Good Nutrition for Mesothelioma Patients

Good nutrition can play a big part in making you feel better and in keeping up your energy, although there is no definitive proof that eating well improves survival rates for mesothelioma cancer patients. Some limited studies suggest that eating fruit and vegetables lowers the risk of developing mesothelioma. Researchers theorize that anitoxidents such as beta–carotene and carotenorids and other vitamins contained in these foods may have a protective effect.
Experiments with antioxidant supplements rather than whole foods have produced mixed results.

American Cancer Society recommends that cancer patients eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day, whole grains rather than processed grains and sugars, and limit the consumption of fatty red meats. It stresses that cancer patients need enough protein and suggests a diet that includes lean meat, fish, and low–fat dairy products, which are all good protein sources. It also suggests avoiding salt–cured, pickled, and smoked food. Unfortunately, a mesothelioma cancer treatment such as chemotherapy and even the disease itself may affect your appetite and ability to tolerate certain foods. Temporary nausea or loss of appetite is not uncommon. You may have to eat smaller meals, include liquid supplements, or adjust your diet in other ways in order to cope and get the best nutrition.

We recommend consulting with both your doctor and dietitian to find the best food plan for you. Your doctor may also suggest vitamin supplements and minerals depending upon your particular mesothelioma treatment. For example, patients who were given the enzyme inhibitor pemetrexed or Alimta were able to reduce their nausea from this treatment by taking B vitamins.
Resource : Complementary Therapies

Mesothelioma Treatment and Nutrition

Most mesothelioma treatment plans are designed to destroy cancer cells, but may also destroy healthy cells in the process. A major side effect of this is malnutrition due to fatigue, appetite loss, and pain. Mouth sores, vomiting, and improper bowl function are other factors that may affect ones food intake and nutrition. Along with developing a treatment program, it is often necessary to enlist a nutritionist to develop a nutritional plan as well, especially when undergoing more aggressive treatments. It is important to be prepared for both the good days, when one can consume more food, and the bad days when one may not feel like eating as much. Supplements or foods that may be tolerable should be on hand for days one may have issues with their appetite. Staying informed and being prepared can help one maintain a more positive attitude and decrease anxiety.

Healthy Food Groups

Nutritious diet is important in the prevention and cure of various diseases.
Since no single food group can nourish the body with all the vital ingredients it requires, it is important that we consume a variety of healthy foods to derive the nutrition our body needs. There are five main food groups, they are:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Cereals and Pulses
• Dairy
• Poultry, Fish and Meat products

A healthy balanced diet of these five food groups ensures essential vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. The food group serving size will depend upon various factors like age, activity level, body size and gender. It is also important that one eat a variety of foods from within and across the food groups. As some foods from within a food group provide more nutrients than others.

Bok choy – Commonly known as Chinese celery is a rich source of iron, calcium and manganese. It helps to improve the bone health and makes them stronger. Bok choy is also a good source of vitamin C which helps in wound healing, boosts the immune system and fight against infections. Potassium in bok choy also helps to maintain a normal blood pressure and prevent heart diseases.

Broccoli – Broccoli is loaded with vitamins and minerals like vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin E, vitamin C and fiber. It has a protective effect against bladder, prostate and colon cancer, heart diseases, cataracts and hip fractures. All these antioxidants work synergistically in the body to reduce the oxidative stress and oxidation of LDL cholesterol.

Blueberries - Blueberry has a rich flavor and is the powerhouse for antioxidants packed with phytonutrients called anthocyanidins that scavenges the free radicals that can cause damage to cells and tissues causing cataracts, macular degeneration, glaucoma, varicose veins, peptic ulcers, hemorrhoids, cancer and heart diseases.

Blackberries – Epicatechin and catechins the natural compounds in blackberries help to scavenge the free radicals which can cause cancerous cells.

Brown rice – To maintain a healthy body weight it is very important to focus on whole grains like brown rice and decrease the consumption of refined grains like white rice as far as possible.
( Diet Health Club)

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Peritoneal Mesothelioma Treatment

Your choice of treatment for peritoneal mesothelioma will depend on a number of factors. These include:

• The stage of your cancer
• Any other medical conditions you may have
• Your general fitness

Treatment of Peritoneal Cancer:

1. Surgery. Surgery is not possible for everyone with peritoneal mesothelioma. If surgery is possible, the operation is called a peritonectomy. This means removing the peritoneum (the lining of the abdomen) where the mesothelioma has started growing. In recent years some doctors have been developing a technique known as cytoreductive surgery for peritoneal mesothelioma. Cytoreductive surgery involves the surgeon carrying out up to 6 different peritonectomy procedures, to remove as much of the cancer as possible. At the same time, or shortly after, chemotherapy may be given straight into the peritoneal cavity.
2. Medical Management. In addition to the symptoms of abdominal pain, distension and ascites peritoneal mesothelioma can be associated with hypoalbuminemia, night sweats, inguinal and umbilical hernia, and hypercoagulability. A new drug combination such as cisplatin plus pemetrexed that have shown promise in pleural mesothelioma may also be effective in peritoneal mesothelioma. Immunotherapeutic agents such as interferon and various cytokines may have a role in treating this disease especially when the amount of disease is minimal.
   
3. Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy uses anti-cancer drugs, which are usually injected into a vein. For mesothelioma, chemotherapy may be given directly into the abdomen. Depending on the type of chemotherapy drugs used, this treatment can be given weekly or every two to three weeks. It can be given at the same time as cytoreductive surgery, or soon after. The doctor has to make a small cut in the wall of your abdomen. Then the doctor puts a tube called a catheter through the opening and into your tummy (abdomen). The chemotherapy is given into your abdominal cavity through the catheter. Some studies have suggested that this can work better if it is heated to a few degrees above body temperature first. This is called hyperthermic intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIIC).
4. Radiation Therapy. Radiation may be targeted directly at cancer cells or can be used for palliative reasons such as to reduce pain or shortness of breath or to control the spread of the tumor. This internal radiation therapy has a number of advantages, including the ability for doctors to treat a small area with a higher dose of radiation in a shorter amount of time. Brachytherapy may be either temporary or permanent.
5. Supportive care (Palliative care)
   Unfortunately peritoneal mesothelioma is often diagnosed when it is quite advanced. Some people may be too ill to cope with intensive chemotherapy. But you can still have treatment to try to relieve symptoms such as pain, weight loss and other symptoms such as fluid in the abdomen.
   With more advanced peritoneal mesothelioma, fluid may collect inside your abdomen. If too much fluid collects, it makes your abdomen swell. This can be uncomfortable and heavy.
   
   
   
   You can have the fluid drained off. This is called abdominal paracentesis. It is sometimes called an ascitic tap.
   
   Your care will be managed by a palliative care team. This is a team of doctors and nurses who are expert in controlling the symptoms of advanced cancer. The team may also include a physiotherapist and a dietician. By: Cancer Help
6. Clinical Trial.

• Promoting new drug.
• Perfused Heated Cisplatin. This study will test the effectiveness of an experimental treatment for peritoneal cancer involving surgical removal of the tumor, perfusion of the abdomen during surgery with a heated solution of the drug cisplatin, and post-surgery combination chemotherapy in the abdomen with fluorouracil (5-FU) and paclitaxel.

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Pericardial Mesothelioma Treatment

Pericardial mesothelioma is usually related to long term asbestos exposure. It generally appears fifteen to forty years after the exposure occurred and its early symptoms are subtle.
Pericardial Mesothelioma is almost always detected at a late stage, treatment options are palliative rather than curative. Any procedures or treatments suggested by doctors are usually to help reduce pain or relieve the symptoms of the disease.

Palliative treatment options may include:

1. Radiation Therapy. Used to draining fluid from the pericardium, as a means of relieving pressure on proximal structures, can be used to alleviate symptoms and as a way to obtain a tissue sample for biopsy. This procedure can be used to help prolong life while other treatment modalities are administered.
2. Chemotherapy. Used to attempt to reduce cancer cells. This aggressive form of therapy should be carefully considered as it will most likely detract from the patient’s quality of life but offer no cure.
3. Radiation Therapy. Used to kill the cancer cells and shrink tumors, but this approach carries with it the risk of damaging the heart and lungs. As well as the more familiar practice of external exposure to radioactive materials, treatment might involve delivering radioactive materials directly to the cancer site through plastic tubing (internal therapy).
4. Surgery. Used to attempt to reduce cancer cells. This aggressive form of therapy should be carefully considered as it will most likely detract from the patient’s quality of life but offer no cure.
5. Clinical Trial.
   

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Pleural Mesothelioma Treatment

We recommend consulting both your family physician and a pulmonary (lung) specialist who has deal with pleural mesothelioma patients and is familiar with the problems of asbestos exposure.
Your choice of treatment for pleural mesothelioma will depend on a number of factors. These include:

• The stage of your cancer
• Any other medical conditions you may have
• Your general fitness

The Pleural Mesothelioma treatment options :

1. Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy uses anti-cancer drugs, which are usually injected into a vein. Depending on the type of chemotherapy drugs used, you may have treatment weekly, or every 2 to 3 weeks. Chemotherapy for mesothelioma is given to slow down the cancer and to control symptoms. If you have had surgery, you may be given chemotherapy afterwards. This is called adjuvant chemotherapy. It is given to delay the return of the cancer as much as possible.
2. Radiotherapy (Radiation). Radiation Therapy (or “radiotherapy”) involves the localized use of high–dose radiation on pleural mesothelioma cancer cells. It works by destroying the mesothelioma cancer cells in the treated area. Radiotherapy given after surgery is sometimes called adjuvant radiotherapy. The length of your treatment will depend on the type and size of your cancer and on why you are being treated. Radiotherapy is sometimes given after fluid has been drained from around your lung. This is to try to stop new growths of mesothelioma developing on your chest wall.
3. Surgery. Surgery can be used to remove localised mesothelioma, or to take out as much as possible so that other treatments have a better chance of working. This is sometimes called de-bulking. There are 2 major operations that can be done:
   

• Pleurectomy. This means removing the pleura. The lung is left behind. The pleural space around it is sealed so that no further fluid can collect there. If you have stage 1 mesothelioma, it may be done to remove the cancer. If you have a more advanced stage, it will not cure you but can delay the progress of the disease, and help to relieve symptoms such as pain and fluid collection around the lung (pleural effusion).
• Extrapleural Pneumonectomy (EPP). This operation has the best record for removing the maximum number of pleural mesothelioma tumor cells. It removes portions of the lung, the “parietal pleura” (the lining of the lung), the pericardium (the lining of the heart) and the diaphragm.
• Supportive care (Palliative surgery)
  Palliative surgery is typically done in cases where the tumor has already spread beyond the mesothelium and is difficult to remove completely, or in cases where the patient is too ill to tolerate a more extensive mesothelioma treatment. Your care will be managed by a palliative care team. This is a team of doctors and nurses who are expert in controlling symptoms of advanced cancer. The team may also include a physiotherapist and a dietician.
  
  If you are having trouble with fluid collecting around your lungs, you may be offered treatment to try to stop this from happening. Pleurectomy is one option. Another is thoracocentesis. This is often called a pleural tap.
  The fluid that has collected in the pleural space is drained off. Often sterile talc or an antibiotic is put in to seal the space and stop the fluid collecting again. This is called pleurodesis.

The new experimental stages of mesothelioma therapy:

1. Photodynamic Therapy. Photodynamic therapy or PDT uses laser light to kill cancer cells. the patient receives a photosensitizing agent that collects in the cancerous cells but not in healthy cells. A photosensitizer is a drug that makes the cancer cells vulnerable and sensitive to light of specific wavelength. After the cancer cells have been sensitized, fiber–optic cables are placed in the body (usually through open–chest surgery) in order to focus light of just the right frequency on the tumor. This causes the photosensitizer to react with oxygen to produce a toxic molecule that kills the cancer cell.
2. Immunotherapy. Immunotherapy (or biological therapy) attempts to build up your immune system to fight cancer cells. It includes :
   

• Gene Therapy. Gene therapy means inserting specific genes into cells to change or restore their functions. The procedure may be used to block abnormal genes in cancer cells, or to repair or replace the abnormal genes. Monoclonal antibodies are made in the laboratory; they derive from a single, cloned antibody–producing cell.
• Monoclonal Antibody Teraphy (Passive Immunotherapy). Antibodies are proteins made by B cells, which are types of lymphocytes or white blood cells that fight disease.
• Cytokine Proteins such as interferons (IFN) and interleukins (IL). Cytokines are proteins that occur naturally in the human body, and that are similar to hormones. They may act as messengers in the immune system, triggering the bone marrow to make more blood cells. Interleukin is capable of stimulating the growth of immune system cells called “T–cells. Interferons are other cytokine proteins that inhibit the growth of cancer cells, as well as enhance the immune system.

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Mesothelioma Sign and Symptoms

A. Pleural Mesothelioma Sign and Symptoms.



Mesothelioma that affects the pleura can cause these signs and symptoms:

• chest wall pain
• shortness of breath, known as "dyspnea".
  
• fatigue or anemia
• wheezing, hoarseness, or dry cough
• blood in the sputum (fluid) coughed up
• night sweats and fever
• wheight loss
• Difficulty swallowing
• A hoarse or husky voice
  
• Pleural Effusion-fluid in the Lungs. One of the most common and specific symptoms of pleural mesothelioma is the accumulation of fluid between the lungs and chest cavity. This generally causes shortness of breath, and requires a doctor to drain the fluid, called fine-needle aspiration, to make breathing easier and relieve chest pain.

B. Peritoneal Mesothelioma Sign and Symptoms.



Clinical symptoms at the time of presentation may include:

• abdominal pain
• abdominal mass
• increased abdominal girth
• distention of the abdomen
• ascites (fluid in the abdomen)
• fever, weight loss, fatigue, anemia
  
• nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhoea or constipation
• digestive disturbances. Some patients complain of more non-specific symptoms for a number of months prior to a confirmed diagnosis. In a percentage of cases, peritoneal mesothelioma is found incidentally when the patient has sought help for another health problem such as gallbladder, hernia or pelvic mass.

C. Pericardial Mesothelioma Sign and Symptoms.



Symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma can include:

• Chest pain.
  
• shortness of breath.
  
• Heart palpitations. The tumor and/or fluid that accumulates between the heart and the sac can compress the heart.
• Persistent coughing.
• Extreme fatigue after minimal activity or exertion.

Pericardial mesothelioma resembles the other types of asbestos-caused mesothelioma in that the symptoms are often mistaken for something more common.

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What Causes of Mesothelioma?

A. Asbestos

Mesothelioma is most predominantly caused by asbestos exposure. Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma.

Asbestos is an insulating material comprised of magnesium-silicate mineral fibers. Flexible fibers that can be separated into thin threads and woven. Asbestos has been widely used in many industrial products, including cement, brake linings, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles, and insulation. If tiny asbestos particles float in the air, especially during the manufacturing process, they may be inhaled or swallowed, and can cause serious health problems. In addition to mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer, asbestosis (a noncancerous, chronic lung ailment), and other cancers, such as those of the larynx and kidney.

Mesothelioma is most predominantly caused by asbestos exposure. Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma.

Inhaled asbestos fibers cause a physical irritation resulting in cancer rather than the cancer being caused by a reaction that is more chemical in nature. As fibers are inhaled through the mouth and nose they are cleared from the body by adhering to mucus in the nose, throat and airways and then get expelled by coughing or swallowing. The Amphibole fibers (long and thin) do not clear as easily and it is therefore thought that they can embed into the lining of the lungs and chest and result in mesothelioma.

Workers who sustain high levels of asbestos exposure are more likely to die from asbestosis, lung cancer or mesothelioma than any other disease.

The risk of asbestos-related disease increases with heavier exposure to asbestos and longer exposure time. However, some individuals with only brief exposures have developed mesothelioma. On the other hand, not all workers who are heavily exposed develop asbestos-related diseases. Asbestos is a very dangerous substance and can cause a lot of damage to your health. It is made up of very small fibers, which can find their way to pleura (outside lining of the lung) and damage the cells pleura is made of. These fibers can also be carried on clothing, which makes them dangerous not only to the person exposed to asbestos, but to their family members as well.

Asbestos exposure is known to be responsible for a variety of health issues, including:

1. Malignant mesothelioma
2. Asbestos lung cancer
3. Asbestosis
4. Diffuse pleural thickening
5. Fibrosis
   

Broad Classification of Asbestos

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

There are two broad categories into which all types of asbestos can be classified. They are as follows:

1. Serpentine group. This type of asbestos has a layered form and the fibers are curly. This is why it is called as 'serpentine'. This group has just one member, called chrysolite. Basically, This is the most common type of asbestos.

2. Amphibole group .This is considered to be the most hazardous type of asbestos. It has straight fibers. Unlike the serpentine group, it has a chain like structure. Five kinds of asbestos are found in the amphibole group.

Types of Asbestos:

1. Chrysotile asbestos. Also called white asbestos, chrysolite is the most common type of asbestos. It belongs to the serpentine group. The construction industry makes vast use of this type of asbestos. Since this type of asbestos is widely used, the majority of the asbestos-related health problems globally are caused due to chrysolite. It is used in the following materials: fire proofing materials, insulation, woven to form asbestos clothes,
cement pipes, cement Sheets, automobile brake shoes, clutches, disk pads, textiles, plastics, paper,rubber and even in nuclear industry.

2. Tremolite asbestos. Tremolite asbestos is not often used industrially, though it was sometimes found in certain commercial products such as talcum powder.

3. Actinolite asbestos. Like tremolite, actinolite asbestos is not often used industrially. Airborne actinolite asbestos fibers are easily inhaled and severely damaging to the lungs.

4. Amosite asbestos. Also called brown asbestos. This belongs to the amphibole category of asbestos. It has very stiff and Strong fibers. These fibers get easily air borne and are Very dangerous when inhaled through the nose or mouth. It is known as brown asbestos. It is mostly used for insulating purposes. Most of the countries have banned this amosite several decades ago itself. After chrysolite, this was the most popularly used type of asbestos. Amosite asbestos is used for a variety of commercial purposes such as pipe and cement sheet insulation.

5. Crocidolite asbestos. Also called blue asbestos, crocidolite asbestos viewed as the most dangerous of the six. This is a very rare type of asbestos belonging to the amphibole category. It is mostly used to reinforce plastics as it is highly strong. It is slightly blue in color. It is also used in thermal insulation.

6. Anthophyllite asbestos. Like tremolite and actinolite, anthophylite asbestos is not often used industrially, though it can occasionally be found in certain types of vermiculite (natural minerals that expand with the application of heat).

Asbestos Exposure and Your Work
resource : ATSDR

Many people have come into contact with asbestos fibers through their jobs (occupational exposure). Some of the work environments or occupations in which workers are now or were exposed in the past include:

Work Environments.

- Asbestos product manufacturing (insulation, roofing, building, materials)
- Automotive repair (brakes & clutches)
- Construction sites
- Maritime operations
- Mining operations
- Offshore rust removals
- Oil refineries
- Power plants
- Railroads
- Sand or abrasive manufacturers
- Shipyards / ships / shipbuilders
- Steel mills

Occupations:

- Asbestos removal workers
- Workers at exfoliation facilities where vermiculite ore from Libby, Montana, was processed
- Demolition workers
- Workers at asbestos product manufacturing plants
- Auto mechanics
- Boilermakers
- Bricklayers
- Building inspectors
- Carpenters
- Drywallers
- Electricians
- Floor covering manufacturers or installers
- Furnace workers
- Glazers
- Grinders
- Hod carriers
- Insulators
- Iron workers
- Laborers
- Longshoremen
- Maintenance workers
- Merchant marines
- Millwrights
- Operating engineers
- Painters
- Plasterers
- Plumbers
- RoofersIndividuals

Who have worked in the above work environments and occupations should consult with a physician with expertise in the evaluation and management of asbestos-related lung disease.

B. Other Causes
resource: medcine health

1. Radiation : Mesothelioma has been reported to occur in few people following exposure to therapeutic radiation using thorium dioxide (Thorotrast).

2. Zeolite : Zeolite is a silicate mineral (chemically related to asbestos) commonly found in the soil of the Anatoli region of Turkey. A few cases of mesothelioma reported from this region may have been caused by zeolite.

3. Simian Virus 40 (SV40) : The role of SV40 in the development of mesothelioma has also been suggested. This virus has been identified in human mesothelioma cells. In studies conducted in animals, it has been shown to induce the development of mesothelioma. However, further research is needed to confirm the link.

4. Smoking : the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure significantly increases a person's risk of developing pleural mesothelioma.

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Type of Mesothelioma

Types of Malignant Mesothelioma:

1. Pleural Mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the lungs, called the "pleura". Lung cancer, however, is different from pleural mesothelioma because lung cancer is a malignant tumor that originates in the lungs, whereas pleural mesothelioma occurs in the lining of the lungs.
2. Pericardial Mesothelioma. Pericardial mesothelioma is a cancer in the lining that surrounds the heart, called the pericardium.
3. Peritoneal Mesothelioma. Peritoneal mesothelioma is a cancer in the lining that surrounds the stomach or abdomin, called the peritoneum.

There are three cell types of mesothelioma:

1. Epithelioid accounts for 50% to 70% of all cases. It also has the best prognosis.
   
2. Sarcomatoid accounts for 10% to 15% of all cases. It is a more aggressive form of mesothelioma.
3. Biphasic or Mixed accounts for 10% to 15% of cases. This form has characteristics of both epithelioid and sarcomatoid mesotheliomas but is associated with worse survival than epithelioid mesothelioma.

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What is Mesothelioma?

Definition:

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which malignant (cancerous) cells are found in the mesothelium, originating from the cells which form the membrane lining the abdominal cavity (peritoneal membrane or peritoneum) which houses the intestines, or the chest (pleural membrane or pleura) cavity housing the heart and lungs, in which the cells making up those tissues begin to grow out of control. They can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also metastasize (spread) from their original site to other parts of the body.

Beginning first as a flat white plaque, mesothelioma is a tumor that continues to grow around the lungs (pleurae), but may also originate around the abdominal cavity. As mesothelioma progresses, it enters the lungs and invades nearby ribs.

Description:

The mesothelium is a membrane that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the body. It is composed of two layers of cells: One layer immediately surrounds the organ; the other forms a sac around it. The mesothelium produces a lubricating fluid that is released between these layers, allowing moving organs (such as the beating heart and the expanding and contracting lungs) to glide easily against adjacent structures.

The mesothelium has different names, depending on its location in the body. The peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity. The pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. The pericardium covers and protects the heart. The mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis testis. The tunica serosa uteri covers the internal reproductive organs in women.

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