Guest Blog Post from the Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com

Detecting Mesothelioma

Detecting mesothelioma can be a tricky endeavor. This rare cancer is caused by exposure to asbestos, a toxic mineral fiber that was used in a variety of different construction materials, such as insulation and paint, and other products ranging from hairdryers to personal care items.

When airborne asbestos particles are inhaled or ingested, the trouble starts. Over time, these particles can build up in the lining of the lungs and abdomen and cause DNA damage. Then some patients with enough exposure and DNA damage develop mesothelioma tumors on the lining of the lungs called the pleura or the lining of the abdomen called the peritoneum.

Detecting mesothelioma is especially difficult because the symptoms typically don’t surface for 20 or even 50 years. Most people with pleural mesothelioma, the most common form of this cancer, suffer from shortness of breath, pain in the chest, cough, weight loss and fever without any signs of infection.

Methods of Detecting Mesothelioma

Doctors conduct a variety of tests to detect mesothelioma, such as blood tests, PET scans and other radiographic tests, and biopsies. The only current conclusive test to detect mesothelioma is a biopsy.

A biopsy is the removal and analysis of tissues and fluid samples from the body through an open or closed procedure. Under a microscope, the cells can be examined for the presence of cancer. Depending on the type of cancer and its location, different biopsy techniques may be used. One such surgical procedure known as an open pleural biopsy  (thoracoscopy) is known to have the best diagnostic accuracy for pleural mesothelioma.

Currently, most surgical centers use tiny instruments guided by a camera to perform an open pleural biopsy and only make two small cuts to minimize pain and speed up recovery.

Advances in Detecting Mesothelioma

Researchers are exploring the possibilities of using biomarkers (biological indicators) to help diagnose mesothelioma earlier. The presence of these biomarkers can help researchers decipher if a specific disease is present.

In mesothelioma patients, a biomarker called mesothelin is over-produced by the body. By looking at a sample of the patient’s blood, a doctor can test for high levels of mesothelin. This type of testing is not conclusive though and data is still being gathered in clinical trials and studies. The most important steps in a mesothelioma diagnosis still include imaging scans (like X-rays, CT and PET scans) and biopsies.

Bio: Michelle Llamas is a writer for the Mesothelioma Center. She is committed to generating awareness about the dangers of asbestos exposure and providing information regarding breakthroughs in mesothelioma treatment.

Sources:

Attanoos, R. L., & Gibbs, A.R. (2008). The comparative accuracy of different pleural biopsy techniques in the diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma. Histopathology. 53(3), 340–344. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18647189

Baldi, A. (2008). Mesothelioma from Bench Side to Clinic. New York: Nova Science Publishers.

Medicine Plus. (2012). Open pleural biopsy. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003863.htm

Pass, H. I., Vogelzang, N. J., Carbone, M. (Eds.). (2005). Malignant mesothelioma: Advances in pathogenesis, diagnosis, and translational therapies. New York: Springer.

Unites States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2012). Asbestos. Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/

What Makes CTCA Different?

Whenever I talk to someone with cancer so someone who used to have cancer, any type of cancer, young or old, there is usually one common theme: they have all, at one point or another, had a bad experience at a healthcare facility. It's sad really, you're going through so much and the last thing you need to be doing is fighting with a doctor or a nurse or the stupid tech that treats you with zero compassion because she thinks her life is worse than yours. Ok, well maybe that last one was just my experience. But I'm sure many of you can relate. I even had a great care facility (I was treated at Johns Hopkins... hard to get much better than that) and I still had a few moments where I was just in shock at the behavior of some people. In the instance I mentioned previously, I had been out of surgery for a couple of days but I was still at the point where I could barely stand up and I was still getting used to the temporary ostomy I had unexpectedly woken up with. This tech came in to empty my ostomy bag and told me to get up so she could do it. When I told her that I couldn't really get out of bed yet she got really annoyed and said she couldn't do it while I was laying down. My mom then offered to do it because she could tell the girl had an attitude, but the girl then put her hand up and told my mom no, and then preceded to open the bag and let all of the "waste" pour over my bed, tummy, and fresh surgery wounds. Then, in a really cocky voice she said, "I told you you needed to get up." Thankfully it happened right in front of my physical therapist who then immediately took care of the situation with the head nurse. But really, who can deal with stuff like that when they just found out they have CANCER? Especially if they are alone and have no family there to fight for them. I know I would have been lost without my mom.

Before arriving in Phoenix I knew little about Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA). I had briefly looked into it when I was diagnosed but I got an appointment at Johns Hopkins before I really had much time to learn about it. So I was pretty blind going into this. Just so you know what we were there for and such, CTCA put on a blogger summit for a small group of people who operate cancer blogs (I think there were 9 of us). We toured the facility, spoke with patients and doctors, ate the same food the patients eat, and were shown services such as Tai Chi classes and meeting with therapy dogs. The weekend was meant to show us what CTCA has to offer. In going there, I was looking to answer one main question in my mind: What makes CTCA different?

It didn't take long to get that question answered, but it will take a few posts to explain all of it. But to begin, as I heard many patients say that weekend, CTCA is more of a spa than a hospital. It is very homey... not at all like a hospital. For example, here is a picture of the inside of CTCA:

Kind of like a nice hotel or something right? When you first walk in you are met by a greeter that usually even knows your name before you tell them. That is because by the time you arrive, your registration is already completed... you do that in the limo or town car that they pick you up from the airport in, after you land from the flight that CTCA booked for you. While staying in Phoenix for treatment (and remember there are other locations... Chicago, Tulsa, Philadelphia, and Atlanta is soon to come) there is a hotel located in the hospital for $40/ night or you can stay across the street, and in walking distance of the hospital, at the Marriot for $50/ night. Here are some pictures of the hotel rooms inside the hospital:

CTCA operates on a "from bench to bedside" mentality. They believe in offering the newest treatment options, compassionate medical care, and mental/ emotional care. Now, I'm sure many places say that right? But have you ever seen it? I certainly hadn't. But over the next fews posts I want to explain what I saw here and why I believe CTCA actually IS different. I'll write again about medical treatments and nutrition/ naturopathic care, but right now I want to focus on the compassion that I saw there and what "extra" stuff that CTCA has that other hospitals don't.

So when you make your appointment at CTCA, like I said before they cover your travel (flight) to get there if you don't live locally and they pick you up from the airport and take you to your hotel or the hospital. And after arriving for your appointment and being greeted, you are taken to the clinic for your consultation. According to the patients your wait time before being taken back to see the doctor is next to nothing, as apposed to the hours that many of us have experienced elsewhere. Once taken back to your room you will be seen by EVERY SINGLE doctor that you need to see. That includes the oncologist, surgeon, nutritionist, naturopathic doctor, and mind/ body therapist, to name a few (obviously you don't HAVE to see all of them but they are available to EVERY patient... regardless whether or not your insurance covers each one... if CTCA accepts you as a patient you can utilize any doctor and any service... AMAZING!). This team of doctors meet prior to your appointment so that they know your chart BEFORE entering the room... for those of us with long medical histories this is huge... we know how annoying it can get to have to explain over and over again what our histories are.

The goal is also to have everything that the patient needs under one roof and to offer a personalized medical plan to make sure your treatment is the most effective it can be and that you have minimal side effects. Again, this is huge... how many of us have later found out we had the wrong surgery, or shouldn't have had surgery at all, or were put on the wrong chemo, or weren't told about other options? TOO many of us! This just shouldn't happen. Patients should be told all of their options and allowed to make decisions about their own treatment.

The people I met though really topped it all off for me though. The courtesy I saw them show not only to us but to their patients was just incredible. I saw nurses escorting patients to and from radiation treatments, holding the patient by the arm, not pulling them, but comforting them before their treatment. Almost all of the patients were always smiling and to me this tells alot about a medical facility. They also make sure to mark milestones in someone's treatment... when a person finishes their radiation regiment they get to ring a large bell out in the waiting room and everyone applauds them. Even more incredible, when a former patient reaches their 5 year cancer free mark they and their families are flown out to the CTCA facility for an event called Celebrate Life. The former patient is given a gold leaf on the tree of hope located in the lobby with their name and hometown on it. The president of the hospital speaks at the ceremony and then the survivor speaks with current fighters in efforts of giving them hope. Who does that? Really? It all sounded too good to be true. But after talking with the patients there, I began to see that it is in fact true.

This just scratches the surface... I can't wait to tell you about everything else that they do there in relation to treatments, nutrition, and mind/ body therapy. I hope that this is the future of all medical care. And if I ever get cancer again, which is a huge possibility, I will be going there for my treatment.

CTCA Update

I have not forgotten to send everyone an update on the blogger summit with CTCA. I simply have SO many notes from this weekend that I need to organize them so that I can share all of the information effectively. But very shortly, it was an amazing weekend, I met some really wonderful people and I was really encouraged by the direction and mission of CTCA. I'm really excited to tell my readers (whoever you are!) about this amazing option that too few people know about. So stay tuned for multiple new entries :)

Blogger Summit: Day 1

This morning I hopped on a plane and two flights later I landed in Phoenix, where I'll be attending a blogger summit for the next few days. This town is so different than any other town in America that I've been to. I don't think I've seen a patch of grass since being here, yet the land here is so gorgeous. Who knew the desert looked like this?? Not to mention my hotel room is equipped with a jet tub... ahhh.

I love these kind of trips... trips where I get to spend days with other cancer survivors just discussing treatment and our experiences. The bonding is awesome and the support is so therapeutic. I always so home re-energized and feeling like I can take on the world. This weekend I am here in Phoenix for Cancer Treatment Centers of America's Blogger Summit. They have invited 10 of us bloggers to come out and tour the hospital, speak with doctors and patients, eat the food (the AMAZING food cooked by their EXECUTIVE chef!), and learn more about the whole body care system that they offer. I'm excited to learn more about this place... I'm very pro alternative health and innovative treatments in addition to traditional therapies and CTCA seems to incorporate many different aspects of health. I'll be having a one-on-one session with a Naturopathic doctor tomorrow and I'm super pumped because I think nutritional health is one thing that is really overlooked in cancer treatment. I had my colon removed, and while I had great docs, I have hardly been given any info on how my nutrition should change and what issues I might encounter post-surgery. I have SO SO many questions... I'm afraid I'm going to be that annoying patient/new med student/ young kid who just goes on and on and on.

So stay tuned for my day 2 update! I'm also hoping to get some blogging tips from more seasoned bloggers... I need to start doing this more! :)

"How To" Move On From Cancer

I've hesitated to do a "how to" post for several reasons. One, because I don't feel like an expert on overcoming cancer and I really don't think anyone can be. Mostly because everyone's journey is different so there isn't one way overcome it. Two, how does one really move on from cancer? And three, who in the world would listen to my advice??

Well I just decided that while I might not be able to tell you how to overcome it, I can tell you what has been helpful for me. Suggestions, not definites. It's a process. But we do the best we can :)

1. Meet other survivors. You will hear me talk endlessly about First Descents, Lynch Syndrome International, and The Colon Club because I can pinpoint turning points in my emotional recovery to experiences with those organizations. Having a support network of people who get what you are going through is just priceless. There are many days when I was struggling that a simple online conversation with a friend from an FD camp would just energize me. I could talk to them about anything and they got it. It was a huge change for me.

2. Give back. Helping others like they helped you is a great way to strengthen yourself emotionally and go something great for others at the same time. Join Imerman Angels, become a part of Team FD, participate in Relay for Life, join an organization specific to your cancer, or even start a support group in your community. There are so many ways to get involved. This has really helped my healing move on to the next level.

3. Faith. This should really be number one. I couldn't have gotten anywhere without God. I strongly believe that faith is an important part of medical and emotional healing and is in many instances something that is overlooked as an important factor. I can say that all during my treatment I was at peace and I know that peace came from God.

4. Find a purpose. Having a purpose in life is vital to healthy living. It doesn't matter what that purpose is... it could be anything from running a multi-million dollar business to being a stay at home mom. Figure out where you fit in to this world and what you feel meant to do. Feeling purposeful is a strong thing. This was the hardest thing for me after cancer because nothing felt good enough. I felt like I had to do something amazing with my life since I lived. While I knew I shouldn't have felt that way, I did. It took me awhile to feel purposeful but I think I'm finally there.

5. Keep a balance. Find a healthy balance for yourself when it comes to involvement in the "cancer world". It took me a bit of time to do this. Sometimes too much involvement can overwhelm you. Everyone needs a break and a balance. Have things you do that are unrelated to cancer. I kayak, paint, and watch old movies. I really have to focus on this point now that I'm not only involved in advocacy but am also a grad student in cancer research. I'm around cancer all day every day. When I come home at night I have to give myself a break. Well, unless I'm blogging of course :)

Thanks ya'll :) Have a great weekend! Get out there and have some FUN! :)

March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month!

Just a quick FYI- This is colon cancer awareness month! There are so many reasons why this is important... first, this is NOT an old person disease. You don't have to be over 50 to get colon cancer... I was 22! I know others who were 17, 20, early 30s, etc. Listen to your body and look for symptoms... but also know that many people have no symptoms, so know your family history! Second, colon cancer should NOT be considered an "embarrassing" disease or a taboo topic. It's a disease people! Anyone can get it! Old, young, fat, skinny, male, female, it doesn't matter. It needs to be talked about more. Why does breast cancer get all of the awareness? All the pink ribbons and pink products... where is the blue?? When will it be popular to support colon cancer awareness? I haven't heard ONE thing on the radio or TV about this being colon cancer awareness month. (And as a side note, I have many friends with breast cancer and they are just as sick of the everything pink movement as everyone else is... simply because it has become less and less about breast cancer and more about a fad). Third, you can eat healthy and get diagnosed with colon cancer. A big myth is that everyone with colon cancer has a horrible diet... it's just not true. When I was diagnosed I was a vegetarian and never ate out. I cooked everything from scratch and only ate 100% natural and organic foods. Yes diet is important in prevention, but don't automatically assume that someone's diet is bad and that's why they got this disease.

Get screened people! If I can have a colonoscopy every 6 months then you can certainly have one every 2-10 years, or whatever your doc has suggested. Just do it!

Ready to KICK Cancer's BUTT!

Quick update, though many will have seen this on Facebook... but I found out this morning that I got into the PhD program in medical science at U of South Alabama! Which means I am on my way to becoming a cancer researcher! So very excited to be able to spend my time and career trying to find something to cure this disease. It is an overwhelming responsibility, but I want it. I know these next four+ years are going to be insane and so so hard but I am looking forward to all that I will learn and all of the people I will meet. It's going to be an exciting time :)