Mesothelioma Cancer
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. Inhaling asbestos fibers causes mesothelioma pleural and swallowing asbestos can cause mesothelioma of the peritoneal region.
The symptoms may be similar to those of less serious diseases and may take between 10 and 50 years to show. The symptoms include breathlessness, chest pain and abdominal distress.
Risk Factors
Asbestos fibers can cause mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma forms in the linings of the chest cavity or the lungs. Mesothelioma can also form in the peritoneum (the membrane surrounding the heart) or in the pericardium. It can take between 20 and 50 years for the cancer to form and to show signs, which can often be mistaken for flu-like illnesses. Mesothelioma most often affects older people, and is more prevalent in men than women.
The main risk factor for mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral made up of tiny fibres that were used in building materials, such as ceilings and walls, due to its resistance to heat and fire. It was also used in the manufacturing of products like pipes insulation, shingles, insulation and cement. Mesothelioma is a deadly disease for those working in industries that employ asbestos, such as shipbuilding, mining or construction. However, even those who only had secondary exposure, such as family members who brought home asbestos-contaminated clothes and skin, are also at risk.
A small proportion of mesothelioma patients are linked to a genetic mutation known as BAP1. This genetic change can increase the chance of developing mesothelioma in those who have been exposed asbestos.
The age of the patient is also an indicator of risk. Mesothelioma is most often found in those who are over 45, and two-thirds of those diagnosed are 65 or older. This is due to the prolonged time between exposure to asbestos. However it is also possible that older people are more likely to develop the disease because of the long exposure to asbestos.
White males are more likely develop mesothelioma than any other race or gender. This is due to the fact that historically, more white males have been employed in jobs that put them at higher risk of asbestos than other groups. In addition, mesothelioma is usually seen in people who were exposed to asbestos before better regulations were put into during the 1980s.
Signs and symptoms
Mesothelioma is an asbestos-related cancer that forms in the protective linings of various organs in the body. The cancerous tumors can cause extreme pain and damage the tissue. The malignancy may spread to other parts of the body via the bloodstream or lymphatic system.
The symptoms of mesothelioma could be similar to those of other illnesses like pneumonia or influenza. It usually takes between 10 and 50 years to appear after exposure to asbestos. This delay in time makes it difficult to diagnose mesothelioma early, and the symptoms can be misinterpreted as a sign of other illnesses.
In most cases, the malignant tumors begin in the chest cavity and lungs (pleura). Mesothelioma is also able to form in the linings surrounding the abdomen and heart. In rare instances, the disease can even affect the lining of the testes or the sac that surrounds the heart (pericardium).
Asbestos is made up of a collection of minerals that forms long, thin fibres. The fibers are so strong that they cannot be broken down by chemicals or water, or even bacteria. They were widely used in many household and construction materials for a long time before scientists realized the dangers they pose to people's health.
The majority of patients with mesothelioma were exposed to asbestos in the workplace or at home, and the majority of those who were exposed were employed in the US Navy and the air force, the shipbuilding or construction. Men are more likely to develop mesothelioma than females. Veterans make up approximately 30% of all cases.
When mesothelioma develops doctors can spot it through medical tests and imaging scans. This includes X-rays CT scanners, MRIs, and PET scans. The doctor can also send a tissue sample to a laboratory for testing.
The results will help doctors determine the type of mesothelioma and stage of the disease which can affect the prognosis as well as treatment options. The majority of mesothelioma types are epithelioid or sarcomatoid, and between 10% and 15% are biphasic or mixed. Epithelioid cancer is less invasive and generally has the highest rate of survival. Sarcomatoid mesothelioma has a worse prognosis and is more difficult to treat.
Diagnosis
It can be difficult to identify mesothelioma in particular at an early stage. The first step is to visit their primary care doctor with any symptoms, such as coughing or chest pains. The doctor will examine the patient's breathing through the stethoscope and document their medical history and work. This includes any asbestos exposure information, which is crucial for diagnosing mesothelioma.
Because mesothelioma's symptoms are similar to those of other diseases, doctors must exclude other conditions prior to confirming a diagnosis. For instance the cancer is often spread to the lungs of a patient from other parts of the body, like their abdomen or chest wall. Asbestos victims are prone to lung diseases, such as mesothelioma, pneumonia, and pleural symptoms can be confused with other respiratory illnesses.
Mesothelioma can be diagnosed with blood tests, imaging tests and biopsies. These tests aid in locating the site of the cancer, which is most typically in the lungs, but could also be found in the stomach or testicles. The tests will also assist doctors determine the extent of the cancer is spreading throughout the body.
A CT scan or MRI could reveal the mesothelioma-related signs including calcium deposits in the pleura (known as plaque) and an accumulation of fluid between the lungs and chest wall. These tests can also determine whether a person's lungs are more prominent on one side or the other.
In many instances, a biopsy is needed to confirm the diagnosis of mesothelioma. This procedure involves taking some of the tissue and analyzing it in a lab for mesothelioma-related cells.
Certain patients might require additional tests, such as FDG-positron emissions tomography (PET) which allows doctors to look at the lymph nodes located in the middle of the chest and test the lymph nodes, or endobronchial ultrasonography (EBUS), using sound waves to study the lungs and mesothelium. Mesothelioma is a rare condition, and doctors are still learning how to treat it effectively. As a result those diagnosed with cancer need to be aware of their options and decide what treatment is best for them.
Treatment
Mesothelioma can affect the linings of the lungs and abdomen (peritoneal cancer), or heart (pericardial cancer). Symptoms usually do not appear for several decades after exposure to asbestos. It is important that people who have been exposed to asbestos get checked for any strange symptoms.
A doctor will collect a medical history to check for mesothelioma-related risk factors, for example, how long and how intensely an individual was exposed to asbestos. The doctor will also do an examination to find signs of mesothelioma, like the accumulation of fluid in the chest cavity. The type of cells that reside in mesothelium, as well as the locations of those cells are used to classify mesothelioma. The most frequent type of mesothelioma is epithelioid. It makes up between 60 and the majority of mesothelioma patients. Other types of mesothelioma are sarcomatoid and biphasic mesothelioma, which both account for about 10% to 15% of mesothelioma patients.
There are a variety of treatment options for mesothelioma. The type of treatment you choose depends on the type of mesothelioma and the stage of the disease.
In some instances, mesothelioma can be treated with radiation or chemotherapy. During these treatments doctors use powerful chemotherapy drugs or equipment to eliminate tumors. This reduces the chance of mesothelioma coming back.
sandy asbestos lawyer of mesothelioma are treated through surgery that eliminates a part of the lining of the affected organ. This can also ease breathing difficulties and other symptoms.
If someone is diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma the doctor can perform a procedure called VATS, that involves the use of a camera into the lungs to eliminate part of the pleura and lung. This procedure can alleviate breathlessness caused by fluid build-up in the lungs, however it is not a cure for the disease.
Other treatment options include support or pain management. It is vital that people suffering from mesothelioma receive as much information about the disease as they can, and how to deal with it. The more they are aware of the more prepared they are to plan a the best possible and happy future.