Category Archives: General

Psychosocial and Mental Health Concerns in Cancer Patients

At this stage, social workers tell you how to approach problems and resolve them in a manner that is most beneficial to you. There may also be times when the social worker should speak up on behalf of the patient who does not have proper family support, or refer a member of the family to

Understanding Risk Factors in Mesothelioma

Cancer related information often presents the idea of risk. In generic terms, risk can be described as the probability of an event’s occurrence. If we talk in terms of cancer, risk would mean the chances that an individual will develop cancer, benefit from treatment, or experience a recurrence (in case the cancer returns after successful

Informing Your Children About Your Cancer

Depending on their age and ability to cope, children and teens should understand and be involved in the proceedings. As such, it is essential to talk to them about cancer. That way, children will know that their families are willing to provide support and that they can expect them to be honest and candid with

Finding Support When You Have Cancer

There are many types of resources available for cancer patients and their family members. You can seek support from family members or friends, support groups, health professionals, or your place of worship. When you ask for support, you will feel more in control of the changes occurring in your life. You may feel lonely or

How to communicate with the person diagnosed with cancer

You may not be sure as to what are the right words to say to the person who has been diagnosed with cancer. Remember that there are no standard words that you can say or the right way to act. Simply listening to what the person with cancer may have to say is usually more

Surgery for Mesothelioma

Surgery’s role in treating mesothelioma is still uncertain. The most common surgeries performed on these patients are surgical pleurodesis via video assisted thoracoscopic surgery, or VATS, debulking surgery and extrapleural pneumonectomy. Debulking surgery removes the visceral, parietal and pericardial pleura and, as the name implies, debulks the tumor. With fatality rates under 5%, this procedure

Coping up with changes occurring in your body and self-image

Physical changes can occur due to cancer and its treatment. Certain individuals worry about how these changes will affect their body and also their self-image. If surgery is carried out, it can change your appearance. Other types of treatments can affect your feelings and emotions. Side effects resulting from cancer treatment, for instance fatigue, skin

Gathering information about cancer

When you are trying to gather information about cancer, you first need to know what specific type of cancer you have. You need to talk to your health care team members. Request them to provide information about your specific form of cancer, for instance, information such as the cell type and the progression of the

Cancer Diagnosis – Coping with Emotional Impact

A Cancer is not like other diseases and nothing can justify someone having it. It is hard to face up to a cancer diagnosis and it is not easy to live with cancer. When you come to know that you have cancer, it is your experiences and personal beliefs that will help you understand the

Pleural Malignant Mesothelioma – A Molecular Epidemiology Case Control Study

Pleural malignant mesothelioma presents itself as a rare, highly aggressive neoplasm resulting mainly from the surface serosal cells found in the pleural cavity. A sharp rise in the incidence of mesothelioma has been recorded in the U.S. and Western Europe, and it has been predicted that around 250,000 deaths will occur as a result of