About: Malaria

Author: Malaria Email : Malaria@Malaria.com Title: Malaria Articles: Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by a parasite. People with malaria often experience fever, chills, and flu-like illness. Left untreated, they may develop severe complications and die. Each year 350-500 million cases of malaria occur worldwide, and over one million people die, most of them young children in sub-Saharan Africa.This sometimes fatal disease can be prevented and cured. Bednets, insecticides, and antimalarial drugs are effective tools to fight malaria in areas where it is transmitted. Travelers to a malaria-risk area should avoid mosquito bites and take a preventive antimalarial drug. Malaria in the United States * 1,337 cases of malaria, including 8 deaths, were reported for 2002 in the...

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About: Cellular Health

Author: Cellular Health Email : Cellular@Health.com Title: Cellular Health Articles: Lifestyle Changes May Affect Cell-Level Processes Related to Disease Can healthy lifestyle choices affect the health of your cells and the cell function?Disease risk, progression, and premature mortality—in many types of cancer and in cardiovascular and infectious diseases—have been linked to telomeres, which are protective DNA-protein complexes that keep cells genetically stable. The cellular enzyme telomerase is an important part of the body's maintenance system for these essential complexes. For example, a previous investigation found that increased stress among caregivers of Alzheimer's patients was associated with lower telomerase activity and telomere shortening. In a recent pilot study funded by...

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About: Hurry Healthy Chicken Soup

Author: Hurry Healthy Chicken Soup Email : Pressure@live.com Title: Hurry Healthy Chicken Soup Articles: Place in large pot - * Two skinless, boneless chicken breasts or 4 skinless thighs * One small onion, peeled and chopped * Two to six cloves garlic, peeled and chopped * 1 quart water Cover and bring to boil - simmer slowly until chicken is very tender - about 30 minutes.Remove chicken to plate.to cool slightly and pull into chunks with two forks or chop into 1" cubes; return to pot. Add to pot * Two large carrots, peeled and chopped - or a couple of handfuls of packaged fresh pre-peeled and washed baby carrots * Two ribs celery - scrubbed and chopped * 2 cups canned or boxed chicken broth * Seasoning to taste - 1/2 a bay leaf crumbled, a sprigs of parsley minced,...

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About: IUDs Reduce Repeat Abortions

Author: IUDs Reduce Repeat Abortions Email : IUDs@live.com Title: IUDs Reduce Repeat Abortions Articles: A new study claims that increased use of an intrauterine device (IUD) at a younger age would reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies.Researchers at Sahlgrenska Academy (Gothenburg, Sweden) monitored a group of 286 women for 25 years of their fertile period, between 19 and 44 years of age. In 1981, a postal questionnaire about contraception, pregnancies, and reproductive health was sent to a random sample of 656 19-year-old women residing in Gothenburg (Sweden); those who responded were subsequently contacted again every fifth year. The researchers continuously compared the type of contraceptive used by the women with the number of pregnancies during the same period.The results showed...

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About: Artemisinin

Author: Artemisinin Email : Artemisinin@live.com Title: Artemisinin Articles: Artemisinin or Qinghaosu (pronounced: Ching-hao-su) is an extract from the plant Artemisia annua (sweet wormwood) or Qinghao (pronounced: Ching-hao). Scientific research has shown artemisinin to be particularly beneficial in balancing the microbiology of the GI tract.Artemisia annua is a plant with a strong aroma, containing camphor and essential oils. It is a robust plant that grows in many areas of the world. However, only plants grown in special agricultural and geographic conditions contain artemisinin. The best high-yielding samples have been collected from the steep hills at altitudes over 4,500 feet around Youyang County, City of Chongqing in Szechuan Province, China, where Holley Wulingshan Mountain Pharmaceutical...

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About: Fanconi Anemia

Author: Fanconi Anemia Email : Fanconi@live.com Title: Fanconi Anemia Articles: What is Fanconi anemia?Fanconi anemia (FA) is one of the inherited anemias that leads to bone marrow failure (aplastic anemia). It is a recessive disorder: if both parents carry a defect (mutation) in the same FA gene, each of their children has a 25% chance of inheriting the defective gene from both parents. When this happens, the child will have FA.Symptoms of FA: The lack of white blood cells can lead to infections. Not having enough of the cells in blood (platelets) that cause clotting may lead to excess bleeding. A lack of red blood cells may result in fatigue (anemia). Most people with Fanconi's anemia have these types of symptoms: * Skin pigment change (darkened areas of the skin, cafe-au-lait...

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About: Mesothelioma Lawsuit

Author: Ombar Email : ombar@live.com Title: Mesothelioma Lawsuit Articles: A mesothelioma lawsuit is filed by a victim of mesothelioma in order to recover damages associated with their development of this asbestos related cancer. A mesothelioma case can help a victim seek reparations for medical expenses, lost income and pain and suffering. Mesothelioma develops almost exclusively as a result of toxic exposure to asbestos. This disease can remain latent in a victim for up to forty years; therefore people who were exposed to asbestos in the environment in the 1950s may still be at risk for developing this disease.Who Is At Risk?Asbestos has been used to make more than 5000 products in the last few hundred years. Asbestos is a naturally occurring group of minerals that is used to make products...

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Asbestos-Related Cancers

In addition to causing pleural mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos is also known to cause a range of other cancers. Those who experienced occupational exposure to asbestos are the persons most at risk of developing an asbestos-related cancer like pleural mesothelioma, as it typically takes years of repeated exposure to cause any asbestos-related disease. The link between asbestos and pleural mesothelioma has long been established, but exposure to this toxic mineral can also cause lung cancer, laryngeal cancer and ovarian cancer. The latter two cancers were only recently confirmed to be caused by asbestos exposure by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IRAC). Retired Assistant Surgeon General of the United States and Deputy Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety...

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Posted in: Cancers

Lung Cancer and Asbestos Exposure

Lung cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in the United States. It develops when abnormal cells grow uncontrollably in either one or both lungs. These cells do not turn into healthy lung tissue, but rather form tumors and affect lung function. While there are many hazards that affect the lungs, lung cancer is most notably caused by smoking. In addition to smoking, exposure to asbestos may also lead to the development of lung cancer later in life. Like those of pleural mesothelioma, symptoms of asbestos-induced lung cancer can take several decades to arise from the time of initial exposure, resulting in a late diagnosis for many patients. Asbestos exposure most often occurs after disturbing asbestos-containing materials and releasing microscopic asbestos fibers into the air. Once...

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Posted in: Lung Cancer

Asbestos Regains Popularity and Results in Pleural Mesothelioma

The Industrial Revolution once again made asbestos a popular material, despite past warnings about its safety. Suddenly, as factories were springing up in every corner of the United States, companies were looking for ways to protect the facilities and their employees from the heat and high temperatures emitted by the new “machines” that helped make all the products that were suddenly being mass produced. Asbestos materials could be found wrapped around pipes and pumps, boilers, turbines, generators and wires, and was in a host of other items, including so-called protective clothing. While it was obviously intended to protect, it was causing harm instead. Occupational safety and health wasn’t a huge priority in the decades that followed the Industrial Revolution. By the early 20th century,...

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Posted in: Asbestos

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos, which encompasses a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals, has long been praised for its fireproofing and insulating properties. Throughout much of the 20th century, asbestos was used in more than 3,000 construction materials. Many of these products have created hazards for households all around the world as the toxic mineral has been linked to several asbestos-related diseases such as pleural mesothelioma. Exposure to asbestos typically occurs by inhaling airborne asbestos fibers after asbestos-laden materials have been disturbed. Types of Asbestos The six different types of asbestos are divided into two distinct groups – serpentine and amphibole. Serpentine – This type of asbestos has curly fibers and a layered structure. The only kind of asbestos in this category...

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Posted in: Asbestos

How is mesothelioma treated?

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.Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, involves the use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy affects the cancer cells only in the...

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Posted in: Mesothelioma

How is mesothelioma diagnosed?

Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions. Diagnosis begins with a review of the patient's medical history, including any history of asbestos exposure. A complete physical examination may be performed, including x-rays of the chest or abdomen and lung function tests. A CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI may also be useful. A CT scan is a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. In an MRI, a powerful magnet linked to a computer is used to make detailed pictures of areas inside the body. These pictures are viewed on a monitor and can also be printed.A biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma. In a biopsy, a surgeon or a medical oncologist (a doctor...

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Posted in: Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma Misconceptions

Misconception: Mesothelioma is a lung cancer.Reality: Mesothelioma is not a lung cancer but a cancer of the mesothelial cells which make up the lining of the lungs and other organs. Mesothelioma symptoms can closely mimic those of lung cancer because they affect the respiratory system much in the same way. Misconception: Mesothelioma cancer is untreatable.Reality: There is no known mesothelioma cure. Mesothelioma treatment is available however with a number of different therapies including surgery, mesothelioma radiation, and chemotherapeutic drugs. These therapies and alternative mesothelioma treatments can extend the patient mesothelioma survival rates far longer than untreated disease. Misconception: There is no help available for mesothelioma patients and their families.Reality: Patients...

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Posted in: Mesothelioma

Other Mesothelioma Information

Mesothelioma Disease Mesothelioma cancer is a rare disease that attacks the cells of the tissue that lines the body cavity called the mesothelium. Its only known cause is exposure to asbestos fibers. Mesothelioma Latency Period Typically, there is a great deal of time between an individual's exposure to asbestos and the development of asbestos-related health complications. Mesothelioma is associated with a long-latency period (often 20-50 years) after exposure. Over a long period of time, lodged asbestos fibers slowly inflame the lung's external tissue, often serving as a pre-cursor to the development of malignant mesothelioma. Mesothelioma Remission Mesothelioma is one of the most aggressive types of cancer. Mesothelioma will often quickly metastasize from its origin into the lungs, abdominal...

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Posted in: Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma Information

As with any disease or health condition, mesothelioma researchers have, over time, collected statistical information about mesothelioma. These statistics can help us learn about the proclivities of the disease and its incidence and potentially help future patients as we learn more about mesothelioma. Incidence of Diagnosis New cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in between 2,500 and 3,000 Americans each year. These numbers, while significant, would indicate that mesothelioma is still a relatively rare disease, though incidence is expected to rise in the next decade according to projections. Age at Diagnosis The first diagnosis of mesothelioma typically occurs in men and women between the ages of 50 and 70 years. Mesothelioma patients,...

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Posted in: Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma Stages

How is mesothelioma staged? Staging is the process of finding out how far the cancer has spread. Staging of mesothelioma is based on imaging studies such as x-rays, CT scans, and MRI scans. The mesothelioma treatment and life expectancy for patients with the disease largely depends on the stage (extent of spread) of their cancer. Since pleural mesothelioma occurs most frequently and has been studied the most, it is the only mesothelioma for which a staging classification exists. The staging system most often used for mesothelioma cancer is the Butchart system. This system is based mainly on the extent of the primary tumor mass, and divides mesotheliomas into stages 1 through 4. Butchart Staging System Stage 1: Mesothelioma is...

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Posted in: Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma Risk Factors

What are the risk factors for malignant mesothelioma? There are several risk factors that increase the likelihood that a person will develop mesothelioma. The primary risk factor is asbestos exposure. Exposure to this very harmful substance can significantly enhance the chances of contracting the disease. Other secondary factors include exposure to radiation, zeolite, simian virus 40 (SV40) and tobacco. We discuss each of these risk factors in more detail below. Asbestos Exposure to asbestos is the leading risk factor associated with mesothelioma. Asbestos is an insulating material comprised of magnesium-silicate mineral fibers. It was favored by builders and contractors for many years for its low heat conductivity and resistance to...

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Posted in: Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma Cell Types

Malignant mesothelioma can also be classified by different cancer cell types, each of which tends to behave differently. There are three classifications assigned to malignant mesothelioma cell types. Epithelial Mesothelioma is the most common cell type and accounts for approximately 50-75% percent of all diagnosed cases each year. These cells are uniform in shape, with an elongated pattern that makes them easily distinguishable when viewed under high magnification. These types of mesothelioma cancer are adenocarcinomas, malignancies which are more commonly associated with pure lung cancers as opposed to cancers of the mesothelium. Sarcomatoid mesothelioma is a less common cell type, accounting for between 7 and 20% of mesothelioma diagnosis cases each year. These cells grow forth out...

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Posted in: Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma Prognosis

The term prognosis is used to describe: the likely outcome of a diseasehow long a diagnosed patient is expected to livethe quality of life expected during that time Malignant mesothelioma is extremely aggressive and cases are usually not detected until the disease is in the advanced stages. As a result the prognosis for such patients is often not favorable; the mesothelioma survival rate following diagnosis can be 6 to 18 months, longer in some cases. Mesothelioma is usually one of three types, depending on the tissues involved: epithelial (50%), sarcomatoid mesothelioma (15%), mixed type (35%) (1). Epithelial mesothelioma has a better survival rate than the other types. Mesothelioma is also classified on the basis of location; pleural mesothelioma (lung) is the most common, accounting...

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Posted in: Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma Diagnosis

How do medical professionals diagnose mesothelioma? If you believe that you may have mesothelioma, a qualified medical professional will use a variety of diagnostic tests and methods to confirm the presence of the disease. Medical history review and exam The first step that mesothelioma doctors will take in evaluating an asbestos related disease is to obtain a full medical history to determine the level and severity of mesothelioma risk factors and presenting mesothelioma symptoms. This interview will look consider among other things, where asbestos exposure occurred, the length of exposure and the amount of asbestos that you were exposed to. In addition, he/she will perform a medical exam to look for signs and symptoms of...

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Posted in: Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma Causes

What are the main causes of mesothelioma? Mesothelioma is most predominantly caused by asbestos exposure. Asbestos fibers that are inhaled through the mouth and nose may eventually become embedded in the lining of the lungs, causing damage and resulting in mesothelioma lung cancer or asbestosis (scar tissue formation in the lungs). It has also been found that swallowing asbestos fibers could contribute to a form of mesothelioma originating in the abdomen called peritoneal mesothelioma. Mesothelioma cancer generally results from occupational exposure but there are instances of environmental exposure to asbestos that can cause mesothelioma disease. Oftentimes second hand exposure of a family member to an asbestos workers dirty work...

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Posted in: Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma Types

What are the different types of mesothelioma? Pleural Mesothelioma – affects the chest and lungs Malignant pleural mesothelioma often originates within the chest cavity and can, at times, involve the lung. This particular form of mesothelioma can metastasize to numerous organs in the body – even the brain - and tends to do so more frequently than not. Pleural mesothelioma is not always easily detectable. Frequently, in the early stages of the disease, such as stage 1 mesothelioma, symptoms may be mild. Patients usually report pain in one area of the chest that never seems to go away, weight loss and fever. Occasionally, other symptoms are more severe and include problems with breathing due to fluid build up in the chest. A CT Scan...

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Posted in: Mesothelioma

Asbestos Exposure

Asbestos exposure is the single known cause of mesothelioma. Inhaled or ingested asbestos fibers may cause an inflammation of internal tissue and disrupt organ function which leads to the development of the disease. Asbestos products were used extensively throughout the 20th century in a wide variety of applications. Many of these products were responsible for asbestos exposure sustained by both the individuals who manufactured the products as well as those who used them at commercial and industrial jobsites including shipyards, refineries, power plants, steel plants and more. Several asbestos companies continued to produce these products even after they were known to be hazardous and harmful to workers and their families. Those who have become...

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Posted in: Asbestos

Mesothelioma Treatment

Mesothelioma Treatment Once an individual has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, the next step is to discuss mesothelioma treatment options with his/her physician. Recent scientific research has produced significant breakthroughs with regard to treatment protocols for mesothelioma patients and more options are now available for managing the disease and supporting improved quality of life. Newly diagnosed patients always have many questions about the treatment options that would be most effective for them, including those about new treatment therapies like Alimta® and Cisplatin and other chemotherapy drugs. In addition to these newer drugs that are being used to treat asbestos cancer, mesothelioma patients also have a number of "conventional"...

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Posted in: Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma

What is it? Malignant mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that occurs in the thin layer of cells lining the body's internal organs, known as the mesothelium. There are three recognized types of mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma is the most common form of the disease, accounting for roughly 70% of cases, and occurs in the lining of the lung known as the pleura. Peritoneal mesothelioma occurs in the lining of the abdominal cavity, known as the peritoneum and pericardial mesothelioma originates in the pericardium, which lines the heart. Who is at risk for Mesothelioma? The only recognized cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos, though other factors such as smoking can make the disease more or less likely in some individuals....

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Posted in: Mesothelioma