What causes lung cancer — a dreadful disease that seems to have no mercy on the lives of those affected? Research shows that a lung cancer prognosis in many patients doesn’t exceed five years. This is disheartening at best. Being given a diagnosis such as this leaves the patient thinking what causes lung cancer?

What causes any type of cancer is really still a mystery. However there are suspicions about what causes lung cancer and there are suggested risks. Whenever lung cancer is discussed, the great risk factor focused on is smoking. Nowadays not only is tobacco use considered a risk for lung cancer but second-hand smoke or environmental tobacco smoke is also considered to be a risk. Other suspected causes of lung cancer are exposure to materials such as radon, asbestos and industrial substances such as arsenic. Some organic chemical are considered to be a risk for lung cancer. Radiation exposure, air pollution and tuberculosis are also suspected regarding what causes lung cancer.

It the cause or lung cancer was known with certainty, perhaps a cure could be found for this awful disease. Patients would be able to look to the future without the fear of premature death. What causes lung cancer? Many things are considered to be causes and for this reason these risks should be avoided. Staying away from these risk factors should definitely decrease a person’s chances of being diagnosed with lung cancer. Research has shown that men who smoke increase their chances of dying from lung cancer at a rate of more than twenty-two time of men who don’t smoke. Research also shows that women who smoke increase their risk of death from lung cancer by a rate of more than twelve times of women who don’t smoke. Research has also shown that women who don’t smoke are more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer than men who are non-smokers. These are all facts and figures discovered through research. What causes lung cancer? It could be one of these risk factors and for that reason people should follow the advice offered regarding lung cancer prevention.

causes for lung cancer
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Due asbestos exposure Asbestosis and Malignant Mesothelioma are caused. The condition also leads to lung cancer if not treated in time. Mesothelioma life expectancy reduces greatly in those patients who do not receive treatment on time.

Lethal exposure to Asbestos:

Asbestos appears in a naturally fibrous form and is basically recognized as a class of minerals. It is used in the manufacturing industry and has many other uses due to its properties of chemical resistance, heat resistance and flexibility. It is extensively used in ship building material, roofing material and building material. When a person is constantly subjected to the inhalation of the asbestos fibers for a long period of time, the asbestos exposure endangers the person’s health.

The fibers are not visible to the naked eye. They are microscopic, and get lodged firmly in the lungs when they are constantly inhaled. The first manifestation can take up to 40 years to surface, with the least time span being about 15 years since the initial exposure. Health takes a beating with asbestos inhalation in the form of malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis.

Other cancers:

There are other cancers caused due to asbestos exposure too. Cancer of the kidney, oral cavity, colon, stomach and larynx are included. Cancer of the intestines, stomach and esophagus is caused due to constant exposure to asbestos fiber in the drinking water. Smoking and prolonged asbestos exposure are hazardous and result in lung cancer.

If smoking is quit as soon as possible, then the risk of developing lung cancer gets reduced greatly. Once asbestosis is diagnosed, mesothelioma life expectancy decreases in the presence of a cigarette smoking addiction. Those who smoke and have had prior exposure to the asbestos fiber should immediately quit smoking. Even those who have been subjected to low levels of asbestos inhalation over a long period of time can develop malignant mesothelioma. It is one of the most painful cancers of all.

After long term exposure to asbestos, the fibers get lodged into the lungs firmly causing asbestosis. This disease can be contained with early diagnosis and proper treatment. However, if it is ignored and/or it is worsened with further inhalation of asbestos fibers and/or smoking, it leads to lung cancer and subsequently decreased Mesothelioma Life Expectancy.

Prevention:

However small the job might be, when you get an old construction razed or renovated never attempt doing it yourself. Professionals are aware of the risks involved and they ensure that neither they nor you get exposed to the asbestos fiber or the diseases associated with it. Those at risk are those directly involved in servicing of brake and auto clutch assemblies, building renovators, ship breakers, ship and house building etc.

It was way back in the 1920s that the connection between lung cancer and asbestos inhalation was detected. When different variants of asbestos like crocidotile, amosite, chrysostile, and anthophyllite are inhaled, lung cancer is the lethal outcome. Those suffering from asbestosis develop lung cancer. The condition is now also being addressed by the keepers of the law with compensations that make the fiscal demands bearable.

Malignant Mesothelioma and Mesothelioma Life Expectancy many other related diseases like Asbestosis are cause due to asbestos exposure. This recognized human carcinogen is primarily responsible for causing lung cancer too.

Robart Alex

Mesothelioma life expectancy at the time of diagnosis will traditionally be announced at being somewhere between a few months to only a year or two. Statistically speaking, mesothelioma life expectancy is frighteningly short. However, the mesothelioma life expectancy rate is a mere average, mean or median of mesothelioma patients with wildly different independent variables. Many of these mesothelioma patients have lived years past their expected “date of death” estimate.

Mesothelioma treatment and mesothelioma treatment options for these patients differed. Physicians for some patients may have been more experienced than physicians for the less fortunate. Not all patients follow through with chemotherapy or cancer treatment plans upon hearing the low mesothelioma life expectancy statistics, and many are not in shape to handle surgery. Others fight to live for just one more day.

Survival stories that can affect mesothelioma life expectancy rates range from the rarer cases of a young woman being “cured” – or having no remittance for decades, to the extremes on the other side, an 80+ year old gentleman with lifetime asbestos exposure, smoking heavily and suffering from numerous pre-existing diseases who dies a month after diagnosis. Others die during surgery. Most mesothelioma patient circumstances are somewhere in between. Many mesothelioma sufferers and their life expectancy statistics go unrecorded. Mesothelioma life expectancy will depend on your individual variables, your medical treatment, and your perseverance and outlook.

Mesothelioma life expectancy diagnosis will always depend on how early or late the disease was discovered. Because mesothelioma has been largely unrecognized in the past, the bulk of mesothelioma life expectancy statistics are mesothelioma patients who were diagnosed late in the disease. A greater awareness of the disease exists in the medical community, and although the majority of physicians do not have experience treating mesothelioma, most are aware of the potential presence of mesothelioma if a patient has been exposed to asbestos, and can refer a potential mesothelioma patient to a specialist.

Early detection and early treatment leads to longer life expectancy. Individuals who have been exposed to asbestos can be pro-active in diagnosing and treating mesothelioma and other asbestos-caused diseases. Patients can monitor their health and mesothelioma symptoms and begin early detection X-ray and CT scan tests. Mesothelioma patients can research mesothelioma treatment options available in clinical trials and discuss these with their physician. A physician can not be aware of every clinical trial that exists, and a mesothelioma patient’s own research could add years on to mesothelioma life expectancy.

Statistics for mesothelioma life expectancy will logically improve rather than become worse. Clinical trials on mesothelioma treatment options are increasing with an urgency to halt the disease. Many clinical trial participants live years past the initial diagnosis due to innovative mesothelioma treatment. Others may have participated in a mesothelioma clinical trial that was not as successful, but their participation has cleared the way to successful mesothelioma treatment for others. Chemotherapy and drug combinations have been proven to lengthen mesothelioma life expectancy. Imaging and radiation technology has made significant advances.

Mesothelioma life expectancy can pass the low mesothelioma life expectancy rates of the past. Nobody in the statistics of mesothelioma has the identical combination of the physical, emotional, and environmental variables that you do. Medicine advances, it does not go backwards. Mesothelioma treatment and mesothelioma treatment options for your early stage or advanced malignant stage mesothelioma will be up to you. There is a strong chance that you can defy mesothelioma life expectancy statistics. Research. Stay alert to new mesothelioma treatment options. And look at yourself, not statistics.

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Mesothelioma treatment options for malignant mesothelioma can relieve pain and provide hope for the future. In many cases, new mesothelioma treatment options can increase mesothelioma life expectancy beyond original expectations. Even if advanced malignant mesothelioma has reached a seemingly incurable stage, participating in clinical trials gives a breath of hope to the future generations of mesothelioma cancer patients.

Treatment for malignant mesothelioma can start with surgery, although this is not always recommended in mesothelioma treatment options since older patients may have a difficult time with surgery. The objective is to remove the tumor, or at least most of it, and slow down the disease. With advanced mesothelioma, the tumor has often tragically spread throughout the body and has invaded life-giving organs, making surgery more risky than living with cancer itself. However in the early stages of malignant mesothelioma, a localized tumor is more likely to be successfully removed.

Radical surgery is a mesothelioma treatment option for advanced malignant mesothelioma that has been used in small clinical trials, but has resulted in almost half the patients (48%) living at least five years past their predetermined mesothelioma life expectancy date. “Extrapleural pneumonectomy” involves removing the internal body parts that mesothelioma cancer cells love to invade. Surgery removes the parietal pleura (pleural mesothelioma), the pericardium (pericardial mesothelioma) and the diaphragm, as well as the removal of a lung. This surgery is combined with pre and post operative chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Cancer Research UK is funding a “MARS” clinical trial (mesothelioma and radical surgery) to formally undergo pilot testing. Since the patients must be followed for five years, the results are not yet available and the success of these mesothelioma treatment options has yet to be discovered. UK medical reports do claim that US trial results have thus far demonstrated that a heavier dose of radiotherapy after the EPP surgery extends mesothelioma life expectancy.

Mesothelioma treatment options almost always include chemotherapy. Progress is seen in mesothelioma treatment when chemotherapy is combined with drug therapy. There are clinical trials for mesothelioma treatment options around the world that are seeking to find the chemotherapy and drug mix that can prolong mesothelioma life expectancy. Clinical trials are listed at many cancer organizations and research hospitals, and many seek mesothelioma patients wanting mesothelioma treatment options for advanced malignant mesothelioma. In advanced malignant mesothelioma, participating in a clinical trial can be a lifesaving mesothelioma treatment option.

Mesothelioma treatment options for advanced malignant mesothelioma can also be found in clinical trials for anti-angiogenic therapy. Anti-angiogenic mesothelioma treatment options are biological therapies that revolve around blood vessel growth. A cancer needs its own blood supply to grow. Two primary chemicals contribute to growth, VEGF and FGF-2. Mesothelioma patients with advanced malignant mesothelioma have higher levels of VEGF compared to patients suffering from other cancers. The theory the clinical trials are hoping to prove is that blocking VEFG will stop the blood vessel growth that supports the cancer growth.

Mesothelioma treatment options for malignant mesothelioma also includes clinical trials in phototherapy, immunotherapy, gene therapy and other therapies. Medical specialists are scrambling to find the mesothelioma treatment options for malignant mesothelioma that can protect and cure the projected increase in mesothelioma patients of the future. Participating in clinical trials can extend mesothelioma life expectancy and provide hope for future generations.

Finding a highly qualified and competent California mesothelioma attorney involves a little investigation. Newly diagnosed victims of Mesothelioma in California often have ample questions involving their health, their future, and their lawful recourses in the event of a mesothelioma diagnosis. The facts of mesothelioma are not easy to hear, nor are they easy to deal with. While a Mesothelioma doctor is equipped to answer medical and health questions as they relate to Mesothelioma, only a qualified Mesothelioma attorney is capable of answering questions that are associated with the legal ramifications of a mesothelioma diagnosis.

California mesothelioma victims are encouraged to make a list of questions that they feel they need answers to, one list for their Mesothelioma physician and another list for their attorney. The top ten questions to ask a California mesothelioma attorney have been suggested here, but there will be many more questions regarding a Mesothelioma case.

1. It is vital to contact a Mesothelioma lawyer as quickly as possible as many states have complicated regulations concerning Mesothelioma lawsuits. The first question to ask a qualified Mesothelioma lawyer is whether or not you qualify to file a Mesothelioma lawsuit. This of course will involve divulging all the information possible to allow the Mesothelioma lawyer to determine if you qualify to file a Mesothelioma lawsuit.

2. Some California mesothelioma lawyers are already involved with other Mesothelioma lawsuits or Mesothelioma settlements which may preclude them from taking on any new cases. It is possible that you may qualify for a class action lawsuit or perhaps an individual Mesothelioma lawsuit, depending on the circumstances. Mesothelioma patients need to inquire whether their case would be handled as an individual case or as part of a class action Mesothelioma lawsuit, and which would benefit them the most.

3. Knowing that your potential Mesothelioma lawyer has ample actual courtroom experience is a highly important part of hiring a Mesothelioma lawyer. It is perfectly acceptable to inquire with your potential Mesothelioma lawyer about their prior Mesothelioma and courtroom experience. Mesothelioma lawsuits are not the type of lawsuits you want a newbie cutting their teeth on, there is simply too much at stake.

4. California mesothelioma lawsuits tend to be large cases with a lot of complicated laws and circumstances to navigate. A Mesothelioma attorney needs to have ample support and resources to assist in the research and argument process. You will want to ask the Mesothelioma attorney how many Mesothelioma cases are in the firm, how many Mesothelioma expert lawyers are in the firm, and how much extra support services they can receive from the other California mesothelioma attorneys in the law firm.

5. Mesothelioma victims tend to be victimized by the contraction of the disease and are often very sensitive to other people’s feelings, including their Mesothelioma lawyer’s feelings. Asking questions that validate their experience is a good thing, and is not offensive to a Mesothelioma lawyer. If your potential Mesothelioma attorney reacts to questions with offense, it is not in your best interest to hire them. Asking them about their track record with Mesothelioma cases, how many went to trial versus how many of them were settled, as well as the results of each case is a reasonable line of questioning.

6. It is rarely in the best interest of the Mesothelioma victim for their case to be split between multiple law firms. Asking whether your lawsuit will be handled in house or if there is the possibility of splitting the case between law firms is a question of relative importance.

7. The vast majority of California mesothelioma cases are handled on a contingency basis, which means the attorney gets paid a percentage of what he or she is able to win on the Mesothelioma victim’s behalf. If the case goes nowhere, the Mesothelioma lawyer typically doesn’t get paid. The percentage of the Mesothelioma award or the Mesothelioma settlement which typically goes to the representing Mesothelioma lawyer is between 30 and 40 percent.

8. Asking your California mesothelioma lawyer to describe the process of a lawsuit will enable you to understand the process which you are about to enter as well as inform you of how well your Mesothelioma lawyer communicates..

9. It is important to understand how long the Mesothelioma lawyer will need for research and how much information he or she will need from the Mesothelioma victim and the Mesothelioma doctor. Television has given us the impression that lawsuits and court proceedings happen quickly. They don’t it takes time, and for a Mesothelioma victim, time is very precious.

10. California mesothelioma laws may vary by county. Establishing the jurisdiction that the Mesothelioma case will be tried is vital. Often it is tried in the county which the exposure to asbestos took place. Your Mesothelioma lawyer will have to have access to that region.

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About Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma (cancer of the mesothelium) is a disease in which cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide without control or order. 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. Most cases of mesothelioma begin in the pleura or peritoneum.

What is the mesothelium?

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.

How common is mesothelioma?

Although reported incidence rates have increased in the past 20 years, mesothelioma is still a relatively rare cancer. About 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year. Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and risk increases with age, but this disease can appear in either men or women at any age.

Mesothelioma Symptoms

Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 30 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleura are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and abdominal pain and swelling due to a buildup of fluid in the abdomen. Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face. These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions. It is important to see a doctor about any of these symptoms. Only a doctor can make a diagnosis.

The early symptoms of mesothelioma are often ignored, because they may be caused by a variety of ailments. These symptoms include:

pain in the lower back or at the side of the chest

shortness of breath

difficulty swallowing

cough

fever

fatigue

abdominal pain, weight loss, and nausea and vomiting (symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma)

Causes of Mesothelioma -

The primary risk factor for developing mesothelioma is asbestos exposure. In the past, asbestos was used as a very effective type of insulation. The use of this material, however, has been declining since the link between asbestos and mesothelioma has become known. It is thought that when the fibers of asbestos are inhaled, some of them reach the ends of the small airways and penetrate into the pleural lining. There the fibers may directly harm mesothelial cells and eventually cause mesothelioma. If the fibers are swallowed, they can reach the abdominal cavity, where they can contribute to the formation of peritoneal mesothelioma. Exposure to certain types of radiation as well as to a chemical related to asbestos known as zeolite has also been related to incidences of mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma Treatment -

Treatment for mesothelioma depends on the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, and the patient’s age and general health. Standard treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Sometimes, these treatments are combined. Surgery is a common treatment for mesothelioma. The doctor may remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it. For cancer of the pleura (pleural mesothelioma), a lung may be removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy. Sometimes part of the diaphragm, the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing, is also removed.

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Attention smokers: Flush out your lungs and go from chain smoking to no-smoking in a few months.

LUNG DETOX – The First And Most Important Thing Every Smoker Should Do To Clean His Lungs And That Will Also Help Him Quit Smoking – Immediately And Permanently.

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If you’ve been smoking for more than a year now, your lungs would look like the chimney of a factory – charred and black with smoke, dirty with sticky residue of nicotine and tar.

Doctors and med magazines tell you that it would normally take you fifteen smoke-free years to get your lungs looking pink and healthy again.

That’s true – to an extent.

But the scientific community has missed a small but vital link that’s staring them in the face!

A secret combination of the right food supplements, vitamins and exercise can rinse out the toxins from your lungs in less than 1 year!

Subject: Highly effective treatment to flush out stubborn toxins stuck to your lungs from years of smoking. Added benefit – it will make you WANT to quit smoking.

FACT: Smokers often feel that they blow out most of the smoke they take in. In reality, however, they exhale only 10% of what they inhale. That means 90% of what you puff is lodged in your lungs!

Dear Friend,

Is this you?

* You’ve been smoking for the last 10 8 7 5 years.
* You’re afraid that your lungs are too far gone to be healthy again.
* You’re tired of smelling like an ashtray, but feel there’s nothing you can do about it.
* You truly and sincerely believe that quitting is beyond you.
* You notice an irritating dry cough (nothing serious you know – just a dry but persistent irritation), or may be you’re huffing and puffing more than usual.

If you’ve answered even one of the above questions with a “yes”, then you’re probably pretty depressed with your efforts to quit smoking.

To make matters worse, I have some depressing statistics for you (I wish I could spare you this, but there’s no running away from the truth).

Did you know that after 2 years of smoking …

* You’re 12 times more likely to die of lung cancer?
* You’re 10 times more prone to lung diseases?
* You’re 10 times more susceptible to cancer of the larynx?
* You’re 6 times more prone to heart diseases caused by high cholesterol levels?
* You’re twice as likely to die of a stroke?

Why is this so?

When you smoke, your lungs soak up the noxious fumes of tar and nicotine – much like a piece of sponge soaks up water.

Clinical trials, phases I through III, are experimental treatments that have not yet been proven to be effective enough to be accepted as standard treatment. In fact, they are done for the purpose of determining whether they are or are not effective, and of determining to what degree they are effective. Results from clinical trials are compared with other forms of treatment to determine the most effective treatments under varying conditions. Clinical trials types include:

• Prevention trials

• Screening trials

• Diagnostic trials

• Treatment trials

• Quality-of-life, or Supportive care trials

• Genetics studies

What Kinds of Clinical Trials are Available for Mesothelioma Patients?

Clinical trials for treatment of mesothelioma might be designed to find a new treatment, or to improve a standard one. They test new drugs, radiation therapy, vaccines, new methods of surgery, or new treatment combinations.

Quality-of-life, also called supportive care trials work to improve cancer patients’ and survivors’ quality of life, comfort, or reduce the side effects of treatment or the cancer, itself.

How to Enroll in a Clinical Trial.

If your physician is unable to offer you a treatment or surgical option that he believes will cure, or improve, your condition, you may be eligible to enroll in a clinical trial. Your physician will be able to tell you which clinical trials are appropriate for you, and how to enroll.

Who Pays for Clinical Trials?

Clinical trials are not free. As with any medical treatment, you are responsible to pay for payment. If you have health insurance, you will need to find out whether or not they cover the particular clinical trial you intend to undergo. If your policy states that it considers clinical trials to be experimental or investigative, it may not cover any or your expenses for this treatment.

Increasingly, states are passing laws that require coverage for at least the routine care you would get during a clinical trial. These include doctor visits, hospital stays, lab work and x-rays and other costs common to any covered treatment that you might receive. In most cases the group sponsoring the trial will cover some of the costs of the clinical trials. These would include the costs that are related to tests that are done solely for research purposes.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is one of those research groups. NCI is working with major health insurance companies and managed care groups, and Medicare covers patient care clinical trial costs. NCI offers links to articles about clinical trials that may answer many of your questions. Other links to valuable information are at NCI Publications.

What Happens During a Clinical Trial?

There are four phases of treatment clinical trials:

Phase I: First step in testing a new treatment in humans

• Evaluates effective dose, route of delivery, and frequency of treatment

• Evaluates harmful side effects

• Involves only a small number of human subjects

Phase II:

• Studies safety and effectiveness of this treatment

• Evaluates effect on human body

• Limits to a specific type of cancer

• Involves fewer than 100 patients

Phase III: Compares this treatment to the current standard treatment

• Patients are randomly assigned to either the standard treatment or the one under study

• Treatments at phase III have shown promise based upon results from phases I and II

• Involves large numbers of people from many different places in the country

Phase IV:

• Evaluate the long-term safety and outcomes of this treatment

• Usually done after treatment is approved as a standard treatment

• Involves hundreds to thousands of people to ensure consistency in results

A 2002 study at phase III showed that a new chemotherapy drug regimen was effective in extending the lives of mesothelioma patients while reducing pain and discomfort.

About the Author

If you have received a diagnosis of mesothelioma or asbestosis, you may be entitled to compensation. Please visit the website of Parker, Dumler & Kiely, LLP, the experienced mesothelioma lawyers in Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C.

(ArticlesBase SC #631294)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – Mesothelioma Clinical Trials

Mesothelioma is an insidious form of cancer because of the fact it is often discovered so late that treatment options are simply non-existent. For many people, the only option is to consider clinical trials. The question is whether this is a good option.

What are clinical trials? They are testing periods for new drugs or procedures that may eventually prove effective and be approved by the FDA as a treatment for something. Put another way, they are the process of testing whether a drug or procedure does what it is intended to do. Sometimes they do. Sometimes they don’t.

Mesothelioma is a brutally difficult cancer to deal with for a unique reason. The problematic characteristic is it is very hard to find until it is too late for the patient. A person can have the cancer for 10, 20 or 30 years during which it can be treated, but still die of it because it went undetected. Given this problem, there are many different clinical trials going on all the time devoted to Mesothelioma treatments. For example, one related to the Mesomark, which is a promising new blood test that can lead to early detection.

Is it safe to take part in clinical trials? Generally, the answer is that it is safe to do so. A drug company does not just produce a drug and then start testing it on people. It must undergo testing and vetting processes before that happens. Still, clinical trials are undisputedly a form of experiment. The researchers think the drug or procedure being tested will work, but aren’t sure. This is, after all, why they have not been approved as of yet. The downside is usually just ineffectiveness, but side effects and rarely even death can occur.

Should you submit to clinical trials if you have Mesothelioma? The decision is entirely up to you. A late stage diagnosis of Mesothelioma is very often fatal, so there may be little choice.

About the Author

Thomas Ajava is with MesotheliomaandAsbestosInformation.com – your online resource for Mesothelioma and asbestos information.

(ArticlesBase SC #1307917)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – Mesothelioma Clinical Trials – A Good Option?

Most people have some concerns about taking part in a clinical trial, often because they’re not really sure what it will mean for them. Taking time to get as much information as you need before you decide is the best way to be sure that you will make the choice that is right for you. These are the commonly asked questions about mesothelioma clinical trials:

1- Is the clinical trial risky?

Yes, all clinical trials have risks. Every medical test, drug, or procedure has risks. The risk may be greater in a clinical trial because some aspects of any new treatment are unknown. This is especially true of phase I and II clinical trials, where the treatment has been studied in fewer people.

Perhaps a more important question is whether the risks are outweighed by the possible benefits. Since mesothelioma cancer is often a terminal disease with the current treatment modalities offering little hope in terms of cure, most victims are often willing to accept a certain amount of risk for a chance to be helped, but it is always important to be realistic about what this chance is. Ask your doctor to give you an idea of what the possible benefits are, and exactly what benefit is likely for you.

With this in mind, you can make a more informed decision. Some people may decide that any chance of being helped is worth the risk, while others may not. Others may be willing to take certain risks to help others.

2- Will I just be used as an experimental “guinea pig?”

There’s no denying that the ultimate purpose of a clinical trial is to answer a medical question. People who take part in clinical trials may need to do certain things or have certain tests done to stay in the study.

But this does not mean that you will not get excellent, compassionate care while in the study. In fact, most people enrolled in clinical trials appreciate the extra attention they get from their health care team. In 2005, the Coalition of Cancer Cooperative Groups surveyed over 1,700 people with cancer on their awareness and attitudes about clinical trials. Only a few had taken part in clinical trials. But most of those who did were very satisfied: 96% said they were treated with dignity and respect, 92% said they had a positive experience, and 91% would recommend that family or friends take part in a clinical trial if faced with cancer.

3- Will I get a placebo?

Most mesothelioma cancer clinical trials do not use placebos unless they are given along with an active drug. It would be unethical to give someone an inactive medicine as it would deny the mesothelioma victim of availing themselves of the available treatment for the cancer.

The very least you should expect from any clinical trial is to be offered the standard of care already being used.

4- Will my information be kept confidential?

As much as possible, all of your personal and medical information will be kept confidential. Of course, your health care team needs this information to give you with the best possible care, just as they would if you were not in a clinical trial.

Medical information that is important for the study, such as test results, is usually put on special forms and into computer databases. This is then given to the people who will analyze the study results. Your information is assigned a number or code ,your name is not on the forms or in the study database. Sometimes, members from the research team or from the Food and Drug Administration may need to look at your medical records to be sure the information they were given is correct. But your personal information is not given to them and is never used in any published study results.

About the Author

Bello kamorudeen.For more information on Mesothelioma treatment go to http://www.mesotheliomacorner.blogspot.com

(ArticlesBase SC #1340116)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – Commonly Asked Questions About Mesothelioma Clinical Trial