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Mesothelioma – Diagnosing The Silent Killer
Mesothelioma – What Does It Mean?
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer. It is a cancer of
Mesothelial cells. These cells cover the outer surface of most
of our internal body organs, forming a lining called
Mesothelium. Mesothelioma usually affects the thin membrane
that lines the chest cavity and the lungs. Mesothelioma is
caused by exposure to asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral
that was used in a variety of industries during 1870-1970. The
mesothelioma disease develops at least 15 years after exposure
to asbestos. People usually are diagnosed with this deadly
disease between ages 50 to 70.
Diagnosis of Mesothelioma
Most of the people who are diagnosed with Mesothelioma have
chest pain or shortness of breath as the first symptom of the
disease. Mainly the cancer itself causes chest pain. Other
possible symptoms of mesothelioma cancers include abdominal
pain, swelling, cough, fatigue and unexplained weight loss.
Doctor will ask about the symptoms and medical history before
doing a complete physical examination. To diagnose the disease
with symptoms like this is quite difficult because these
symptoms may appear in other ailments as well. This may cause a
delay in the diagnosis of Mesothelioma.
There are two types of Mesothelioma viz. the pleural
Mesothelioma and the peritoneal Mesothelioma with symptoms of
their own. The tissues lining the lungs are called the pleura.
The pleura are fibrous covers to protect the lungs. These
produce a fluid that fills the gap and helps the lungs to move
smoothly in the chest while they are inflating and deflating as
one breathes. Mesothelioma is most often diagnosed in the pleura
and its relative symptoms are cough, chest pain and shortness of
breath. If you see such symptoms, you should see a doctor right
away.
Peritoneum tissue lining the abdomen helps to protect the
contents of the abdomen. Peritoneum produces a lubricating
fluid, which helps organs to move smoothly inside the abdomen
as one moves around.
Mesothelioma of the tissues, lining the abdominal cavity, is
called peritoneal Mesothelioma. It is less common than the
pleural Mesothelioma. Its symptoms are abdominal pain,
vomiting, weight loss etc. Tests that are usually needed for
diagnosis of mesothelioma are electrocardiogram, a chest or
abdominal x-ray. If these tests show abnormality of lungs or
pleura, patient will need a CT scan or MRI scan. These imaging
studies allow the physician to determine the size, location and
Mesothelioma LawsuitMesothelioma is a cancer of the linings of the heart, chest and abdominal cavity and is caused by exposure to ..... extent of any tumor in the chest or abdomen.
Doctor can also recommend biopsy in which tissue sample has to
be taken. The tissue sample can be taken with procedures i.e.
either thoracoscopy or laproscopy for an abdominal tumor and
VAT for a pleural tumor. In all these procedures, a tube like
the one instrument inserted through a small incision makes the
doctor view the tumor and collect a tissue sample. These tests
can verify whether the patient is suffering from Mesothelioma
or not.
About The Author: Kirsten Hawkins is a asbestos and
mesothelioma specialist from Nashville, TN. Visit
http://www.asbestosblog.org/ for information on asbestos
reform, mesothelioma lawsuit news, and more.
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