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.

Bello kamorudeen.For more information on Mesothelioma treatment go to http://www.mesotheliomacorner.blogspot.comArticle Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/cancer-articles/commonly-asked-questions-about-mesothelioma-clinical-trial-1340116.html

Mesothelioma is probably the most terrifying diagnosis that nobody really wants to listen to. Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is extremely fatal. It is most often caused by exposure to asbestos on a regular basis, which has made it a much talked about topic.

Mesothelioma gets its name from the area of the body in which the malignant cells appears. The mesothelium is a lining that covers all the internal organs in the body. The lining is lubricated, which allows the organs to travel without damage. For instance, the lining allows the heart to pump without causing damage to the lungs and such.

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos. In this disease, tumor develops in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most of the body’s internal organs. Its most common site is the pleura (outer lining of the lungs and internal chest wall), but it may also occur in the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity), the heart, the pericardium (a sac that surrounds the heart) or tunica vaginalis.

Fortunately, Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer. The cancer appears more often in men than women and there is a far greater probability of being diagnosed with it as you age. This is primarily because it takes up to 50 years or more for it to show up. A person exposed to asbestos in 1985 for instance, might not show symptoms until 2025.

Shortness of breath, chest wall pain and general warning signs such as weight loss are the symptoms of mesothelioma. The diagnosis may be suspected with chest X-ray and CT scan, and is confirmed with a biopsy (tissue sample) and microscopic examination.

The risk factors for Mesothelioma are almost entirely related to asbestos exposure. Asbestos was seen as a wonder material because of its insulating and fire resistant properties. It was heavily used in everything from shipyards to construction materials. But it turned out to be obvious that it caused Mesothelioma and other health problems. If you’ve been exposed to asbestos at any point in time, or you have lived with someone who has, then your risk of getting the disease is very much greater than before.

Majority who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or they have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in other ways. It has also been suggested that washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos can put a person at risk for developing mesothelioma. There is no association between mesothelioma and smoking not like lung cancer though smoking is also a contributor. Smoking greatly increases risk of other asbestos-induced cancer. Compensation via asbestos funds or lawsuits is an important issue in mesothelioma.

Thus, having enough know-how is your key in dealing with Mesothelioma. Learn more about this fatal disease now, educate yourself on Mesothelioma!

Check out Mesothelioma.TheInfoPack.comfor more information on asbestos and asbestos-related diseases and be in the know about Mesothelioma.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/cancer-articles/mesothelioma-prognosis-1336776.html

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Thanks for viewing this video about Mesothelioma and hopefully you enjoyed it! If you would like more information about it, then please visit www.mymesotheliomacenter.com or call 800-364-9122.

Mesothelioma Treatment Centers www.mesorc.com Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer, representing less than 1 percent of all cancer types, and its rarity makes it important for sufferers to be treated at centers with the proper level of expertise. Please see below for a regional listing of Mesothelioma treatment centers and links to these institutions’ websites for more information.

Vitamin A is a very important vitamin to maintaining health. Vitamin A is found in foods like carrots and it is well known for its importance in maintaining eyesight. Also recent independent research studies over the last three decades have suggested that vitamin A could possibly have an impact on managing and preventing mesothelioma.

Vitamin A has many essential functions in the human body including:

- sustenance of vision

- bone growth

- Reproduction

- Cell division

- Cell differentiation

- Helping to maintain the immune system – the body’s defense against infection.

Vitamin A comes from animal sources (such as liver and whole milk) and plant sources.
Retinoids which are chemically related to vitamin A have been implicated as anti-carcinogenic. For example, according to an article published in a leading medical journal: “At the cellular level, the anti-leukemia and anti-cancer activity of retinoids is the result of three main actions, cell-differentiation, growth inhibition and apoptosis.”

In a 1988 study performed by the National Cancer Institute, the dietary patterns of mesothelioma patients were compared to those of healthy individuals. According to the article, mesothelioma patients ate less homegrown, cruciferous vegetables and all vegetables combined before they were diagnosed compared to healthy patients. Cruciferous vegetables, also called Brassica Vegetables, include Arugula, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Watercress, Bok Choy, Turnip Greens, Kale, and Mustard Greens. The researchers also pointed out that carotene intake was significantly lower for the mesothelioma patients. Carotene is a precursor to vitamin A.

In this 1996 study from the Division of Epidemiology of the American Health Foundation, the investigators examined the association between dietary intake and mesothelioma by studying 94 men and women with malignant mesothelioma and 64 people without cancer. They concluded that their results provided “some justification for the hypothesis that provitamin A or beta-carotene may decrease the risk of mesothelioma. Provitamin A is any of the carotenoids that are precursors of vitamin A and can be found in fish-liver oils, egg yolk, milk products, green-leaf or yellow vegetables, and fruits.

In a study from 2002, researchers looked at mesothelioma cells in vitro (in test tubes or Petri dishes outside the body) and found that retinoic acid (the oxidized form of Vitamin A) “may lead to a decrease of mesothelioma cell local invasion.” They interpreted this to mean that retinoic acid may modify how mesothelioma grows and spreads in the body. This study suggests that vitamin A levels could possibly affect the aggressiveness of mesothelioma once someone is diagnosed with the disease, thus making mesothelioma metastases unlikely.

And in 2006, Australian researchers looked at former workers and residents exposed to crocidolite (blue asbestos) in Western Australia. Their findings suggested that “people with chronically low plasma levels of retinol (the fat-soluble animal form of vitamin A found in liver and eggs) have increased risk of developing mesothelioma and lung cancer.”

Will vitamin A eventually become part of conventional treatment modality for the prevention or treatment of mesothelioma? These independent studies are very preliminary, but their conclusions are intriguing. In addition, there are anecdotal reports of long-time mesothelioma survivors using vitamin A as part of their healing regiments. But first a great deal more research is needed.

Mesothelioma patients willing to add Vitamin A as part of their cancer treatment should discuss with their doctor on the use of Vitamin A before proceeding on the use.

Bello kamorudeen. For more information on mesothelioma visit http://www.mesotheliomacorner.blogspot.comArticle Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/cancer-articles/vitamin-a-possible-new-drug-for-mesothelioma-1346995.html

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