Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Chances of surviving the stage IIb lung cancer?

Suppose a person has stage IIb lung cancer. The person has had strong radiation and chemo therapy for the lung cancer. But the person has not had any surgery for it. The person still smokes over a pack of cigarettes a day. What are the persons chances of surviving the stage IIb lung cancer? And how long should the person expect to live? Any approximants would be fine.

The person has already survived 1 year 8 months after diagnosis. And 1 year 3 months after having chemo and radiation. The persons CT last week said no lung cancer.
The person is a 44 year old male.
Type of cancer was large cell Adenocarcinoma
At the time the chances of surviving more then one year were at 20%. Surviving more then five years was 5%. But the chances of the whole thing being made up was at 95%.

http://lungcancer.clinicahealth.com


Can lung cancer cause paralysis?

Mom diagnosed with lung cancer in both lungs. She is in therapy since she is not able to stand or walk. What is the life expectancy?
She is 58 years old and I am terribly afraid of losing her. What can I do to help her when she is discharged? :( Thanks.


Is there anything out there to treat the symptoms of lung cancer?

There is a family friend that has stage 4 liver cancer and after a recent scan they have found spots on her lung. She is curently undergoing chemo therapy weekly but the symptoms of the lung cancer is what is alling her. She is short of breathe, fever, cough. Right now we are more interested in cureing the symptoms than the cancer. Is there any treatment out there that would help with the symtoms?

If are in the medical industry or have been through this please make sure to tell me in your answer.
Also she has never been a drinker or smoker.


my mom still smokes after she got lung cancer?

my grandma was diagnosed with lung cancer a few years ago and we had to take care of her until she passed away. then a year ago my mom was diagnosed with lung cancer also, she went through chemo therapy and now its gone, but now she smokes again, is it highly possible that she can get lung cancer again? is she more in likely to get it again? or can she not get it again? please help.
smoking can cause lung cancer. the doctor said thats what caused it. and the same with my grandma.


natural remedies for lung cancer?

My grandma was just diagnosed with lung cancer and was given 3 to 9 months to live. She has chosen to not undergo any radiation/chemo therapy treatment, and just wants to remain comfortable. I was wondering what type of herbal and natural remedies there are that could help her feel comfortable, and also may help fight the cancer to prolong her life. The only thing that is bothering her is a deep chest cough, because the tumor has caused part of her lung to collapse, otherwise she is in no pain. Thank you.


New or experimental treatments for lung cancer?

A loved one to whom I am extremely close to, was diagnosed a few days ago with Stage IV Adenocarcinoma of the lung and it is mestastic. She is willing to try any experimental drugs or therapy or any hollistic type of treatment. Does anyone have any information about these types of treatment or a website where we can research information about what is available? Thanks.


What are the chances of getting lung cancer after 30 years of being smoke free?

My father is 80 and has not smoked for 30 years. He was just diagnosed with Small Cell lung cancer and will be undergoing an aggressive chemo/radiation therapy. Can an individual get lung cancer after not smoking for 30 years or do you think there is another variable causing the cancer?


what is the survival rate of lung cancer?

my mom has lung cancer and she stopped smoking a week and a half ago? She is getting chemotherapy next week. what’s gonna happen? Does chemo therapy work?
she does not cough alot or cough up blood but her lung hurts.


What’s the symptoms of lung cancer?

Is CT scan accurate?

How to cure lung cancer permanently?

Are there any dangers for a 80 years old man to have any therapy curing lung cancer?

Thanks a lot


Survival rate inoperable stage 3 lung cancer?

My 72-year-old grandmother has been diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer. The doctor says it is inoperable. She began radiation therapy this week (so far they have not said anything about chemo) she has been a smoker since the 1950's and is currently still smoking. What are her chances of survival.


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Warren Zevon – Home Movie – Part 2/5 (HD)


VH1(Inside)Out: Warren Zevon – Home Movie Part 2 During interviews, Zevon described a lifelong phobia of doctors and said he seldom received medical assessment. Shortly before playing at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival in 2002, he started feeling dizzy and developed a chronic cough. After a long period of untreated illness and pain, Zevon was encouraged by his dentist to see a physician; when he did so he was diagnosed with inoperable mesothelioma (a form of cancer associated with exposure to asbestos). Refusing treatments he believed might incapacitate him, Zevon instead began recording his final album. The album, The Wind, includes guest appearances by close friends including Bruce Springsteen, Don Henley, Jackson Browne, Timothy B. Schmit, Joe Walsh, David Lindley, Billy Bob Thornton, Emmylou Harris, Tom Petty, Dwight Yoakam, and others. It has been said that the decision to include “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” was his, much to the dismay of the others in the project. At the request of the music television channel VH1, documentarian Nick Read was given access to the sessions; his cameras documented a man who retained his mordant sense of humor, even as his health was deteriorating over time. On October 30, 2002, Zevon was featured on the Late Show with David Letterman as the only guest for the entire hour. The band played “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead” as his introduction. Zevon performed several songs and spoke at length about his illness. Zevon was a frequent guest and

Latest Mesothelioma Death Auctions

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Mesothelioma Settlement Akin Mears Law – 800-948-5745


A mesothelioma settlement allows both (or all) parties involved in a mesothelioma suit to resolve a case without a trial. Our job is to help you get the financial compensation you deserve call us at 800-948-5745. If you or someone you know was exposed to Asbestos and has been diagnosed with Mesothelioma or lung cancer please call us for your settlement.

Warren Zevon – Home Movie – Part 2/5 (HD)


VH1(Inside)Out: Warren Zevon – Home Movie Part 2 During interviews, Zevon described a lifelong phobia of doctors and said he seldom received medical assessment. Shortly before playing at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival in 2002, he started feeling dizzy and developed a chronic cough. After a long period of untreated illness and pain, Zevon was encouraged by his dentist to see a physician; when he did so he was diagnosed with inoperable mesothelioma (a form of cancer associated with exposure to asbestos). Refusing treatments he believed might incapacitate him, Zevon instead began recording his final album. The album, The Wind, includes guest appearances by close friends including Bruce Springsteen, Don Henley, Jackson Browne, Timothy B. Schmit, Joe Walsh, David Lindley, Billy Bob Thornton, Emmylou Harris, Tom Petty, Dwight Yoakam, and others. It has been said that the decision to include “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” was his, much to the dismay of the others in the project. At the request of the music television channel VH1, documentarian Nick Read was given access to the sessions; his cameras documented a man who retained his mordant sense of humor, even as his health was deteriorating over time. On October 30, 2002, Zevon was featured on the Late Show with David Letterman as the only guest for the entire hour. The band played “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead” as his introduction. Zevon performed several songs and spoke at length about his illness. Zevon was a frequent guest and

All forms of asbestos are still considered ‘known carcinogens’

The recently updated 12th Report on Carcinogens, a public health document mandated by Congress, was released earlier this month by the Washingotn, D.C.-based U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  The report lists 54 chemicals, metals, pesticides, drugs and other compounds that are known and 186 that are suspected of causing cancer.  Asbestos remains on the list, without a single one of its forms escaping scrutiny.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fiber that was widely used in construction and manufacturing throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.  It was finally banned from most in the United States in 1989 for causing illnesses like lung cancer and mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the protective lining of the lungs, heart, chest and abdomen.   The only known cause of the latter is prolonged asbestos exposure.

Asbestos appeared as a known carcinogen on the 1st Report on Carcinogens in 1980, and studies have found that exposure to all forms of asbestos, including chrysotile, amosite, anthophyllite and crocidolite, increases the risk of cancer.  Despite its danger, asbestos can still be found in many buildings, which may explain why approximately 3,000 Americans are still being diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma each year.

New substances added to the 12th Report on Carcinogens include industrial chemical formaldehyde and the family of aristolochic acids and glass wool.  Ironically, both asbestos and glass wool have been used in the manufacture of insulation.  Fibers from both substances can be inhaled, ultimately lodging in the lungs and eventually causing the development of tumors.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 5th, 2011 at 11:35 am and is filed under News.

Asbestos educator warns that Libby isn’t Montana’s only Mesothelioma hotbed

In the 1990’s, the vermiculite mine in Libby, Montana made the sleepy town synonymous with asbestos exposure, cancer and asbestos injury mortality.  However, it is important to remember that the asbestos-containing vermiculite mined in Libby was distributed throughout the United States.  Although the effects of long-term, concentrated asbestos exposure was witnesses in the town, a recent editorial by Bruce Ingraham published in the Billings Gazette alleges that almost 90% of mesothelioma cases reported in Montana occur in communities along railroad lines in towns far from Libby, such as Dillon, Hardin and Sidney.

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer of the protective lining of the lungs, heart, chest and abdomen.  Its only known cause is prolonged asbestos exposure.  Therefore, it is perfectly reasonable to assume that anyone who regularly worked with products made of the vermiculite mined in Libby would also be particularly at risk of developing asbestos cancer.

“As an asbestos educator I often get asked about asbestos concerns stemming from Libby. However, this same awareness of Libby needs to be applied to your own home, school and work environment,” says Ingraham.  “Vermiculite insulation, which is often less than 5 percent asbestos, is only one asbestos product. Many items used in the Montana building industry contain far more asbestos than vermiculite. Karstolite, a nearly 100 percent asbestos product, whose production was based in the Bozeman area, is less common than the Libby vermiculite; yet presents a far greater exposure risk.”

Ingraham also chastises the Montana DEQ’s indifference toward illegal asbestos abatement, which if done improperly can expose workers and citizens to the deadly fiber.  He says that the DEQ’s actions are “no different than W.R. Grace’s failing to protect the workers and citizens of Libby.”

This entry was posted on Saturday, July 30th, 2011 at 9:40 am and is filed under News.

Electricians at elevated risk of asbestos exposure, mesothelioma

Electricians are one of the types of workers most at risk of exposure to toxic asbestos.  This naturally occurring mineral fiber was regularly used in construction materials throughout the 19th and 20th centuries and was only banned from use in the United States in 1989.  When contractors and electricians work in a building constructed prior to the 1980’s, they are often at risk of inhaling microscopic asbestos fibers.  These fibers can lodge in the lungs and cause the onset of such fatal diseases as asbestosis, lung cancer or mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the protective lining of the lungs, heart, chest and abdomen.

It has been reported that from 1990 to 1999, the construction was the most frequently listed occupation (24%) on U.S. death certificates of persons over the age of 15 for whom asbestosis was listed as the cause of death. Of those, 4.4% listed “electrician” or “former electrician” as their vocation. Plus, a 1995 British study revealed that construction workers, including electricians, were the workers at greatest risk of contracting asbestos cancer.   According to OSHA, the most common causes of renovation job injury include falls, electrocution, exposure to overhead objects and airborne contaminants, such as dust, asbestos and silica.

In the past decade there have been a handful of major lawsuits against large corporations for exposing electricians to the asbestos that eventually ended their lives.  In 2006, an Ohio appeals court ruled that General Motors knew that an electrician was in danger from asbestos in the insulation on steam pipes and in wiring. In 2007, the family of a California electrician who died of malignant mesothelioma settled with six defendants for $2.3 million before the wrongful death case even went to trial.  And most recently, a jury in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania found eight manufacturers liable for the asbestos-related death of former Navy electrician’s mate, David Lanpher.

This entry was posted on Monday, July 18th, 2011 at 12:40 pm and is filed under News.

Family takes fundraising, mesothelioma awareness to the streets

In June, Peter Mann passed away of mesothelioma at the age of 69.  This rare cancer of the protective lining of the body’s major organs and cavities is caused exclusively by prolonged exposure to asbestos.  It is believed that Mann was exposed to the toxic mineral when he was working as an apprentice plumber in the mid-1950’s.  Asbestos was commonly used in pipe lagging and variety of other construction materials.

Malignant mesothelioma takes between 20 and 50 years to develop, and often doesn’t become symptomatic until it reaches stage three or four, making the cancer very difficult to diagnose and treat in time.  Mann was diagnosed with asbestos cancer, as the diseases is alternately known, in January 2011.  His wife, Hazel, said that Mann “kept fighting until the end” despite the “horrendous” pain.

“My mother had lung cancer and it was bad, but she was in nothing like the pain my husband was,” explained Hazel.

In honor of Mann, hazel and her family spent the afternoon of Mesothelioma Awareness Day raising money for Mesothelioma UK with a collection bucket, as well as handing out leaflets about the disease in their hometown of Worthing, England.  They raised £350.

“The number of people with mesothelioma will soon reach its peak, and it affects around 2,000 people each year (in the UK),” informed Hazel.  “Although there is less asbestos around, people are still coming into contact with it, and people need to realize you don’t have to work with asbestos to get mesothelioma. There are people who clean the clothes of a partner who get it.”

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 26th, 2011 at 1:35 pm and is filed under News.

Federal-Mogul trust, insurers battle over mesothelioma claim coverage

Thursday, July 28th, 2011

The Federal-Mogul U.S. Asbestos Personal Injury Trust was created to address asbestos exposure claims after Federal-Mogul completed a six-year Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in December 2007.  The claims against a former division of the Southfield, Michigan-based company were filed by lung cancer and mesothelioma patients who had been exposed to asbestos in brake parts and other automotive components.

Asbestos is a highly toxic mineral fiber that is responsible for a plethora of fatal respiratory illnesses.  Mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the protective lining of the lungs, heart, chest and abdomen, is caused exclusively by prolonged asbestos exposure.  Because the disease takes between 20 and 50 decades to develop and only becomes symptomatic by stage three or four, it is very difficult to detect in time to save the patient’s life.

In 2008, Federal-Mogul sued Continental Insurance Co. for the company’s unwillingness to cover asbestos cancer claims.  The trust believes that its umbrella policy should cover claims made against Vellumoid Co., a former division that from 1965 to 1981 made gaskets and other asbestos-containing products.  U.S. District Judge Arthur Tarnow dismissed the case, and now the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit has upheld that decision.

The bankruptcy reorganization plan reassigned Federal-Mogul’s three primary-level general insurance policies, from Travelers Indemnity Co., Globe Indemnity Co. and Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., to the trust.  As the trust also holds the aforementioned umbrella policy, Federal-Mogul claims that, now that the Travelers policy is exhausted, Continental must “continue as underlying insurance” on the Vellumoid claims.

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 28th, 2011 at 11:16 am and is filed under News.

Mesothelioma patient celebrates Christmas in July

Friday, July 29th, 2011

There is a house on Voltair Terrace in Port St.Lucie, Florida that has had its Christmas decorations up throughout the month of July.  The house belongs to Meaghan Cottrell and her family, who have decided to celebrate Christmas a little early this year.

In February, Megan’s father, Paul Cano, was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the protective lining of the body’s major organs and cavities.  The average mesothelioma prognosis is generally a life expectancy of six months to a year, making it a very real possibility that Paul Cano may not live to see another December.

Cano’s doctors initially only gave him four months to live, but now that he’s survived longer than expected, Cano has chosen to seize his last opportunity to enjoy Christmas.  ”Christmas has always been special. I like it because it’s the only time I can get everybody in one spot. It’s the only thing I have left to give them,” he says.

“It’s very tough,” says Meaghan.  “He’s all we have had in our lives so it will be a difficult transition when we don’t have him.”

The fact that Cano was able to build the family’s holiday decorations, including a computerized system that controls both the music and lights is proof that he is still well enough to enjoy his last Christmas.  “I got my kids all around me. I got my ex-wife with me and my son is flying in from Indiana,” explains Cano happily.  Being with his family and enjoying the time he has left is likely to be the best therapy Cano could have wished for and a fitting way to say goodbye.

This entry was posted on Friday, July 29th, 2011 at 9:38 am and is filed under News.

Nanoparticles could contribute to the early detection of mesothelioma

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first-in-human clinical trial of a new technology, which will be a joint effort between Cornell University, in Ithaca, New York, and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in New York City.  The trial will study the effectiveness of Cornell Dots, nanoparticles that light up cancer cells in PET-optical imaging.

Already considered a breakthrough in cancer diagnostics technology, Cornell Dots may help identify aggressive cancers sooner.  Mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the protective lining of the lungs, heart, chest and abdomen caused by prolonged asbestos exposure, is a particularly difficult cancer to detect.  This silent killer takes decades to develop and does not become symptomatic until it reaches later stages.  Malignant mesothelioma is often misdiagnosed and, even when diagnosed properly, it is rarely detected early enough to preserve the patient’s life.  The development improved diagnostic tools absolutely is absolutely essential to winning the battle against mesothelioma disease.

Cornell Dots are the first nanoparticles to meet the criteria necessary to receive FDA approval for a study. The dots have, therefore, proven themselves “tumor selective, nontoxic, and exhibit favorable targeting and clearance profiles.”

The silica nanoparticles are coated in polyethylene glycol (PEG) so the body does not target them as an invading or harmful agent. They are then allowed to stick to tumor cells through organic molecules that attach to the PEG shell.  Infrared light caused the dots to light up and serve as a honing beacon for cancerous cells.

According to the researchers, this new technology “enables visualization during surgical treatment, showing invasive or metastatic spread to lymph nodes and distant organs, and can show the extent of treatment response.”

This entry was posted on Friday, July 15th, 2011 at 10:17 am and is filed under New York, News.

New helical tomotherapy study shows evidence of success in treating mesothelioma

Wednesday, July 13th, 2011

Researchers at the University of Paris have discovered that a combination of spiral CT-scanning technology and intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), known as helical tomotherapy (HT), is more advantageous than other radiation methods when it comes to treating mesothelioma after surgery.  Mesothelioma is a rare cancer of the protective lining of the lungs, heart, chest and abdomen that is caused almost exclusively by prolonged asbestos exposure and is very difficult to treat.

Helical tomotherapy offers enhanced precision and allows oncologists to specify the radiation dose to the size and shape of the targeted tumor.  Mesothelioma tumors tend to be irregular in shape and spread across large sections of the mesothelium, making it very difficult for doctors to administer mesothelioma radiation without killing large numbers of healthy cells.

The French researchers studied the treatment outcomes of 14 patients with pleural mesothelioma – which specifically affects the lungs – who had undergone HT after receiving extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) surgery.  Two of the patients experienced lung inflammation, known as radiation pneumonitis, but the HT was well tolerated in the majority of the patients.

After treatment, the mesothelioma returned an average of 5.1 months later in six patients, three of whom died shortly after relapsing.  The other eight survived longer than expected, as most mesothelioma patients live no longer than about six months past diagnosis.  The median survival of all the study participants was 18.4 months after diagnosis, and patients treated later in the study tended to fair better than those treated earlier, an effect attributed to the optimization of dosing parameters among the doctors administering the radiation.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 13th, 2011 at 2:13 pm and is filed under News.

U.S. government reiterates its stance on asbestos’ carcinogenic properties

For as much as some industrial groups would like to argue the contrary, it has been proven time and time again that asbestos causes cancer.  This highly toxic mineral fiber was used throughout the 19th and 20th centuries in a variety of industries, but was banned in the United States and most first world nations in the 1980’s due to its hazardous effect on human health.

Once again Washington, D.C. has weighed in with the 12th edition of the congressionally mandated study of cancer-causing substances, known as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Report on Carcinogens, which reiterates that “asbestos and all commercial forms of asbestos are known to be human carcinogens based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity from studies in humans.”

Asbestos has been proven to cause a slew of fatal respiratory diseases, including asbestosis and lung cancer.  Plus it is the only known cause of mesothelioma, a rare and terminal cancer of the protective lining of the lungs, heart, chest and abdomen.

Among the people most susceptible to asbestos exposure and of subsequently contracting asbestos cancer are workers in the construction, shipbuilding and breaking, building demolition and automotive brake repair industries. These same workers can also cause the second-hand exposure of their family member by carrying asbestos fibers home on their clothes and bodies. Veteran mesothelioma is also quite common, as the U.S. military used asbestos heavily from the 1940s until the 1970s.

Malignant mesothelioma takes an average of 40 years to develop, and symptoms usually don’t appear until the cancer has reached stage three or four.  Symptoms include persistent cough, shortness of breath, problems swallowing, fatigue, weight loss, profuse sweating and pain in the chest, abdomen or when breathing.

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 21st, 2011 at 9:37 am and is filed under News.

New statistics reveal mesothelioma more prevalent in UK than United States

Great Britain’s Health and Safety Executive has finally released the shocking statistics behind the country’s rate of mesothelioma incidence.  Mesothelioma is a rare and terminal cancer of the protective lining of the body’s major organs and cavities that is caused almost exclusively by prolonged asbestos exposure.  According to the newly released figures, at least 5,000 deaths from mesothelioma a year are expected by 2015.  This is surprisingly higher than the numbers released by Washington, D.C., placing the number of cases of malignant mesothelioma cases detected each year in the U.S. at 3,000.

According to U.K. experts almost every building erected in the country prior to 1999 will have used asbestos in its construction.  This means that even the simplest renovation or repair projects can lead to the creation of a potentially hazardous situation.  Whenever asbestos-containing materials are disturbed, they are likely to release microscopic, carcinogenic asbestos fibers into the air.  These fibers can then be inhaled by anyone in the vicinity, ultimately lodging in the lungs and contributing to the development of pleural mesothelioma – which affects the lining of the lungs – over several decades.

Two of the names most closely linked to the tragedy of mesothelioma in Britain, are those of Chris and Mick Knighton.  Mick was exposed to asbestos while in the Royal Navy.  “The helmet he was first issued with as a gunner and the gauntlets given to him were all made of asbestos,” says Chris, Mick’s widow. “When the Navy realized all the ships were riddled with asbestos, they had them refitted, but the crews helped rip out the piping and bits which were to be removed.  They didn’t wear the proper ­protective clothing, they just got on with the job and many, many of them in effect condemned themselves to death in the process.  While the Royal Navy freely admits this is where Mick was exposed to asbestos and that it led to his developing mesothelioma, no one can sue the Crown, so he wasn’t entitled to any compensation.”

Since Mick’s death of naval-related mesothelioma ten years ago at the age of 60, Chris has managed to raise £1million for the Mick Knighton Mesothelioma Research Fund.

This entry was posted on Monday, August 1st, 2011 at 9:42 am and is filed under News.