Mineral Supplement – reasons for taking.

Do you need to take some type of mineral supplement? Well, it depends on many factors. For example, if you have a known deficiency of a particular mineral or if you lead a busy and stressful life, then yes. But if you maintain a well designed diet and eat many food sources of minerals, then probably no. Always try to get minerals from fresh foods before you turn to supplements.

Mineral Supplement – how to choose right one.

If you decide to take supplements, consult with your doctor to make sure you don’t take any which can be harmful. Then you need to create a good supplement program. For example, you need to be aware of all ingredients. Also, many supplements work better when taken together, and others, when taken separately.

Drug Therapy: A drug called Alimta, developed by Eli Lilly, has been shown to significantly increase life expectancy of patients and decrease symptoms of disease. It is only chemotherapy drug to be approved by Food and Drug Administration for treatment of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Gene Therapy: This mesothelioma treatment is currently in experimental stages. The process involves inserting a "suicide gene" directly into tumor. This gene makes cells sensitive to a normally ineffective drug called glanciclovir which destroys all cancer cells and leaves healthy cells unharmed.

Photodynamic Therapy: Still in its experimental stage, photodynamic therapy uses light to kill cancerous cells. The patient first receives a photosensitizer that only collects in cancerous cells. Fiberoptic cables are then placed in body in order to focus right frequency of light on tumor. The photosensitizer is then caused to produce a toxic oxygen molecule that kills cancer cell.

Immunotherapy: Also referred to as biological therapy, this mesothelioma treatment uses body's personal immune system to defend itself against mesothelioma. It has been discovered that immune system is capable of deciphering healthy cells from cancerous cells, and can thus eradicate those cells that cause cancer.

While treatment methods are still in developmental or experimental stages, there is hope that one day all mesothelioma victims will be freed from murderous hands of this fearsome disease.