Mesothelioma Asbestos

What is Mesothelioma Asbestos?

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is a naturally-occurring fiber, that, when released into the air, can be inhaled or swallowed. Asbestos has no smell or taste, and asbestos fibers are so tiny that they are not visible to the naked eye. Asbestos fibers can "stick" in the lung, abdomen and other body tissues and over time, lead to the development of asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma.

The generic name "asbestos" belongs to a group of minerals called "asbestiform" minerals. Asbestos is a fibrous material which is mined from serpentine rock. Basically, rock was mined and crushed. When the rock was crushed, fibrous stands of asbestos were extracted from the rock. The strands where put in bags and shipped to manufacturing facilities were the asbestos was used as an ingredient in insulation and other materials. The three most commonly used forms of asbestos in product manufacturing were chrysotile, amosite and crocidolite.

Mesothelioma Treatment!

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a new mesothelioma treatment based on the theory that single celled organisms die when exposed to certain frequency of light. Photosensitive drugs are administered intravenously. In a couple of days, the drug concentrates on the diseased cell and kills it. Skin sensitivity, nausea and vomiting can be some of the side effects.

Immunotherapy(biological therapy) is another new way to treat mesothelioma. Immunotherapy will try to rejuvenate the immune system and there by improving the natural immune system which is the most effective way to fight any disease. The therapy also repairs the immune systems that are faulty. Biological response modifiers (BRMs) are the substances used in immunotherapy. BRMs naturally develop in the body but it can now be prepared in laboratory and is found to give the same effect as the natural ones.

Treatments with the combinations of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, are being researched studied. Heated intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy and use of pemetrexed drug, brand named Alimta, are some of the new developments in the treatment of mesothelioma.