Mesotherapy Risks

By Jason Gluckman

Proponents of Mesotherapy emphasize that risks of treatment are minimized because lower doses of compounds are injected into a relatively small area. However, there are certain known and potentially unknown risks associated with Mesotherapy.

The majority of known Mesotherapy Risks are in and around the injection site. Skin may become pigmented or scarred, and these changes may not fade with time. Other changes, such as swelling, pain and bruising, typically subside after treatment. In some people, a severe local reaction to substances injected may result in ulceration and subsequent scarring. There may also be a systemic and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction to injected drugs. Infections due to poor injection practices are often reported among patients of unlicensed Mesotherapy practitioners. These infections may require treatment with expensive antibiotics.

There is some concern in the medical community that several compounds commonly used in Mesotherapy have unproven benefits and unknown risks. There are many Internet sites that sell such compounds. However, most of them are located overseas and are therefore outside the jurisdiction of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The purity of compounds sold by such sites cannot be verified. To date, the FDA has not approved any compound for use in Mesotherapy, even if such a compound is approved for other uses. Additionally, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons does not endorse Mesotherapy because it is not a scientifically proven method.

Many Mesotherapy treatments require ongoing maintenance, and the costs involved in such maintenance therapy may be underestimated initially. This can be a financial risk because Mesotherapy is not covered by health insurance plans. There may also be emotional risks, particularly with treatments that require adherence to a diet and exercise plan. If such a plan is not followed, the body may revert to its pre-Mesotherapy appearance, causing stress.

Mesotherapy provides detailed information about mesotherapy, cost of mesotherapy, mesotherapy before and after, mesotherapy injections and more. Mesotherapy is the sister site of Mesothelioma Doctors Info.
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The Facts about Mesothelioma Cancer

by Heather Colman

What is Mesothelioma Cancer?

Mesothelioma cancer is an extremely rare cancer form that is only found in the mesothelium. This form of malignancy generally affects those people who have been exposed to a situation where asbestos is present, typically those who have worked in buildings where it was used as a fire retardant..

What happens when a person has Mesothelioma Cancer?

This type of cancer directly affects the mesothelium and causes abnormal cells. These cells begin to divide rampantly. They invade and cause damage to all organs and tissues that are near the effected area. Mesothelioma cancer tends to spread fairly quickly throughout the body, as well.

Mesothelium

This is the membrane that protects and covers many of the organs within your body. The membrane is made up of cells and is in separate layers. The first layer surrounds the organ extremely close and the second creates a protective sac around the organs.

Studies show that only 2,000 people each year are diagnosed with Mesothelioma cancer in the U.S. Studies further show that men are more apt to contract this type of cancer than women. However, Mesothelioma Cancer knows no boundaries and can be found in both genders. Typically, the older the person is, the more at risk they are for developing Mesothelioma cancer.

Who is at risk for Mesothelioma Cancer?

Anyone who is exposed to asbestos in large quantities and for long periods of time are especially at risk for developing Mesothelioma cancer. It is impossible to say who exactly will develop Mesothelioma cancer because it has been found in those who had only very little exposure to asbestos and those who had no exposure at all, but lived with someone who had a good deal of exposure to them. The risk to those living with someone works in asbestos filled areas is high. Asbestos is brought home by the worker as dust on his or her hair or clothing.

Mesothelioma Cancer Symptoms

Mesothelioma cancer is a slow growing type of cancer. Some cases do not see any type of symptoms until thirty to fifty years after asbestos exposure. Some symptoms can include:

• Chest Pain
• Shortness of breath
• Sudden Weight Loss
• Pain in the abdominal region
• Abdominal swelling
• Bowel Obstruction
• Blood Clots
• Fever
• Anemia
• Trouble Swallowing
• Facial Swelling
• Neck Swelling

Treatment of Mesothelioma Cancer

There are a few different treatment options available for those diagnosed with Mesothelioma cancer. The method of treatment will depend upon many different things such as the age, overall health, where the Mesothelioma cancer is located and the stage the Mesothelioma Cancer is in. The three typical types of treatment include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and surgery. In some cases, treatments may be combined if it proves beneficial to the patient.

This article is Copyright © 2006, Heather Colman. Find more Mesothelioma cancer resources at mesotheliomacancerinfo.org.
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What Are The Four Stages of Mesothelioma Cancer?

By David Arnold Livingston

One rare form of cancer is called Mesothelioma, a malignant tumor in the mesothelial tissues of the lungs and the abdomen, arising from the inhalation of asbestos. Its rarity is one of the reasons why a lot of people are not aware of this kind of fatal disease. In fact, many people die of Mesothelioma undiagnosed. Although there is now a growing awareness of the hazards of asbestos to health, still many have not heard of Mesothelioma and thus, have not understood its nature, cause, signs and treatment. Even some physicians find it hard to detect Mesothelioma because its symptoms are akin to other diseases like lung cancer and pneumonia. Furthermore, it takes decades for a patient who was exposed to asbestos to develop Mesothelioma — fifty years, at most.

Being unaware of Mesothelioma poses higher risks since it deters diagnosis and treatment. A person undergoing treatment must know the different stages of the cancer or the extent of the disease. Chances of recovering from Mesothelioma and the kind of treatment depend on the stage of the illness. There are basically two staging systems used for Pleural Mesothelioma (lungs): TNM system and Brighan system. These staging systems are also used in other kinds of cancers; however, the first is commonly used. There is no established method in determining the stage of the Peritoneal Mesothelioma cancer (abdominal) so the TNM system is used.

There are three variables in the TNM system: tumor, lymph nodes and metastasis. In the earliest stage of Mesothelioma, stage I, the malignant Mesothelioma cells start to grow and multiply only one layer of the pleura. The pleura is the membrane that encloses the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. However, there are some instances wherein the pericardium (membrane that covers the heart) and diaphragm cover are already affected. In this case, the cancer patient is still in stage I Mesothelioma.

In the second stage, the two layers of the pleura are already affected by Mesothelioma. Take note, however, that in this stage, only one side of the body is affected. Normally, the pleura produces only small amount of lubricating fluid that allows easy expanding and contracting of the lungs. The excess fluid is absorbed by the blood and the lymph vessels so there’s a balance between the amount of fluid produced and removed. During the second stage Mesothelioma, fluid starts to build up between the membrane of the lungs and the membrane of the chest wall, resulting to pleural effusion. The increase in the volume of fluid produced causes shortness of breath and chest pain. Other Mesothelioma cancer patients experience dry and persistent cough. Diagnosis of the pleural effusion is achieved through a chest x-ray.

Stage III Mesothelioma means that the malignant cells have already spread to the chest wall, esophagus and the lymph nodes on one part of the chest. The patient may suffer severe pain near the parts affected. When not treated immediately or when the Mesothelioma patient doesn’t respond well to medication, the cancer may advance to the fourth stage. The fourth stage Mesothelioma is formidable since at this stage the Mesothelioma cells have penetrated into the bloodstream and other organs in the body like the liver, the bones and the brain. The lymph nodes on the other side of the chest may also be affected by Mesothelioma in stage IV.

Brighan staging system, on the other hand, determines whether the Mesothelioma can be surgically removed or not and whether the lymph nodes are affected or not. In stage I Mesothelioma, the lymph nodes are not yet affected and the patient can still recover through surgery. In stage II, surgery can still be executed but some lymph nodes have already been infiltrated by the cancer cells. In stage III, the heart and chest wall are already affected; thus, surgery is no longer advisable. The lymph nodes in this stage, however, may or may not be affected. In the final stage, stage IV Mesothelioma, cancer cells have already gone to the bloodstream and other parts of the body like the heart, brain, bone and liver. In most cases, a patient who has reached stage IV Mesothelioma only has four to twenty-four months to live.

David Arnold Livingston is a believer in gaining knowledge around Health issues and recommends, as a resource:
http://www.newmesothelioma.com/Mesothelioma
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