Showing posts with label Articles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Articles. Show all posts
You should apply for aid every year, even if you think you don't qualify. There are many factors affecting eligibility for financial aid. For example, a student who didn't qualify one year might become eligible during the next year when a brother or sister enrolls in college. A change in family financial circumstances might affect your eligibility for student aid.
To apply for student financial aid from the federal government, including the Pell Grant, Perkins Loan, Stafford Loan and work-study, you will need to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). There is no charge for submitting this form. The FAFSA is also required by all state and many school student assistance programs.
Some private colleges and universities will require one or more supplemental forms to obtain information not included on the FAFSA. They may have their own forms or they may ask you to complete the College Board's CSS PROFILE form.
| Before you begin, you should review important information about the deadlines (including the strange business about not submitting the FAFSA form before January 1) and gather together all thedocuments you'll need to complete the form. TheIRS Form/FAFSA Map will show you which lines of your income tax returns correspond to each line of the FAFSA. |
Then read our sections relating to the FAFSA and/or CSS PROFILEforms. You should also read our section on Help Completing the FAFSAand our list of Common Errors on Financial Aid Applications. You will find our Title IV School Code Database helpful, since it contains the magic numbers you'll need to identify the schools to which you are applying. We also review what happens after you submit the FAFSA, in the section about the Student Aid Report (SAR) and Expected Family Contribution (EFC).
If you're wondering whether you count as a dependent or independent student for financial aid purposes, see FinAid's dependency status form.
If you want to get an early estimate of what the government thinks you can afford to pay for your education, try FinAid's Financial Aid Estimation Form. It lets you play what-if games, to give you an idea how changes in income and assets affect the expected family contribution. FinAid also has a variety of other EFC calculators such as theQuickEFC calculator which provides an approximation of the EFC with one tenth the questions. We also have tips on how to legallymaximize your eligibility for need-based financial aid by careful financial planning. See also information about the new small business exclusion.
Veterans should read the section concerningVeterans and the FAFSA for information about the student aid treatment of veterans education benefits and the definition of a veteran for student aid purposes.
Mesothelioma is a cancerous disease that people contract due to long periods of exposure to asbestos. Many people live with it without knowing only for them to note later when it is beyond a state that is treatable. It is a rare disease but does not mean that you are completely safe. It is very important that you get tested for the disease if you have been exposed to asbestos for long periods. There are very many ways on how to know if you have mesothelioma.
The progression of the disease is very slow and one can even succumb to other ailments without knowing that he or she had mesothelioma. If you know that you have been exposed to asbestos for more than ten years then you need to get tested for the disease. The first symptoms include falling short of breath when doing strenuous activity or when sleeping. This is brought about by the pleural effusion which is a fluid that collects in between the lungs and the chest cavity.
The other symptom is persistent coughs accompanied by small episodes of breathe loss. The fluid constricts the air supply to the lungs and the coughs are a reaction of the body trying to decongest the lungs. The heart may also be affected and you can possibly feel the fluid inside the chest cavity.
Chest pains are also symptoms to watch out for. When the coughs become persistent you are likely to start feeling pain when coughing. The pain is usually sharp and it is during this stage of the ailment that many patients seek medical advice. Chest pains are common for extreme colds and flu but you should learn to differentiate all the symptoms. People who develop lung cancer also experience chest pains.
It is also possible to have palpitations characterized by a very high heart rate. Before the disease was actually discovered, medical experts used to diagnose the condition as increased blood pressure. The reason behind the increased heart rate was the fluid collecting around the heart constricting the veins and arteries. The heart therefore had to put in more extra effort to pump the required amount of blood to all the body organs therefore resulting in an increased heart rate.
If you feel that you have been exposed to asbestos long enough and you have any of the above symptoms then you should visit a medical institution for a checkup. Mesothelioma is diagnosed using advanced medical tests like CT scans, XRAY and MRI. It can imitate other forms of cancer but can be singled out by carrying out a pathological test. You are always advised to never ignore any medical condition that may be a cause for alarm.
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer in which a malignant tumor occurs in the mesothelial tissues of some organs of the body such as the lungs which is called pleural mesothelioma. On the other hand, the mesothelioma cancer in abdomen medically termed as peritoneal mesothelioma and in the heart which is known as pericardial mesothelioma.
This type of cancer is related to exposure to asbestos dust or powder. According to some reports individuals who have been exposed to asbestos developed pleural mesothelioma after 20 to 30 years. The treatment given to this case depends on the malignancy stage of the cancer cells.
Stages of Pleural Mesothelioma
Cancer staging refers to the extent of the cancer cells. The higher the stage, the poor the prognosis is. Treatment and management of pleural mesothelioma depends on how huge and extended the cancer has become.
Stage 1. This is the earliest stage of pleural mesothelioma. This is where the cancer cells begin to develop and reproduce in just a single layer of the pleura (lining of the lungs). However in very rare cases, the lungs itself may already be involved during this phase. The lymph nodes are not yet affected therefore, surgery can be performed to remove the tumor. The prognosis is also very good at this stage.
Stage 2. In this stage, 2 layers of the lining are involved. In normal cases, the pleura produces fluid that serves as lubricant in order to facilitate the expansion and contraction of the lungs as we breathe air in and out of our system. However, stage 2 pleural mesothelioma causes the fluid to build up affecting the lungs and the chest wall. This later on result to pleural effusion making the affected person experience difficulty in breathing.
Surgery may still be performed by this time even though some lymph nodes are already affected. The prognosis is good but there is a chance of recurrence after some time.
Stage 3. During this stage, the cancer cells are no longer isolated in one area of the body and already metastasized to the chest wall or the esophagus. The patient may experience severe pain in the chest area and if it wont be managed properly, this may lead to stage 4 cancer. Surgery is not recommended during this stage because the chest wall and the heart are already in danger.
Stage 4. This stage is the final stage and is very fatal. The prognosis or the chance of recovery is already poor. Cancer cells have already affected the bloodstream and other major organs of the body such as the liver, brain as well as the bones. Radiation or chemotherapy may still be performed in this stage however palliative management is often the option both by the medical team and the patient.
When one is diagnosed with cancer, he experiences so many mixed feelings and the fear of death sets in. There are several types of cancer. Some are more deadly than others while others are not as deadly. Whichever the case, one has to strive to prevent this disease.
Mesothelioma is an incurable type of cancer that affects parts of the abdomen and the lung pleural membrane. Exposure to asbestos is known to be the leading cause of mesothelioma. People who work in mining sites and those in contact with them are more likely to get infected with this deadly cancer. The disease usually manifests itself after 20 to 50 years of exposure to asbestos. This is why it is most prevalent in middle-aged people and the old.
Diagnosing mesothelioma is difficult, especially because its symptoms at most times resemble those of lung cancer. The mortality rate is also high because it is usually discovered when it is at the advanced stages. One should ensure that he goes for as many medical check-ups as possible in order to discover the disease early enough.
Preventing mesothelioma is possible especially because its main cause is known. People working in mining sites should wear protective gear that will minimize their direct exposure to asbestos. These include protective head gears, overalls, gloves and eye glasses.
Asbestos can be inhaled. This is the best form in which the particles are deposited directly into the lung cavity. People who work at the mining sites should wear canister-type respirators that will prevent them from inhaling the dust containing asbestos.
Thermal insulation products and ceiling tiles are usually made of asbestos. When one gets into contact with these essential house items, he is exposed to a possible mesothelioma attack. Companies should come up with ways of manufacturing these items without using asbestos. They should explore other insulators and replace asbestos with them.
People working at mining sites need their clothes to be washed after a hard days work. There are usually asbestos deposits on these clothes. Whoever washes them runs a risk of inhaling and even ingesting asbestos. These clothes should therefore be washed separately from other ones. The one doing the laundry should also use protective gear while washing in order to prevent direct contact with this toxic substance.
Disposal of items containing asbestos should be correctly done. When water containing asbestos is used to water trees and plants, the produce is likely to have asbestos elements in them. When these are eaten, one is likely to contract the deadly disease.
It can be very difficult coping with a diagnosis of cancer, both practically and emotionally. You are likely to be feeling very confused and upset at first. Mesothelioma is often diagnosed at quite an advanced stage. As well as coping with your diagnosis, you may be trying to cope with the news that your cancer is very difficult to treat and unlikely to be curable.
As well as coping with the fear and anxiety that a diagnosis of cancer brings, you have to work out how to manage practically. There may be money matters to sort out. Who do you tell you have cancer? There may be children or grandchildren to consider.
The ‘coping with cancer’ section of CancerHelp UK contains lots of information you may find helpful.
Have you seen all of the ads for California mesothelioma lawyers? Have you been wondering why there are so many of these ads? Read further to find out why you have seen several mesothelioma ads recently.
The reason why there has been a surge of ads from every California mesothelioma attorney in the area is because there has been an influx of mesothelioma cases. These cases have come about due to exposure to asbestos in a work setting.
Sadly, the effects of mesothelioma do not show up for many years. You could have been exposed to asbestos as many as 50 years ago and still not show any signs of damage from the exposure. Many factory workers from many years ago that are just now contacting their mesothelioma lawyer California in order to help pay for their ever-growing medical bills due to mesothelioma. Because these workers were exposed to asbestos several years ago but are just now beginning to suffer from the side effects, you are beginning to see ads from attorneys want to help these individuals.
If you or someone that you know has worked in an industry that caused them to be directly or indirectly exposed to asbestos, then you need to contact a mesothelioma lawyer Southern California immediately in order to obtain compensation to set off the expense of this costly disease. Unless you or your family member has had to deal with this deadly disease before, you are in for a rude awakening when you find out how much this disease can drain your savings. Do not wait for the bills to come in before you contact an attorney; be proactive and allow an attorney to start fighting for you immediately!
Mesothelioma is a serious disease that should be dealt with immediately. If you think that you could be suffering from this illness, you need to contact your healthcare provider as soon as possible! After you talk with your doctor, you should contact your legal representative.
Mesothelioma Lawyer Southern California
Mesothelioma Lawyer California
California Mesothelioma Attorney
California Mesothelioma Lawyers
Asbestos Lawyers | Mesothelioma-Attorney-Locators.com
www.mesothelioma-attorney-locators.com/
Free Service Finds Mesothelioma Attorneys Located in Your State
Mesothelioma Diagnosis?1 (877) 470 4904
www.mesotheliomaclaimscenter.info/
Get the money you deserve fast! File with Mesothelioma Claim Center
We Help 50 People A Month - Diagnosed with Mesothelioma?
www.veterans-mesothelioma.org/
New Information for US Veterans.
In this post I would like to briefly talk about the most common questions that came up about the study in the blog comments and on Twitter.
Why Isn’t Mesothelioma In The Top 20?!
By far the most common question people were asking was about the apparent demise of mesothelioma among the most expensive keywords. Several years ago a study was released that found “Mesothelioma” to be the most expensive keyword in the world. Mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer, usually caused by exposure to asbestos, is very valuable to search marketers because of million-dollar asbestos lawsuit settlements. So why isn’t “mesothelioma” in the top 20?
Our study was different from the older study because we looked for large, high-volume keyword categories, as opposed to looking for just expensive individual keywords. So keywords containing the word “Mesothelioma” wererolled up in several of our top keyword categories, including #19, the “Treatment” category (example search query: “Mesothelioma Treatment”) as well as our “Attorney” and “Lawyer” keyword categories (e.g. “mesothelioma lawsuit”).
What Is Cord Blood? What’s That Doing There?
A lot of people were wondering about cord blood, what it is and why it’s on the list. Take this discussion on Wired for example:
Mesothelioma? I have a hard time even saying the word. This is a health term; one of the main causes is exposure to asbestos. For this reason there are a large number of high dollar law suits out there. And as with any keyword related to something that is high profit comes high dollar clicks from AdSense.
Mesothelioma is one of the highest paying keywords I’ve seen. Key phrase versions of this keyword like the list below have “Estimated Avg CPC”’s in the high double digits, some reaching as high as $94.00.
- causes of mesothelioma
- mesothelioma death
- epithelioid mesothelioma
- mesothelioma causes new york
- mesothelioma lawyers
- mesothelioma cases
- asbestos
- attorneys
Needless to say, the competition for these terms is intense. For that reason unless you plan on spending a fortune on link building and optimization you will never manage to rank very well for the main terms. That doesn’t mean that it is not worth adding a page to your site though. Even an occasional “curiosity” click will pay for your time in creating the page. Often if someone stumbles across the page on your site and an ad catches their attention they may click on it just to see what it is about.
As with any of these high dollar keywords you need to find a way to incorporate a page in your site that doesn’t seem forced. A page that follows the theme of you current SEO and won’t look you were just trying to create a spammy keyword page by the readers of your site.
Using Mesothelioma Keywords
Creating a page to add to your site may not be quite as hard as you think. First do a little research on the causes of this form of cancer. Top of the list is asbestos. Now, where was asbestos used in the past? Actually asbestos was an extremely useful product that had hundreds of applications. Schools used acoustic ceiling blocks that use asbestos, brake pads and other automotive products used asbestos, asbestos was used in insolating pipes, roofing shingles etc. etc.
Now, does any of these products relate to your site? If so, you now have a topic to write a page about. One that is very likely to be of interest to readers of your site as well as encouraging Google’s AdSense to show some extremely high CPC ads on your site.
Some of your site readers that might be affected by this product include ones that have kids that go to an older school, there may be asbestos hidden under years of paint, older contruction workers, automotive workers, especially those that worked on tires and brakes. If your site is related to health, automotive, schooling and many other similar topics a page on mesothelioma could likely be of interest to readers of your site.
As I’ve stated in each one of these keyword articles, if the word doesn’t fit your site topic don’t try to force it. Forcing keywords only makes you site look spammy which will adversely affect your readership. Make sure any of these top AdSense keywords fits the topic of your site before you write an article on it.
Most injury lawyers have not yet grasped the importance of Google Places. Many don’t know what it is, and only a few know how to optimize for it.
This blog post will explain what Google Places is, why it is important, and how to obtain a prominent position on Google Places.
1. Google Places (aka Google Local) contains the listings preceded by a red pushpin containing a letter, lawyer photo, and address. Sometimes the Places listings appear in the middle of Google page one and sometimes at the top, but the position is always prominent. A map shows the location of each letter, so the searcher can see how close each lawyer’s office is.
More website owners have recognized the value of Google Places, so in many cities it has become harder to obtain a page one position. You can see how many total Google Places listings exist for your city by clicking “More Results.”
2. Importance. Prominent placement on Google Places has become more valuable because Google now devotes so much premium space to Places. Placement and quantity of listings will vary per search and location, but Google Places listings are frequently at the top of the free listings, and sometimes occupy half to three quarters of page one
The photos and addresses mean that each Places listing occupies more space than a plain organic listing, and the photos are eye-catching. Bottom line: a good position on Google Places can drive meaningful traffic to your site.
3. Optimization. Obtaining a top position on Google Places requires a different approach than optimizing your website for good organic placement. Good organic page position is driven by a steady flow of properly-keyworded, high-quality content on your website, along with a regular increase in inbound links from relevant sites.
Optimizing for Google Places, on the other hand, occurs primarily through the placement of hundreds of consistent business listings on directory sites. This is tedious, time-consuming, and ongoing work that has to date not been automated with software. It nonetheless remains important labor, for Google Places will only grow more important in generating traffic.
The sooner you create your listing and start optimizing the easier it will be to obtain a prominent position; the later you start the harder it will be to rise to the top. Why? As is the case with organic listings, (1) the field will only get more crowded and (2) Google rewards longevity. For more information, call Travis Hise at 714-918-1848.
If you don’t have the time, interest, or expertise to create and optimize your lawyer Google Places listing, we will do the work for you.
Maintaining and improving Google page position requires regular effort. The most effective ways to move your website up in position fall into these three categories: (1) inbound links, (2) keyworded content, and (3) website architecture.
Here are a few tips to get you started. These are big topics, so I will be sending you additional suggestions over the next few months.
1. Inbound links
Your goal is to obtain links to your website and its key pages using popular search phrases in the link (called anchor text). If for example “Houston truck accident lawyer” is one of your targeted search phrases, then you want other websites to use that phrase as their link to your site. Here are several ways to obtain those links:
Your goal is to obtain links to your website and its key pages using popular search phrases in the link (called anchor text). If for example “Houston truck accident lawyer” is one of your targeted search phrases, then you want other websites to use that phrase as their link to your site. Here are several ways to obtain those links:
a. Ask your friends, family, and contacts with websites to give you a link using your recommended anchor text. You will receive higher value (“link juice”) when (1) you do not provide a reciprocal link and (2) the linking website has a higher Page Rank than your site does.
b. Ask your friends and top clients to link to your site from their Facebook and Twitter pages. Search engines are beginning to crawl the social media sites.
c. Write articles for others that link back to your site using your targeted anchor text.
2. Keyworded content
a. Ask your staff and your clients which phrases they use to search for lawyers like you. Visit www.googlekeywordtool.com and click Keyword Tool to check the monthly search volume for these phrases. Then search for your website on Google using the more popular phrases. If you do not appear on Google page one or two for an important phrase, you have some writing to do.
a. Ask your staff and your clients which phrases they use to search for lawyers like you. Visit www.googlekeywordtool.com and click Keyword Tool to check the monthly search volume for these phrases. Then search for your website on Google using the more popular phrases. If you do not appear on Google page one or two for an important phrase, you have some writing to do.
b. The best search phrases, or keywords, to target with your writing are ones that have high search volume and weak competition, and for which your website does not rank well on Google. Write 300- word or longer articles using the keywords three times — in the headline, in the first few sentences, and in the last few sentences.
c. Try to write add one article a week to your website. You should begin seeing improved Google page position within a few weeks after your writing program begins. If not, you may have problems with:
3. Website architecture
You are likely dependent upon others for this work, so it is probably hard for you to judge the quality of your website’s construction. Most site designers spend a lot of time making sites pleasing to the human eye, but your folder structure, site map, and HTML readability are far more important.
You are likely dependent upon others for this work, so it is probably hard for you to judge the quality of your website’s construction. Most site designers spend a lot of time making sites pleasing to the human eye, but your folder structure, site map, and HTML readability are far more important.
If you want help, we can (a) evaluate the technical setup of your website to let you know if it has problems, (b) supply a regular flow of keyworded personal injury content, and (c) build inbound links.
For these services our prices tend to be one-half to one-third the cost of the big guys, just like our law books have long been.
Prospective clients who search for injury lawyers on the web frequently look at several sites before deciding which attorney to contact. How does your website compare?
Does it:
- Have a reasonably-modern design, or does it instead look like it was created ages ago?
- Answer common client questions on the home page, or does the home page mistakenly focus on you?
- Use videos to teach non-readers?
- Have a case submission form and prominent 800 number?
- Most important, demonstrate your deep knowledge of injurylawand procedure with detailed articles?
Like lobby furniture, websites periodically need new skins added to maintain a fresh look.
While you are adding that new skin, critically examine the content your site contains. Is its quality consistent with your expertise level? If not, how will prospective clients know that you are better than your website indicates?
Prospective injury clients have no more information to judge you than you give them on your website. If all you have provided are three pages claiming you are good at what you do, don’t expect to land a lot of conscientious clients. The proactive, engaged clients are more likely to contact the attorney with the content-rich site that answers their pre-engagement questions.
Searches Without “Mesothelioma”
Internet users have a seemingly limitless ability to phrase things in different ways. In fact, about 15 percent of Google searches are totally unique.
This makes sense if you think about it. If I were looking for a mesothelioma lawyer near me, I could conceivably search for “Orange County mesothelioma lawyer,” “injury lawyer Orange County mesothelioma,” or “attorney Orange County mesothelioma lawsuit,” to name a few. (I could come up with 100 similar searches without breaking a sweat.)
Some people search for mesothelioma lawyers without using the word “mesothelioma” at all. I can’t anticipate every possible search phrase, but maybe I can better serve these people by expanding my keywording focus.
I don’t know much about mesothelioma—just that it’s a type of cancer caused by asbestos and that there’s a related disease called “asbestosis.” But this information alone gives me 15 new keywords to investigate:
| Keyword | Estimated Avg. CPC | Local Monthly Searches | Searches/CPC |
| Asbestosis attorneys | $103.70 | 0 | 0 |
| Asbestosis lawyers | $79.42 | 210 | 2.64 |
| Asbestosis lawyer | $66.55 | 480 | 7.21 |
| Asbestosis attorney | $66.43 | 170 | 2.55 |
| Asbestos cancer attorney | $60.80 | 720 | 11.84 |
| Asbestos attorneys | $55.83 | 8,100 | 145.08 |
| Asbestos cancer attorneys | $54.97 | 590 | 10.73 |
| Asbestos lawyers | $52.55 | 8,100 | 154.14 |
| Asbestos attorney | $45.02 | 9,900 | 219.90 |
| Asbestos cancer lawyer | $40.67 | 880 | 21.64 |
| Asbestos lawyer | $35.30 | 9,900 | 280.45 |
| Asbestos cancer lawyers | $20.64 | 590 | 28.59 |
| Lawyer asbestos | $17.78 | 9,900 | 556.81 |
| Attorney asbestos | $14.49 | 9,900 | 638.23 |
| Lawyers asbestos | $0.00 | 8,100 | Undefined |
Looking at this chart, I notice a few things:
- “Asbestosis” keywords are as competitive as “mesothelioma” ones and have about 1/100 the number of searches. Dump them.
- “Asbestos cancer” keywords are less competitive than “asbestosis” ones and have more searches. They’re expensive, meaning it might be difficult to rank organically, but local variants will be easier. Keep them.
- “Asbestos” keywords are cheap and have a high search volume. In fact, they’re better than some of the 13 mesothelioma keywords I already chose. Better still, they all include some variation of “attorney” or “lawyer,” so I know they’ll draw relevant traffic. Definitely keep.
“Mesothelioma” Misspellings
Your website is your business card for the 21st century. It will be your first contact with many potential clients, and you’ll want to make a good impression.
A site that’s riddled with typos reflects poorly on you, but what about intentional misspellings? You may be able to draw more searches this way, but you do so at the expense of appearing unprofessional.
It’s really a matter of preference. I want my personal site to be flawless, but for a lead-generating site that doesn’t have my name on it, I’m not opposed to using misspellings if they’ll get traffic.
There are six misspellings with any measurable search volume:[1]
| Keyword | Estimated Avg. CPC | Local Monthly Searches | Searches/CPC |
| Mesotheloma | $60.04 | 390 | 6.50 |
| Mesotheleoma | $58.90 | 320 | 5.43 |
| Mestothelioma | $55.26 | <10 | 0.18 |
| Mesolioma | $55.18 | <10 | 0.18 |
| Mezothelioma | $36.10 | 16 | 0.44 |
| Mesothalioma | $21.77 | <10 | 0.46 |
Because the last four have so few searches overall, they’re unlikely to attract someone looking for a lawyer in my area.
The first two have 710 searches between them—a respectable number. They’re expensive, though, so it might be hard to rank.
I’ll write a page focusing on “Orange County mesotheloma” [sic] and one focusing on “Orange County mesotheleoma” [sic]. If they get some traffic, great. If not, no big deal.
New Mesothelioma Keywords
From favorite to least favorite, here are 13 new mesothelioma keywords to add to your list. Replace “Orange County” with the name of your city.
- Orange County lawyers asbestos
- Orange County attorney asbestos
- Orange County lawyer asbestos
- Orange County asbestos lawyer
- Orange County asbestos attorney
- Orange County asbestos lawyers
- Orange County asbestos attorneys
- Orange County asbestos cancer lawyers
- Orange County asbestos cancer lawyer
- Orange County asbestos cancer attorney
- Orange County asbestos cancer attorneys
- Orange County mesotheloma lawyer [sic]
- Orange County mesotheleoma lawyer [sic]
Once you have found the doctor and treatment facility you feel comfortable with, you and your doctor will discuss the treatment options that are available to you. Some mesothelioma patients may want to investigate treatment options first and then approach a doctor who is known for that type of treatment to determine whether he or she is a candidate. Each individual is different. The course of the disease will vary, and so will the patient’s approach to treatment. Working closely and openly with your mesothelioma treatment team is important to getting the best outcome from treatment, and the first way your treatment team will help you is in assessing the treatment options available to you. Some of the options you discuss may include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. You may discuss whether a clinical trial is appropriate for you or whether innovative mesothelioma treatments could be helpful in your case.
Malignant mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer, and early detection is nearly impossible, making it a difficult disease to pin down, but exciting discoveries have been made in the field of malignant mesothelioma research during recent years. Research is being conducted on all aspects of the disease including early detection, alternative surgeries and treatments, and palliative measures.
Although malignant mesothelioma is relatively rare as cancers go, scientists are seeing a consistent rise in the number of cases. In addition, the long period between exposure to asbestos and development of the cancer means that the effects from the enthusiastic manufacturing of asbestos products between the 1940s and the 1970s may soon result in an upsurge of cases. Another area of concern is the age and decay of buildings constructed of asbestos. One of the qualities that made asbestos an appealing building material was its virtually indestructible nature. The materials that bonded asbestos into workable materials are not equally indestructible. As decrepit buildings collapse or are destroyed by wind, storms or demolition, the clouds of dust thrown up are often loaded with asbestos. These factors have given malignant mesothelioma research increasing importance.
What’s New?
Chemotherapy is the treatment of choice for asbestos cancer, malignant mesothelioma and other cancer patients for decades, usually as a palliative measure to deal with symptoms. New chemotherapy drugs and treatments are encouraging. The most important advancement for malignant mesothelioma patients is Alimta©. Used in combination with a proven chemotherapy drug called cisplatin, Alimta© is the only drug specifically approved for use on pleural mesothelioma patients by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Another advancement made in recent years that includes chemotherapy is a surgery pioneered by David J. Sugarbaker, MD. Over the past few years, Dr. Sugarbaker has refined a technique for surgical pleural mesothelioma resection that involves removing as much tumor tissue as possible and replacing parts of the membrane with man-made Gore-Tex material. The chest cavity is irrigated with warmed chemotherapy to kill remaining cancer cells before the surgical incision is closed.
A new drug called Onconase© is currently on the FDA’s Fast Track list awaiting final approval. The ground-breaking advantage to Onconase© over other conventional chemotherapy drugs is that it kills cancer cells without damaging healthy tissue.
Anti-Angiogenesis drugs are designed to stop angiogenesis. Angiogenesis is the process that helps facilitate the spread of tumors. One anti-angiogenesis drug for malignant mesothelioma treatment is currently being offered. One such drug already on the market is Avastin, a drug that works by lowering the levels of a protein that starts angiogenesis.
Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) is a new radiation therapy that uses computerized 3D modeling to deliver specifically targeted high doses of radiation directly to cancerous tumors—and nowhere else. This represents a significant improvement over traditional radiation techniques which typically kill both cancer and surrounding healthy tissue.
Gene therapy is an exciting research that may prove invaluable in the control and cure of many diseases, including malignant mesothelioma. Gene therapy uses special viruses that have been modified to perform a specific task, to infect malignant mesothelioma cells, leaving them “open” and vulnerable. The virus-infected cells are injected with healthy genes containing interferon-beta, a natural or man-made immune system hormone (cytokine) designed to boost immune system function and help the patient’s body fight—and possibly defeat—the cancer.
Malignant mesothelioma is a cancer caused by exposure to asbestos that attacks the lining of the lungs, abdomen, heart, or in exceptionally rare cases, the testicles. Treatment options may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and experimental treatments that are sometimes used separately, but more often combined in a comprehensive treatment plan designed to aggressively attack the cancer on several fronts. Generally, malignant mesothelioma has no symptoms and is extremely difficult to detect until the late stages of the disease when fewer treatment options are feasible.
On the bright side, recent scientific research is very encouraging. New therapies and treatments are making the news and previously unheard of successes are becoming more frequent. Clinical trials are available for many patients who might otherwise have little hope, and research is ongoing to study compounds in the blood of malilgnant mesothelioma patients that may soon lead to an early detection screening process.
Many factors help the oncologist and his team to determine a treatment plan best suited for each patient. Things considered include the stage of the cancer, the patient’s age and general health, the patient’s lifestyle choices—smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise habits—and other drugs or treatments the patient may already be on. The oncologist, along with the medical team and the patient, devises a treatment regimen that may include any combination of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, palliative care, and lifestyle advice.
Malignant Mesothelioma Surgery
Three main types of surgery are used to diagnose and treat malignant mesothelioma.
Diagnostic Malignant Mesothelioma Surgery
Diagnostic surgeries are usually minimally or non-invasive, and are performed to help the medical team reach a definitive malignant mesothelioma diagnosis.
A biopsy is the collection of a small tissue sample used to confirm a malignant mesothelioma diagnosis. This non-invasive procedure uses a long, fine needle inserted into the area suspected to be cancerous to collect cells for examination. An excisional biopsy is a small incision used to take a slightly larger sample for testing. Biopsies help reveal important information of the cancer: what type of cancer it is, how far it has spread and the origin point.
Curative Malignant Mesothelioma Surgery
Curative surgery is performed to remove as much of the cancer as possible. Simply put, the surgeon opens the patient to expose the entire affected area and cuts away the diseased tissue. In recent years, this procedure has been followed immediately by filling the cavity with warm chemotherapy to kill any unseen cancer cells before the patient’s incision is closed. This is a highly effective combination of treatments, but it is not available to most patients. Most malignant mesothelioma is not discovered until it is too late to perform this aggressive level of invasive surgery.
Curative surgery may also include removal of the affected tissues or organs and replacement of linings with a man-made product, which can only be done if enough remaining tissue or organ is healthy and viable and the patient is healthy enough to recover.
Palliative Malignant Mesothelioma Surgery
Palliative surgery is used to lessen pain and usually involves draining fluids that typically build up in the affected area. Fluid that is drained from the patient often assists in diagnostic testing.
Palliative surgery is sometimes performed to ease patient suffering when tumors press on vital organs and interfere with breathing, press on nerves and cause pain, or restrict movement.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a term that describes hundreds of different medications used in the treatment of cancer and a few other diseases and conditions, specifically the chemicals designed to kill cells. Undergoing chemotherapy is not a pleasant experience. Typical side effects are nausea, vomiting, low white blood cell count, loss of appetite, constipation, fatigue, fever and chills, low platelet count, generalized aches and pains, tingling in the hands and feet, rash, and depression.
When discussing chemotherapy with an oncologist, it is important for the patient to disclose medical history and be honest about lifestyle, prescriptions, vitamins, supplements and over-the-counter medications, including herbal remedies. Undisclosed medicines may impede the chemotherapy, or worse, produce harmful side effects.
Radiation
Radiation is a number of procedures used to deliver radioactive material to the cancerous cells in the hopes of killing the cancer or slowing the rate of growth, either for curative or palliative purposes. The delivery method may be any of the following:
External beam radiotherapy is the most frequently used type of radiation therapy for malignant mesothelioma patients. The skin covering the cancerous area is externally irradiated, or bathed in radiation from the outside. External beam radiotherapy is not specifically targeted and is unlikely to kill all cancer cells, so it is not an effective cure, but like most malignant mesothelioma treatments, it can help relieve symptoms. The side effects are skin irritation, localized pain, and difficulty swallowing.
Another type of radiation therapy, brachytherapy, is used to implant tiny radioactive rods into the cancerous tumors. This method of delivery delivers a tiny dose of radiation right into the cancer itself. Surrounding healthy tissues are unaffected and there are fewer side effects.
A new procedure on the market is called intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), a procedure that uses a 3-D model constructed by computer imaging to precisely deliver a higher dose of radiation to cancerous areas with far fewer side effects and damage to surrounding tissues.
Experimental Therapies
Several exciting new therapies are currently in the testing stages that may lead to early detection, better treatment, and possibly even a cure for asbestos cancer, malignant mesothelioma and other deadly cancers and diseases. Clinical trials are being performed all over the world, and patients diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma are prime candidates to participate. Participating in clinical trials can be risky. Each patient must weigh the odds to decide whether the risks associated with experimental treatment is worth the possible gain.
A new drug called Alimta® is the first chemotherapy drug specifically developed to treat malignant mesothelioma. In clinical trials, the drug has been very successful in relieving malignant mesothelioma symptoms and decreaseing cancerous tumor size. Alimta® is usually administered in combination with cisplatin, another chemotherapy drug. Used together, these drugs have proven to extend the life of malignant mesothelioma patients by several months, and relieve pain, discomfort, and ease breathing difficulties.
Gene therapy is a ground-breaking treatment offering promising results for a number of diseases, including asbestos cancer, malignant mesothelioma and other cancers. Simply put, the goal of gene therapy is to replace malfunctioning cancerous genes with functioning genes. Clinical trials have been underway for some time, and the results have been encouraging.
Immunotherapy is a treatment that uses the immune system to help combat malignant mesothelioma. It can be administered by two different methods. Active immunotherapy enhances or stimulates the patient’s natural immune system to fight cancer. Passive immunotherapy uses man-made proteins that mimic the natural immune system functions for patients whose immune systems are compromised.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) uses drugs that are photosensitizing agents along with light to activate them to kill cancer cells and stop the spread of malignant mesothelioma. This innovative treatment causes far fewer side effects than most malignant mesothelioma, asbestos cancer and other cancer treatments. Photosensitizing agents are chemicals that produce oxygen when exposed to a certain kind of light. The oxygen produced kills cancer cells without causing extensive damage to surrounding tissues and without causing debilitating side effects.
Pericardial mesothelioma attacks the membranous lining of the heart, called the pericardium or the pericardial sac. Pericardial mesothelioma is a very rare form of malignant mesothelioma, totaling only about five percent of all malignantmesothelioma cases. It is caused by exposure to deadly asbestos fibers, but how that happens is a matter of debate. The common belief is that the asbestos fibers start in the lungs and travel to the heart through the bloodstream, where they become lodged in the pericardium and eventually, after 20 to 50 years, lead to pericardial mesothelioma. Malignant tumor cells grow in the pericardium, causing the membranes to thicken and fill with fluid. In the later stages of the cancer, the tumors put pressure on the heart and cause a variety of symptoms.
Treatment options are limited in the case of pericardial mesothelioma, and the prognosis is rarely good. Because the cancer is almost impossible to detect early, and the proximity to the heart often makes surgery difficult of impossible, the average patient dies within six months of diagnosis. Occasionally, pericardial mesothelioma is caught early enough for successful treatment options, usually when a physician is looking for something else.
Surgery
Most pericardial mesothelioma patients do not qualify for any kind of surgery aside from palliative procedures.
The most common surgery for a pericardial mesothelioma patient is a fine needle aspiration, called pericardiocentesis, where a surgeon inserts a thin needle into the pericardial sac and drains the fluid from around the heart. This palliative and diagnostic procedure relieves pain and pressure. The fluid is tested to aid in diagnosis and treatment.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy refers to chemical treatments designed to kill cells and may take the form of pills, injections, intravenous treatments. In the case of pericardial mesothelioma, chemotherapy, like any treatment, can prove dangerous or deadly. In addition to a long list of unpleasant side effects, anything used to kill the cancer cells surrounding the heart will also kill heart tissue.
Radiation
Ionizing radiation is a procedure used to kill cancerous cells and slow the growth rate of the cancer. While radiation is effective for some forms of cancer, it can be deadly for pericardial mesothelioma patients, because it kills healthy tissue surrounding the affected area, which includes the heart and the protective tissues around the heart.
Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) may prove to be the most viable radiation treatment for pericardial mesothelioma patients. It is a new procedure that uses an advanced computer-controlled, high-precision radiotherapy to deliver radiation exactly where it’s needed, with very little damage to surrounding tissues. Little information is available about the use of IMRT to specifically treat pericardial mesothelioma, possibly because pericardial mesothelioma is so rare.
