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Mesothelioma Help Center - Mesothelioma Dictionary

Mesothelioma Dictionary

Mesothelioma Dictionary of Legal & Medical Terms
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V

Vaccine
The modified virus of a disease used to bring about resistance to that disease for a period of time, or even permanently. Development of a cancer vaccine is a subject of intense research.
Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV, HHV-3)
A herpesvirus that initially causes chickenpox (varicella); VZV may lie dormant within the nerves and reactivate later to cause herpes zoster (shingles).
Vascular
Referring to or composed of vessels. It is also used to describe tissue heavily saturated with blood vessels.
Vascularization
The growth and proliferation of blood vessels.
VATS
Improved survival with VATS pleurectomy-decortication in advanced malignant mesothelioma.
VC (Vital Capacity)
A pulmonary function value defined as the maximum amount of air that a patient can exhale after taking the deepest possible breath.
Vector
An agent used as a vehicle for transfer.
Vegin
A new experimental drug manufactured by VasGene Therapeutics, Inc. Veglin is an anti-angiogenesis drug undergoing clinical trials at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine. Veglin inhibits VEGF proteins, halting the formation of blood vessels and limiting the ability of tumors to grow and spread. Veglin is an antisense oligonucleotide, meaning that it can bond to messenger RNA (nucleic acid that directs protein production) and block the production of VEGF proteins.
VasGene Therapeutics, Inc.
Announced the presentation of positive findings from its phase I clinical trial of VEGF-AS (Veglin). In addition, Veglin has shown in some instances, the ability to periodically stabilize or reduce tumors in early human clinical trials.
Vein
A blood vessel that carries blood low in oxygen content from the body back to the heart. The deoxygenated form of hemoglobin (deoxyhemoglobin) in venous blood makes it appear dark. Veins are part of the afferent wing of the circulatory system which returns blood to the heart.
Venipuncture
Puncturing a vein in order to obtain blood samples, to start an intravenous drip, or to give medication.
Veno-Occlusive Disease
A disease that sometimes occurs following high-dose chemotherapy and/or radiation, in which the blood vessels that carry blood through the liver become swollen and clogged.
Verdict
The response given by the jury after deliberations to legal questions raised by the evidence in trial.
Vermiculite
A naturally occurring mineral used for insulation, sometimes found contaminated with asbestos.
Vermiculite Plant
Two hundred thirty–six manufacturing plants throughout the nation received more than 5.8 million tons of asbestos–contaminated vermiculite from a mine in Libby, Montana. Vermiculite is an ore that can be “popped” or expanded into a lightweight substance used in fertilizers, insulation, and potting soil. When the contaminated vermiculite is heated during processing, it releases asbestos fibers. As a result, workers were exposed to high levels of asbestos at vermiculite plants. The government has been reviewing the extent of the damage to communities, workers and their families in the areas surrounding the vermiculite processing plants between 1948 and the early 90s.
Vesicant
A medication or agent that may cause blistering.
Viscera
The soft internal organs of the body, including the lungs, the heart, and the organs of the digestive, excretory, and reproductive systems.
Video Assisted Surgery
Examination of the chest or abdomen via the insertion of an endoscope through a small incision in the chest wall or belly. Also called VAT or Video Assisted Thoracoscopy or VAP Video Assisted Peritoneoscopy.
Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS)
A technique used to diagnose and treat problems in the chest, which has found increasing use in mesothelioma diagnosis in recent years. The doctors inserts a fiber-optic camera (called a thorascope) into the chest.
Vincristine (Brand Name, Oncovin)
Also known as leurocristine, is a vinca alkaloid from the Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus, formerly Vinca rosea and hence its name). It is a mitotic inhibitor, and is used in cancer chemotherapy.
Vinca Alkaloid
A medication in a class of anticancer drugs that inhibit cancer cell growth by stopping cell division (mitosis). The vinca alkaloids are also called antimitotic or antimicrotubule agents, or mitotic inhibitors. They were originally derived from the common periwinkle plant, have been synthesized, and include vinblastine, vincristine, vindesine and vinorelbine.
Vincristine and Methotrexate
Combination chemotherapy drugs that are often deployed together.
Viral Load (Viral Burden)
The amount of virus in the blood or other tissues. The presence of HIV RNA indicates that the virus is replicating. Changes in viral load may be used to gauge drug effectiveness and disease progression. Viral load is measured using assays such as PCR or branched-chain DNA (bDNA).
Veremia
The presence of virus in the blood or plasma.
Virotherapy
In the rapidly emerging field of virotherapy, scientists are researching many viruses as prospective agents, and many diseases as prospective targets. A recently published study suggests that virotherapy may be a viable treatment option for this lethal form of cancer, as well as for other cancers. An agent of change for patients with “no real treatment alternatives” “Normally, viruses replicate to increase their number, and by virtue of that process, healthy cells are killed,” explains David T. Curiel, MD, PhD, director of the Division of Human Gene Therapy at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. “Virotherapy is about engineering viruses so that they replicate only in tumor cells – and kill only tumor cells.”
Virion
A complete virus particle that exists outside of a host cell.
Virus
A group of minute organisms that are unable to grow or reproduce outside the body of a host. During replication a virus integrates its genetic material (DNA or RNA) into a host cell and takes over the cell's biological mechanisms to reproduce new viral particles.
Visceral Pleura
The mesothelial lining on the pleura that covers the external surface of the lungs.
VOD (Veno-Occlusive Disease )
Blockage of the small veins in the liver. may be caused by substances toxic to the blood vessels in the liver, such as certain alkaloids and certain drugs, including chemotherapy drugs, such as Cyclophosphamide, Cytoxan, azathioprine and Imuran. Radiation therapy (such as is used in bone marrow transplantation) also can produce a blockage of the small veins, as can antibodies produced during rejection of a transplanted liver. See Veno-Occlusive Disease.

Disclaimer: Mesothelioma Help Center’s Dictionary of Legal & Medical Terms is not designed to provide medical advice or professional services and is intended to be for educational use only. The information provided through Mesothelioma Help Center is not a substitute for professional care and should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease. If you have, or suspect you may have, a health problem you should consult your doctor. If you need legal help you should consult an experienced mesothelioma lawyer.

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Mesothelioma Symptoms

The most common Mesothelioma symptoms are the following:

Recent onset of shortness of breath (31%)
Recent increase in shortness of breath (30%)
Chest pain (43%)
 
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