Photodynamic Therapy

What is Photodynamic Therapy?

Photodynamic therapy also known as PDT uses photosensitizers, tissue oxygen and light to stop the spreading of cancer and also destroy cancer cells. Unlike other traditional treatments of mesothelioma, this modern way of treatment has very few side-effects. Recently, it is very popular in treating Mesothelioma, skin diseases like psoriasis, acne, skin cancers, oesophageal cancer (esophageal cancer) and non-small cell lung cancers. PDT can target virals and bacteria like Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA). PDT is most promising cancer therapies; it is still in its progressive stage. Photodynamic therapy is really helpful to improve quality of life of mesothelioma patient and also ease the symptoms regarding this disease.

Working of PDT

When light of certain type and wavelength is exposed to a photosensitizer, produces oxygen that destroys cancer cells in that particular region. It is also very useful when coming up in damaging the blood vessels, which provide feed to the tumors due to this the growth will stop.  An assumption is being made that PDT can also trigger the immune system of the patient.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have approved many photosensitizers uptill now. PDT is a two step therapeutic process and the very first step is to administrate these photosensitizers. In the beginning when a patient visits to a hospital, he/she will first inject the drug into the blood. This drug is absorbed by all the cells of the body, but it is more absorbed by the cancer cells as compared to the healthier ones. After this step, the patient should visit the clinic again and this time his/her tumor will be exposed to the laser light (connected to a thin fiber optic thread that can be tucked close to the tumor). Generally, the tumor is being exposed to light for 5-45 minutes. But it all depends on location or size of the tumor and the goal of the doctor. If due to this any dead tissue occurs it will be removed by endoscopy after 4-5 days.  

Are there any side-effects of PDT?

• Anxiety at the place of treatment

• Bruising or swelling

• For one month patient will feel sensitivity towards light, so for this reason he/she should cover himself/herself when going outside and for inside keep the indoor lights dim until the sensitivity stops.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is truly a very promising way of treatment. But it is not yet used as an only treatment although it showed really positive results. More photosensitizers and photodynamic drugs are trying to be discovered by the researchers so that it can target specific cancer cells and deeper tumors.

I am personally really hopeful and optimistic for this way of treatment and what about you?

Immunotherapy

What is Immunotherapy?

Immunotherapy (biotherapy) is a very new way of treatment that uses different parts of our immune system for the treatment of the diseases that also include cancers of different kinds. But the thing is that immunotherapy is still in its progressive stage; it is not that much advance as other cancer treatments. The researchers are gathering more and more information about our immune system. The more they know, the more steps will be taken in the advancement of immunotherapy and soon it will become the major treatment option for treating cancers.

How it is administered?

There are two ways Immunotherapy can be done:

Active

It is done by different drugs, which stimulate and improve the patient’s present immune system. So that it can fight the cancer.

Passive

In passive immunotherapy, it includes synthetic protein that is made in a laboratory. Then, this protein is given to the patient that balances his/her present immune system is missing.  

Recently, for the treatment of mesothelioma passive immunotherapy is used because it looks for a specific kind of antigen to stimulate it and not to improve the whole immune system. The use of immunotherapy for the treatment of mesothelioma is still in the phase of clinical trials. Therefore, if a patient wants to opt for this way of treatment, he should go through trial phases to determine whether he is qualified or not. On the other hand, U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has approved several monoclonal antibodies (mAb or moAb) for the treatment of cancers which also includes Avastin. Avastin was approved by FDA in February 2004 for treating mesothelioma. This drug is used with the combination of chemotherapy for a multimodal regimen. The doctors have hopes that it will extend the life expectancy of a mesothelioma patient.

Immunotherapy also uses cancer vaccinations eliminate the cancer or either to prevent the disease. FDA has not approved any treatment vaccines in U.S. yet. But there are two preventive vaccinations that have been approved by FDA. It is currently reported, a group of Dutch doctors have developed the first treatment vaccination for mesothelioma cancer. They have reported their conclusions and findings to American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (AJRCCM). Lysate-pulsed dendritic cells are used in this vaccine to stimulate the immune system of the mesothelioma patient. The good news is that it shows tremendously positive results during clinical trials!

Papillary Mesothelioma

What is papillary mesothelioma?

Papillary mesothelioma or WDPM (Well-Differentiated Papillary Mesothelioma) is a form of epithelial mesothelioma that is somewhat rare. More often it is diagnosed in women particularly when they are in their procreative or reproductive stages. It doesn’t mean that only women are the target of this type of tumor, men are too not safe enough.

Where the tumor is localized?

Typically papillary mesothelioma affects the membrane of abdominal cavity or it is also called peritoneum. The good thing about this tumor that it is not dangerous to health, in other words it is quite benign. This tumor is also present in the membrane of lungs (pleura) as well as it can be in the male reproductive system, it is more often seen in tunica vaginalis.

Usually no pain is caused due to papillary tumor. On the other hand, this type of mesothelioma is not necessarily linked with the exposure of asbestos like other types of mesothelioma.

Treatment

This is a relatively a rare kind of mesothelioma, so there are no particular standards in terms of treatment. In this type of malignant mesothelioma oncologists usually shrunk the tumor by radiation therapy or chemotherapy or they remove the tumor through surgical process. Surgery is generally preferred because it is somewhat rare that the tumor spreads out in other part of the body. In many cases, re-occurrence of the disease may perhaps happen. However, this doesn’t mean that it will develop in a mesothelioma cancer.  

So be informed and take a good care of your health!

Biphasic Mesothelioma

Biphasic/ Mixed Mesothelioma are now becoming the most major type of mesothelioma. About 46-63% cases of mesothelioma are now seen having biphasic type of tumor. This type of tumor is basically is the combination of epithelial mesothelioma and sarcomatoid mesothelioma. Furthermore, this tumor consists of two different types and also the tumor is present in different parts. Eventually this makes a lot easier to diagnose rather than the diagnosis of sarcomatoid and epithelial mesothelioma. It doesn’t have a distinctive cell structure because it is consists of two different cell types. To sum up briefly if a patient is diagnosed with the biphasic/mixed tumor, basically it is diagnosed by both tumors that are sarcomatoid and epithelial mesothelioma.

Treatment

The treatment options for the biphasic mesothelioma are the same as epithelial mesothelioma and sarcomatoid mesothelioma. The treatments can be used alone or can be in combination of different options of treatment.

Mesothelioma treatment can be divided into two wide categories. These comprise of traditional mesothelioma treatment and new mesothelioma treatments.

Traditional treatment includes radiation therapy, surgery and chemotherapy. In some cases all the three approaches are applied to the patient keeping in mind his/her condition and stage of cancer. This is done to achieve the very best results, to live a quality and a better life and to increase survival rate. These traditional treatments, I have already discussed in my previous post!

Now from my viewpoint the most interesting way of treatment something very new!!!!!!

The new ways of treatments include gene therapy, IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy), immunotherapy, PDT (photodynamic therapy) and also advancements of new chemotherapy agents. The great thing which I consider about these treatments like immunotherapy, gene therapy and photodynamic therapy, gives us a lot hopes to live a very healthy life! These treatments are used in combination with the traditional ones but these are the major breakthrough in the field of medical science.

Sarcomatous Mesothelioma

What is Sarcomatous Mesothelioma?

The least common type of mesothelioma is Sarcomatoid or Sarcomatous Mesothelioma. Only 10-20% cases of this type of cancer are recorded up till now. The tumor cells of Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma are usually mistaken by other types of cells. Furthermore, their oval and irregular shapes make them more difficult to identify under a microscope as compared to biphasic or epitheliod tumors. 

As a result of the diagnostic delay, Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma becomes the most fatal type of mesothelioma. After the diagnosis, life expectancy is more or less of six months.

But if someone is diagnosed by this type of tumor so what treatments are best for him/her?

Treatment

Even though the treatments are similar to the other types of tumors which are epithelial and biphasic but the worst thing about Sarcomatoid tumor that it is the most resistive one. To be very honest the treatments which are given to patient of sarcomatoid mesothelioma is not curable. It is just the treatment has a focus on that how can make the life comfortable and prolong as much as possible for the patient who is suffering from this tumor. 

The patients of sarcomatoid mesothelioma have treatment options like surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Not only they can opt for these treatment options they can also go for immunotherapy (use to destroy tumors) and gene therapy.

Ask your physician for clinical trials if you are suffering from Sarcomatiod mesothelioma. So that he can provide you with the best and modern treatment option according to your present condition!

Epithelial Mesothelioma

What is Epithelial Mesothelioma?

It is the most common type of mesothelioma which occurs in 50-70% of mesothelioma patients. This cancer relates to epithelial tissues (membranes which cover all body’s organs). Epithelial cells cancer makes up more or less of 85% of all cancers.

Like all types of Mesothelioma cancer, Epithelial Mesothelioma is also caused by the exposure of Asbestos. Even though Mesothelioma is still considered a fatal disease, but the diagnosis of Epithelial Mesothelioma is considered far better than any other types.

After that now come to the types of Epithelial Mesothelioma!

Types of Epithelial Mesothelioma

By now every one of us knows mesothelioma is caused due to the breathing in of fibers of asbestos. Therefore, the epithelial mesothelioma generally occurs in the region of respiratory system. As a matter of fact let me tell you about 60% of epithelial mesothelioma occur in pleura (which is the membrane of lungs). This type of mesothelioma is called Pleural Mesothelioma.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma is the second most common type of epithelial mesothelioma. This type of mesothelioma also caused due to the inhalation of asbestos fibers present in air. It occurs in the membrane or lining of abdomen.

The rarest type of epithelial mesothelioma is Pericardial Mesothelioma which occurs in the membrane or lining of heart. It is an idea that when the fibers of asbestos through lungs come into the bloodstream, they make their way to the heart.

Instantly, the next question will arise in your mind how it is treated?

Treatment

The treatment of epithelial mesothelioma compromised of radiation therapy, chemotherapy or surgery or perhaps any combination of all three! The treatment of yours mainly depends on the location and the stage of the cancer.

If you have recently being diagnosed by epithelial mesothelioma, you should have very in-depth understandings of your present situation and for this you should seek advice from your physician and ask each and every question regarding your health and medical care. So be informed!

Gene Therapy Use for Treating Cancer and Mesothelioma

What are genes and genetic disorders?

Genes are the basic unit of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). Genes are the functional unit of heredity, which is passed by our parents to us. Every one of us has around 30,000 to 40,000 genes which are responsible to find out different things like the colour of our eyes or hair and also the ability of clotting of our blood (hemophilic). A unique protein is being created by genes, which is used for cellular function; this is the actually the appearance of genes which has its effects. If the genes have some defects it could not create protein and when this happens the trouble arises.

Every one of us got some defective genes from our parents; some of the genes that we received have two copies; one from our father and the other one from our mother and most of the time these defective genes has no affect on us. But if we received the same defective genes from both parents the genetic disorders might get itself revealed.

There are many disorders in our body that is not hereditary, but it has some connections regarding our genes.  The reason for these complicated disorders is environmental issues and multiple gene mutations. These disorders involved diseases like diabetes, Cancer and heart disease. These kinds of disorders has more affect on people rather than monogenic disorders(a genetic disease that is controlled by one pair of genes – like Thalassaemia, Haemophilia). These complicated disorders make it very challenging to treat them.                                                  

Gene Therapy

This is the most wonderful breakthrough in field of Health that is you can alter defective genes by replacing or removing the abnormal genes or even introducing new normal genes to prevent or treat yourself with the disease. Researchers are correcting the defective genes by adding normal genes to the genome and also replacing the defective ones.

To carry out these procedures the researchers must know the actual location of these specific genes and should be aware when, how and why these genes do these functions so that they can find a new way bring the new information to genome. Bringing the genes to their desired location is done by a carrier molecule called vector. Viruses are the most common vectors which have the capability to deliver foreign geneses to the cells. Because of the alteration of these viral vectors they will not cause illness. There is another type of vector that is called non-viral vectors.

Some commonly used vectors in gene therapy are:

Viral Vectors

• Herpes simplex viruses
• Adeno virus
• Adeno-associated viral

Non- Viral Vectors

• Naked DNA
• Liposome

Now come to the topic which is can we treat Cancer and Mesothelioma with it?

The primary objective of gene therapy is to eliminate the root cause of the disease. Basically the genes carry the instructions about making the proteins and other building blocks necessary for cell to function. If the instructions of genes are missing or it is incorrect a person may be lacking a healthy cell. The researchers don’t deal with the effects of defective genes instead they try to deliver the proper instructions to your cell by avoiding negative effects.

Obviously the primary goal of gene therapy is to deal with genetic disorders. In earlier time it was thought that the genes are fixed it could not be altered or changed throughout our life. Our DNA can be damaged by smoking, chemicals or sun and results in to mutations that cause defective hereditary behavior. A person initially which can’t be seen for gene therapy certainly is a target like a Mesothelioma patient.

Mesothelioma is complicated disorder. This disorder is a result of mutation of genes due to environmental cause like exposure of Asbestos and can also be inherited genetic mutations. For developing Mesothelioma smoking of cigarettes further reveal the complex nature of complicated disorders. The great thing of gene therapy not only Mesothelioma other cancers can also be treated along with diseases like diabetes and diseases related to heart.  

To prevent cancer this is a tremendous breakthrough as it can save lives and give hope to us to live a better and a healthy life!