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Mesothelioma Advice - Questions And Answers
What is mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is cancer of the mesothelium. Like most cancers,
mesothelioma involves the abnormal dividing of cells of a
particular part of the body -- in this case, the mesothelium.
Mesothelioma is so deadly because it remains dormant for many
years and then begins to rapidly expand. The cancer then begins
to invade and damage nearby tissue, including the vital organs.
Mesothelioma HelpAccording to the National Cancer Institute, mesothelioma is a malignant cancer of the pleura, the peritoneum, and the pericardium (the ..... What is the mesothelium?
Many of the internal organs of the body are protected by a
membrane called the mesothelium. This membrane actually
consists of two layers of cells. The inner layer surrounds the
organs, and the second is a sac surrounding the inner layer.
When organs within this membrane must move, expand or contract
-- such as the heart, lungs, bladder, and so on, they are able
to do so because the mesothelium produces a lubricating fluid
between the two layers.
Mesothelioma most often begins in the pleura or peritoneum. The
pleura surrounds the lungs and covers the chest cavity. The
peritoneum covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity.
Other mesothelium tissue is also vulnerable to mesothelioma.
These include the pericardium that surrounds and protects the
heart; the tunica vaginalis testic which surrounds the internal
male reproductive organs; and the tunica serosa uteri which is
the membrane covering the internal reproductive organs in
women.
Who is at greatest risk to develop mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma has a very specific cause - exposure to asbestos.
Mesothelioma Lawyer Best For YouMesothelioma Lawyer: Getting The Best For You If you are reading this article, the chances are that either you or a loved one is in ..... During the first half of the previous century, right up until
the mid 1970s asbestos was an important material used to
insulate buildings, machines, heavy equipment, and a broad
range of commercial applications. Because it was plentiful and
inexpensive to mine, asbestos was used in many building
products such as home insulation, floor, ceiling and roof
tiles. It was also used in commonly found commercial products
such as brake linings and pipe insulation.
This meant that millions of people were coming in contact with
asbestos on a daily basis. And since the effects of exposure to
asbestos fibre often do not become apparent for 30 or 40 years
after prolonged exposure, companies and health officials were
slow to recognize the dangers of asbestos. As a result,
shipyard workers, men and women working in asbestos mines and
mills, workers producing asbestos products, workers in the
heating and construction industries, and virtually all other
tradespeople were exposed to asbestos fibres for extended
periods of time.
Today it is understood that anyone working with or near
asbestos has an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, so
there are strictly controlled limits of exposure in the work
place. But since the dormancy period of mesothelioma can often
be 30 or 40 years, there are millions of workers who are at
risk because of their exposure in the decades before the safety
controls were put in place.
What are the symptoms of mesothelioma?
Pleural mesothelioma - cancer of the pleura or lung lining -
causes shortness of breath or chronic coughing. Other symptoms
of pleural mesothelioma may include chest pain, chronic
coughing, shortness of breath, fatigue, wheezing, hoarseness,
weight loss, or blood in the phlegm from the lungs when
coughing.
Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the lining around the stomach
and intestines and is usually just as dangerous. Symptoms of
peritoneal mesothelioma include pain or swelling in the
abdomen, weight loss, bowel obstruction, anemia, and fever.
Many of the symptoms of mesothelioma can easily be mistaken for
allergies or a common cold. Mesothelioma is often discovered
when patients think they have one of these other common
illnesses.
How Serious is Mesothelioma?
By the time most infected people become aware they have
mesothelioma, it is no longer dormant and becomes extremely
aggressive. In its active phase, mesothelioma can travel
quickly, and is almost impossible to stop. There are treatments
used to keep the patient comfortable, but there is currently no
cure for mesothelioma. As many as 75% of those who develop the
disease will lose their life within one year. The remainder may
last for up to an additional six months.
This makes it extremely important to detect the disease before
it enters its active phase.
How is mesothelioma diagnosed?
Mesothelioma is often not diagnosed until it reaches an
advanced stage. This is because of its long dormancy period,
and because once it becomes active the initial symptoms are
similar to much more comman and less dangerous sicknesses such
as colds or the flu. If a patient has a history of exposure to
asbestos, then a complete physical examination is advised. This
would normally include x-rays of the chest or abdomen and lung
function tests. It might also include a CT (or CAT) scan or an
MRI. Both of these tests give detailed pictures of areas inside
Mesothelioma Into PerspectivePutting Mesothelioma Into Perspective Mesothelioma is an uncommon form of cancer, usually associated with previous exposure to asbestos. Of ..... the body.
If these tests indicate the probability of mesothelioma, then
it is necessary to perform a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis.
Doing a biopsy involves an oncology specialist taking a small
sample of affected tissue and examining it under a microscope
for signs of malignancy. Depending on the location of the
affected tissue, doing a biopsy can be a relatively
traightforward procedure. It normally involves the insertion of
a small instrument into the suspect cavity. These surgical
devices have both viewing and sample taking capabilities. So
the oncologist or surgeon can look at the cavity from the
inside, and then take tissue samples from different areas.
If mesothelioma is discovered, the initial tests are followed
up with what is called "staging". This involves more tests to
determine how far the disease has spread.
How is mesothelioma treated?
Standard treatments include the normal options available to
cancer patients: surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.
Sometimes, these treatments are combined. If the mesothelioma
is discovered at an early enough stage these treatments can
sometimes be effective.
Among the treatments that are used in order to reduce the
effects of the disease are oxygen, postural drainage and pain
killers. Many alternative treatment methods are also being
tested, including attempts to strengthen the body's immune
system. Gene therapy is also being tested in an attempt to
attack the problem at the DNA level. Other treatments being
tried and tested include homeopathy, herbs and acupuncture.
Unfortunately none of these have been found to be very
effective once the disease reaches its aggressive stage.
As with all cancers, early detection is the best defense
against mesothelioma. Anyone who has been exposed to asbestos
should be alert for symptoms and contact a doctor immediately.
Detecting mesothelioma at the earliest stage possible greatly
increases the chances of beating the disease.
About The Author: For more information about Mesothelioma visit
http://www.mesotheliomaadvisors.com ==> For more articles and
reports about mesothelioma see
http://www.mesotheliomaadvisors.com/reports.html ==> Rick
Hendershot is a writer and online publisher. For publishing and
promotion opportunities see http://www.linknet-blogs.com
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