Mesothelioma Asbestos - Mesothelioma Attorney
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Many BRMs are currently being used in cancer treatment, including interferons, interleukins, tumor necrosis factor, colony-stimulating factors, monoclonal antibodies, and cancer vaccines.
- Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) is a technique that allows for radiation doses to be delivered to very complex shapes or to tumors with nearby normal structures. The best results with IMRT have been obtained in prostate cancer and head & neck cancers. IMRT has great potential to improve local control in mesothelioma, especially since there is now data from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center to suggest that "conventional" radiation techniques can reduce local recurrence by about 50%
High doses of radiation have been proven to kill cancer cells and to shrink tumors. IMRT uses x-rays of varying intensities along with computer generated images to plan and deliver highly targeted radiation directly to cancer cells while significantly reducing the amount of radiation to surrounding healthy tissue. This technique is the most precise form of radiation therapy available today, and can increase the rate of tumor control by conforming to the shape of the tumor while minimizing adverse side effects. Because of its extreme accuracy, tumors which were formerly considered untreatable because of their proximity to vital organs can now be controlled. - Gene therapy is an approach to treating potentially fatal or disabling diseases by modifying the expression of an individual's genes toward a therapeutic goal. The premise of gene therapy is based on correcting disease at the DNA level and compensating for the abnormal genes.
Replacement gene therapy replaces a mutated or missing gene, most often a tumor suppressor gene, with a normal copy of that gene which serves to keep cell growth and division under control. The p53 gene, the most common gene mutated in cancer has become a prime target for gene replacement, and has met with some success in inhibiting cell growth, inhibiting angiogenesis (the development of a tumor's blood supply), and inducing apoptosis (cell death).
Knockout gene therapy targets the products of oncogenes (a gene that can induce tumor formation) in an effort to render them inactive and reduce cell growth.
With constantly expanding knowledge of the genes associated with cancer, their functions, and the delivery systems used in administering these genes, gene therapy has a promising future. - Complementary and alternative medicine covers a wide range of healing philosophies that conventional medicine does not commonly accept or make available to its patients. Some of these practices include the use of acupuncture, herbs, homeopathy, therapeutic massage, and Far Eastern medicine to treat health conditions.
These therapies may be used alone as an alternative to conventional medicine, or in addition to conventional medicine, in which case they are referred to as complementary. Many are considered holistic, meaning their focus is to treat the whole patient - physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. These treatments are not widely taught as a part of the medical curriculum, are not generally used in hospitals, and, for the most part, are not covered under insurance policies.
Your personal physician may be able to advise you about the use of complementary and alternative treatments and therapies, and how they relate to mesothelioma. - Unconventional methods of cancer treatment make claims that can not be scientifically substantiated. They commonly claim to be effective against cancers that are considered incurable, and tout treatments with relatively few, if any, side effects.
The use of these unconventional methods may result in the loss of valuable time and the opportunity to receive potentially effective therapy. It is always important to remain in the care of a qualified physician who uses accepted methods of treatment or who is participating in scientifically designed investigational therapies.
Mesothelioma Information
Mesothelioma asbestos is a rare type of cancer affecting the mesothelial tissue lining of the pleura, peritoneum and pericardium. Pleural mesothelioma, the most common type of malignant mesothelioma, is a cancer of the pleura and is often confused with asbestos lung cancer. While asbestos lung cancer affects the parenchymal tissue of the lung itself, pleural mesothelioma affects the tissue lining the lung.
Contact a mesothelioma attorney or asbestos attorney if you have recently been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma. Asbestos attorneys can help provide you with information about your right to compensation and make sure any asbestos claim gets filed before the statutory deadline passes.
© 2005 Paul, Hanley & Harley LLP.