Mesothelioma Clinic

What is the UAB Mesothelioma Clinic?

The UAB Mesothelioma Clinic is a component of the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center, which provides complete care for mesothelioma patients, including diagnosis, treatment and supportive care services. The Clinic is committed to improving the outlook for mesothelioma patients through novel clinical trials and the education of patients about the disease. The Mesothelioma Clinic Director, Francisco Robert, M.D., is a Medical Oncologist with specific expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer and mesothelioma.

What does the Mesothelioma Clinic provide?

Dr. Robert has a team of Cancer Center staff with expertise in surgery, radiation therapy, pathology, radiology, social services, and nursing who are available to provide their special expertise as appropriate. Dr. Robert provides the initial patient assessment and consultation with appropriate review of pathology slides and x-rays, confirmation of the diagnosis, selection of additional studies if needed and recommendations for treatment and supportive care. Depending on the extent of disease and the patient's general health, treatments may include surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy. It is important that patients consider participating in a clinical trial, which may make additional treatments available. Supportive care may be an important component in the management of mesothelioma patients.

What is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer in which cells of the mesothelium (the membrane that covers and protects most of the internal organs) become abnormal, form tumors and grow without control or order. The disease usually affects the surface of the lung or less commonly the lining of the abdomen. The disease is relatively uncommon, with 2,500 to 3,000 new cases diagnosed in the United States each year.

Are new treatments for mesothelioma being studied?


Yes. During the past five years researchers have gained many new insights about mesothelioma. One promising drug is Alimta (Pemetrexed), an experimental drug that has shown promise in treating advanced mesothelioma. Because mesothelioa is difficult to control, many new treatment strategies are being studied. UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center scientists are examining several different approaches in the laboratory, including: -Developing new drugs that slow the growth and spread of mesothelioma cells. -Creating a vaccine to stimulate the immune system to attack mesothelioma tumors. -Exploring gene therapy strategies for treatment. After further study, these approaches will be developed into clinical trails to investigate whether the treatment is safe and effective for patients. The UAB Mesothelioma Clinic and the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center currently have clinical trials for the treatment of mesothelioma. It is important that Cancer Center doctors see patients soon after diagnosis to enable them to develop the best treatment plan.

Are there specific risk factors for developing mesothelioma?
Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma. Approximately 80% of mesothelioma is associated with asbestos exposure - specifically occupational asbestos exposure. However, the disease has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos.

Contact Information
If you have been diagnosed or are suspected to have mesothelioma and would like to make an appointment at the UAB Mesothelioma Clinic, call (205) 934-5077.

High Job Strain Linked to Increased Blood Pressure

CHICAGO, Illinois, April 10, 2007 – Workers reporting high levels of job strain have higher blood pressure than workers who are under less strain, reports a study in the April Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, official publication of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM).

High job strain–defined as high psychological demands combined with low control or decision-making ability over one's job–is associated with increased blood pressure particularly among men not just during the work day but also at home and during sleep, according to the new research, led by Els Clays, M.Sc., of Ghent University, Belgium.

Using data from a large study of the health effects of job stress, the researchers identified 89 middle-aged Belgian workers with high job strain and a similar number of workers without high job strain. Both groups underwent 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, in which their blood pressure was measured at frequent intervals as they went through their regular daily activities.

The study results confirm men with high job strain had significantly higher blood pressure. Although blood pressures were highest at work, workers with high job strain also had increased blood pressure while they were at home, and even when they were sleeping. On average, blood pressure during the work day was 6.5/3.1 mm Hg higher for the workers reporting high job strain. (Normal blood pressure is about 120/80 mm Hg.)

Workers with high job strain had increased rates of other risk factors, such as older age, increased body weight, and smoking. However, the relationship between job strain and blood pressure remained significant after adjustment for these factors.

Detailed analysis suggested that the rise in blood pressure was more strongly related to low job control, or "decision latitude," than to high job demands.

High job strain has previously been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly in men. Increased blood pressure is one way in which high job strain might affect cardiovascular risk.

"Based on this and other studies, there is convincing evidence for consistent associations between self-perceived job strain and ambulatory blood pressure," the researchers conclude. The increases in blood pressure linked to high job strain may not seem large on the individual level. However, from a public health perspective they could be very significant–especially since blood pressure reductions of similar magnitude can lead to substantial reductions in heart disease risk.

ACOEM (www.acoem.org), an international society of 5,000 occupational physicians and other healthcare professionals, provides leadership to promote optimal health and safety of workers, workplaces, and environments.

ACOEM adopts rigorous methodology for updates to its Occupational Medicine Practice Guidelines

CHICAGO, January 12, 2007 – The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) has adopted a new more meticulous strength-of-evidence rating methodology for the updates to its Occupational Medicine Practice Guidelines, 2nd Edition. The enhanced methodology incorporates the highest scientific standards for reviewing evidence-based literature, thus ensuring the most rigorous, reproducible, and transparent occupational health guidelines available. The State of California recently published intended modifications to its medical treatment utilization schedule regulations. The proposed revisions reaffirm that ACOEM’s Guidelines are the foundation for the State’s utilization schedule, and also propose adoption of ACOEM’s new methodology.

The new methodology features a number of improvements, including advances in: 1) criteria to grade scientific articles; 2) determining strength-of-evidence ratings for studies; 3) applying a rating of potential for bias; and 4) developing evidence-based recommendation categories. “The new methodology ensures that ACOEM’s Guidelines are maintained at the highest achievable scientific standards for evidence-based literature,” said Tee L. Guidotti, MD, MPH, President of ACOEM. “Improving or restoring the health of workers with occupationally related illnesses or injuries is a fundamental principle of occupational and environmental medicine and ACOEM’s new methodology ensures that our practice guidelines fulfill that mission.”

Michael S. Weiss, MD, MPH, Chair of the Guidelines Methodology Committee, stated that the changes were made “to provide greater consistency, clarity and transparency in the evidence-based medicine methodology.” He further noted that “the criteria to rate articles are purposefully more detailed than in other available guidelines and that by providing these explicit ratings and ultimately mapping them to the strength of the evidence, the entire process becomes more reproducible.” It also becomes possible for others to critique the process, analyses, and recommendations, thereby resulting in continual quality improvement.

“The new methodology allows users to more readily determine what was done, why it was done, and how it was done,” said Charles M. Turkelson, PhD, who represented the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) as a member of the Methodology Committee. “As a result, all interested parties should have much more confidence in the recommendations that emanate from these guidelines,” he stated.

ACOEM created the Guidelines to improve the efficiency and specificity of medical diagnosis of workplace-related injuries and diseases, enhance the effectiveness of treatment, and help occupational and environmental physicians manage growing caseloads. Currently there are not any guidelines for the care of workers produced in the United States that are both as rigorous and multidisciplinary in scope as are the ACOEM Guidelines.

The Guidelines were first published in 1997 and revised in 2004. They are presently undergoing a three-year rotating update. The first update will deal with elbow complaints and is scheduled for publication later this month. Updates to the spine and hip chapters are scheduled for mid and late 2007 respectively.

The Occupational Medicine Practice Guidelines: Evaluation and Management of Common Health Problems and Functional Recovery in Workers, 2nd Edition, is published by ACOEM. To inquire about the electronic version or order a print copy of the Guidelines, call ACOEM at 847/818-1800, or visit www.acoem.org. The Guidelines are $175 for ACOEM members; $199 for non-members.

Common Cancer Types

The list of common cancer types includes cancers that are diagnosed with the greatest frequency in the United States. Cancer incidence statistics from the American Cancer Society1 and other resources were used to create the list. To qualify as a common cancer, the estimated annual incidence for 2007 had to be 30,000 cases or more.

The most common type of cancer on the list is non-melanoma skin cancer, with more than 1,000,000 new cases expected in the United States in 2007. Non-melanoma skin cancers represent about half of all cancers diagnosed in this country.

The cancer on the list with the lowest incidence is thyroid cancer. The estimated number of new cases of thyroid cancer for 2007 is 33,550.

Because colon and rectal cancers are often referred to as "colorectal cancers," these two cancer types were combined for the list. For 2007, the estimated number of new cases of colon cancer is 112,340, and the estimated number of new cases of rectal cancer is 41,420.

Kidney cancers can be divided into two major groups, renal parenchyma cancers and renal pelvis cancers. Approximately 85 percent of kidney cancers develop in the renal parenchyma,2 and nearly all of these cancers are renal cell cancers. The estimated number of new cases of renal cell cancer for 2007 is 43,512.

Leukemia as a cancer type includes acute lymphoblastic (or lymphoid) leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, chronic myelogenous (or myeloid) leukemia, and other forms of leukemia. It is estimated that more than 44,000 new cases of leukemia will be diagnosed in the United States in 2007, with chronic lymphocytic leukemia being the most common type (approximately 15,000 new cases).

The following table gives the estimated numbers of new cases and deaths for each common cancer type:

HIV

Problems of adults in developing countries are communicable diseases and parasites. Communicable diseases include HIV, so it is serious problem. Hepatitis B kills about 1 million people each year, but it is preventable by vaccine. Over 13 million adults, mainly hetero***ual men and women, are infected with HIV. Up to 60 per cent of infections in females are believed to occur by the age of 20. Some 6000 people become infected each day and by the year 2000, the cumulative total of HIV infections worldwide could reach 30 to 40 million. In the next 5 years, AIDS will have killed more than 8 million people, most of them young adults, with women an increasing proportion of the total. In the developing world, 1 in 2 deaths is caused by communicable disease, whereas in the developed world 3 out of 4 deaths are due noncommunicable diseases, many of which are lifestyle-related, such as cancer or heart disease.

Of the world's deaths in 1994, 40 per cent were caused by communicable diseases. In the developing countries, it is important to improve their sanitation, so we should investigate sanitary conditions in the hospital, in their home, and in their workplace. We have to know what is the route of infection. If sanitary conditions, for example waterworks, are improved, parasites will decrease. For infectious diseases, developed countries must provide developing countries the skills and information for this kind of disease, and educate medical communities in the field. It is often said that developed countries support developing countries, but this support is temporary. Though economic support is very important, a foundation in health care and health services is the most important point. On the other hand, adults in developing countries may suffer from bad nutritive conditions, so we can also give food production support. Though medical treatment is the most important immediate thing for them,they truly need medical skills and the ability to practice medical care by themselves because these skills have to be handed down from adults to their children.
Why are these adult problems important and why am I interested in them? Medical technology is progressing day by day, but the availability of this technology is unfairly distributed. For example, in the developing world there are many diseases which are preventable if the right kinds of technology were made available. Perhaps the most urgent problem related to communicable diseases is HIV, because there is no specific cure for this, and almost anyone has the possibility of catching this disease. I am interested in this problem not only because I am a medical student, but also because I will soon be an adult. A few years ago I had no idea of being a doctor, but now I realize that in addition to being wife and mother I can help by joining the Japanese medical community in working on problems like HIV.

Car Insurance

Cheap Car Insurance: Seven Tips To Reduce Your Car Insurance Costs
With the cost of car insurance becoming more and more of an issue for the average American family, there are increasing numbers of people looking for cheap car insurance. But although it is possible to find cheap car insurance, the question remains: is it worth buying?
Everyone knows that car insurance companies are not all equal. Cheap car insurance is wonderful when paying the bill, but make a mistake on the company you select and you could find that the cheap car insurance policy that you found may turn into a nightmare. Cheap car insurance may not turn out to be so attractive when making a claim.
So if you have found a discount car insurance broker, don't just take the cheapest quote that you get. You need to find out a little about the insurance company that is offering the cheap car insurance rates.
And there are ways to reduce the cost of your car insurance even with the best of companies. Here are some tips for those looking for cheap car insurance to help reduce the cost of car insurance without compromising other things.
Seven Cheap Car Insurance Tips
1. Look at your deductible amount. This is the amount that you pay first out of any claim. The cost of your policy is directly related to this amount. Many people, particularly those who have had their insurance policy for a long time, have never considered whether they ought to vary their deductible. If you have a good driving record and are prepared to increase the risk of paying a larger amount in the event of a (hopefully unlikely) claim you can save money by increasing your deductible.
2. Have a look at the type of car you drive. Certain types of cars attract higher car insurance rates. Cars such as sports cars and also certain makes and models that are prime theft candidates cost more to insure. If you are buying a car then find out which makes and models these are before you buy.
3. Drive carefully. Although it sounds a little trite to say it, your car insurance cost is a factor of your risk profile. You won抰 get cheap car insurance if you have had 3 speeding fines and 2 accidents in the last year. These things are all taken into account and you should take care with how you drive. It all adds up onto your bill. There are big safe driver discounts available.
4. Considering installing safety and anti theft devices in your car. Again these affect your risk profile. If you have a car that is safer and less at risk of theft it should be cheaper to insure. And if you have a car with certain safety devices now check that your insurance company is aware of these; if not, tell them.
5. Look at your policy when it comes to renewal time; don't just pay. There are some things that you can vary in your policy that will affect the cost. Often there are some things there which duplicate other insurance that you may have that can be eliminated. Be critical, look carefully and ask questions about all these before you renew your policy.
6. Have a look at who your other insurers are. Many insurers offer a discount for multiple policies. If you insure your house with a certain company then ring them up and find out if they do car insurance. Get a quote from them. Find out what discounts they offer.
7. Find a good online discount car insurance broker before renewing. The internet is a fabulous resource. Use it. There are all sorts of discount insurance brokers online where you can get fast quotes from a wide range of companies. Don't just settle for the same company you always use. Car insurance rates vary all the time. Always get comparable quotes before renewing any policy.
So if you're in the market for cheap car insurance these are some ideas for you. Don't just accept that car insurance is always prohibitively expensive. Get out there and do something about it.
(About the author: Peter Crump runs the Car Insurance Answers website which covers car insurance topics including cheap car insurance, online car insurance quotes, UK car insurance, car insurance rates and car insurance quotes.

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Our MBA programme offers a comprehensive education and postgraduate qualification in all aspects of management, while enabling you to customise your study to meet particular work and career needs.Its core modules cover the management of People, Resources, the Environment and Change and you can then personalise your MBA through a wide variety of electives, ranging from Investment Strategies to Entrepreneurship, from Marketing Management to Business Leadership.Alternatively, you can focus on a specific area by following a pre-defined Specialisation Track in Marketing or Finance & Accounting.Our Specialisation Track in Marketing includes focused knowledge that enables managers to make informed, influential decisions that support the development goals of their organisation or business, through such modules as Market Research, Consumer Behaviour, and Services Marketing.Our Specialisation Track in Finance & Accounting provides deep understanding and practical skills in using the latest financial and accounting tools, which are central to the successful growth of any organisation. Modules include Investment Strategies, Financial Reporting, and Advanced Managerial Accounting.

Executive MBA Programs

Executive MBA (EMBA) programs are geared toward enhancing the careers of working executives, many of whom are company sponsored. These programs are for professionals who are already specialists in a field or industry and need to hone their general management skills to continue up the corporate ladder. Enrollment is often tied to a new or anticipated promotion. Students' professional experience and expertise become part of the fabric of the curriculum. Classes typically meet on Fridays and Saturdays, usually on alternate weekends, over two academic years. EMBA programs offer full immersion, with learning outside the classroom and extensive faculty and student/team interaction.EMBA Programs Differ from Full-Time ProgramsBecause they are fully employed, EMBA students do not hold internships between their first and second years of school. University scholarships are generally not available for EMBA students, but loan programs such as the Graduate Management Admission Council's MBA LOANS are. There is limited or no opportunity to specialize. Students all take the same general management curriculum at the same time, rather than core courses one year and electives the next.