Even for those long time smokers, withdrawing from smoking will help lessen the possibility of acquiring the disease.

Keeping a healthy body and strong immune system will help avoid lung cancer for smokers or non-smokers alike.

Smokers may cease from smoking to help ensure they will not suffer lung cancer in the future. Then, they will not have to worry about lung cancer symptoms because halting smoking will also halt the possibility of acquiring this deadly disease.

Regular exercise will help ensure your immune system will be strong enough to fight lung cancer and thus no lung cancer symptoms will ever occur.

Living a healthy and active lifestyle, and avoiding smoking will ensure you will leave longer and better.

If the chest x-ray is suggestive of malignant mesothelioma, it is likely that further investigations will be ordered, especially if compensation may be sought.
These investigations may include additional imaging studies, blood tests, bone scans, and lung-function tests, as well as more invasive procedures such as thoracentesis, thoracoscopy, pleuroscopy or a lung biopsy. This is a typical mesothelioma diagnosis
Mesothelioma diagnosis can be done through chest x-ray. The typical abnormalities seen on chest x-ray in patients with malignant mesohtelioma are pleural effusion (a collection of fluid in the space between the 2 layers of the pleura), or it is called pleural thickening.
Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking Malignancies involving mesothelial cells in these spread cavities are known as malignant mesothelioma, which may be localized or diffuse. Mesothelioma is the word used to describe a cancerous tumor that involves the mesothelial cells of an organ, often the lungs, heart, or abdominal organs.
Mesothelioma diagnosis in this disease, malignant cells develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers transcendently of the spread’s internal organs. Greatest malignant mesothelioma set up complex karyotypes, with extensive aneuploidy and rearrangement of tons chromosomes.
Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma diagnosis is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions. A history of exposure to asbestos may increase clinical suspicion for mesothelioma.
A physical examination is performed, followed by chest X-ray and often lung function tests. The X-ray may reveal pleural thickening commonly seen after asbestos exposure if mesothelioma diagnosis is done.
If the cancer has length beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the size, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or engage.
Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and cachexia, abdominal swelling and suffering due to ascites (a buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity).
Exposure to airborne asbestos particles increases one’s risk of developing malignant mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma has a peak incidence 35-45 years after asbestos exposure. Malignant mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer in which malignant cells are found in the sac lining the chest or abdomen. Most people with malignant mesothelioma have on worked on jobs where they breathed asbestos.
It can also occur in children; however, these cases are not thought to be associated with asbestos exposure.
Most people who develop mesothelioma get worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in other ways, such as by washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos, or by home renovation using asbestos cement products.
Treatment options a mesothelioma diagnosis for the management of malignant mesothelioma includes surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and multimodality treatment. Surgery in victims with disease confined to the pleural space is reasonable.
Extrapleural pneumonectomy is a more extensive procedure and has a higher mortality rate. Recently, the mortality rate has been lowered to 3.8%. It involves dissection of the parietal pleura; division of the pulmonary vessels; and en bloc resection of the lung, pleura, pericardium, and diaphragm followed by reconstruction. It provides the greatest local control because it removes the entire pleural sac along with the lung parenchyma.
The 2 surgical procedures used are pleurectomy with decortication and extrapleural pneumonectomy.
Surgical resection has been relied upon because radiation and chemotherapy get hold of been ineffective unequivocal treatments. There are now a number of cancer treatment options open to mesothelioma patients. Extrapleural pneumonectomy for selected victims with very early stage disease may expand recurrence-free survival, but the impact it has on overall survival is unknown at this time.
Mesothelioma diagnosis can be intimidating and can scare a lot of people, but mesothelioma diagnosis may give you a fighting chance if can be diagnose early. So do yourself a favor if you think that what you are suffering from and had worked in an asbestos related workplace.
The purpose of such investigations in mesothelioma diagnosis is to confirm and to determine the type of mesothelioma, to ’stage’ the disease (measure how severe it is), and so to assess whether the disease is operable.

More and more often, I come across cases of nonsmokers who develop lung cancer. My attention is always drawn to news of this nature because my husband passed away at the age of 51 from brain and lung cancer. He never smoked a day in his life.

The complacency non-smokers have shared over the years is no longer a viable option. Smokers and non-smokers alike are vulnerable to a disease which is largely incurable. Among patients with lung cancer, only about 14% live five years after their diagnosis.

In the face of a disease that seems to have neither rhyme nor reason, what can we do to protect ourselves? First, assess your risk for lung cancer; then take measures to prevent the disease.

What are the risk factors for lung cancer?

Gender: Unfortunately, women seem to be more vulnerable to lung cancer. Research has shown that female smokers are more susceptible to the cancer-causing chemicals found in cigarettes. In another study, a gene linked to abnormal lung cancer cell growth was found to be more active in women than in men. It did not matter whether the women smoked or not.

A family history of lung cancer: Evidence suggests that there is a lung cancer gene which predisposes offspring to develop lung cancer. However, the evidence is far from conclusive as the situation is made difficult by the fact that offspring of smokers have been exposed to a smoking environment since childhood and would therefore have a greater risk for developing the disease.

Scarring from previous lung disease : Scarring in lungs caused by tuberculosis or other lung disease can be a risk factor for lung cancer.

Second-hand smoke: Exposure to second-hand smoke has been shown to be a definite risk factor. Your risk increases by 30 percent from daily exposure to second-hand smoke. This is probably the most significant risk factor for lung cancer in non-smokers.

Exposure to radon: Radon is an odorless gas than can seep out of the soil into buildings. Worse yet, the gas can seep from the soil into water near residential communities. Radon has been implicated as a potential cause of lung cancer.

Air pollution: Long-term occupational exposure to diesel exhaust fumes may increase lung cancer risk by 47%. Air pollution in general is a risk factor in the general population. Swedish researchers estimate that as many as 1 in 10 cases of lung cancer may be caused by air pollution in the Swedish capital city, Stockholm.

Past Cancer Treatment: Researchers in Sweden who looked at the medical records of 140,000 breast cancer patients found that there was an increase of lung cancer 5 to 20 years after breast cancer treatment. Suspicion is that radiotherapy in the chest area may have made the lungs more susceptible to the disease.

Estrogen Replacement Therapy: According to researchers at the University of Pittsburg, estrogen may fuel the growth of non small-cell lung cancer.

What preventative measures can we take?

Diet: An apple a day may keep lung cancer away. A Finnish study suggests that apples not only keep doctors away, but provide protection for the lungs as well. This study found that people who ate the most apples were 58 % less likely to develop lung cancer. Other studies suggest that lung cancer risk is lower among smokers and non smokers who ate at least 5 servings of vegetables and fruits daily.

Beta Carotene: A high intake of beta carotene compounds can lower your lung cancer risk; however, studies also show that the beta carotene is only effective when the compounds are ingested from whole foods such as peaches, melon, carrots, mangoes, dark leafy vegetables, squash etc. The opposite effect seems to take place with beta carotene supplements. A Finnish study reported 18% more lung cancer cases among heavy smokers who took beta carotene supplements. And a National Cancer Study on the effects of vitamin A and beta carotene was halted because smokers taking the supplements had 28% more lung cancer than those taking a placebo.

Selenium and Vitamin C: Taking selenium supplements on a long- term basis has been shown to decrease the incidence of lung cancer. In one study, people taking 55-200 mcg of the mineral daily had a 46% lower rate of lung cancer. As well, studies indicate that people who take less than 90 mg of vitamin C on a daily basis may have a 90% higher risk of lung cancer than those who take 140mg or more.

Avoid second-hand smoke and check your house for radon.

There are never guarantees in life, but it makes perfectly good sense to take some preventative measures as these can not only improve your overall quality of health and life but also prevent lung cancer.