Mesothelioma Cancer

Nobody ever used to hear about mesothelioma until recent years when we began to see commercials on our television screens advertising services related to this terrible type of cancer. The ads are usually aimed at people who are suffering from the disease to help them find a lawyer to sue for compensation. This type of cancer is almost always as a result of exposure to asbestos and is unfortunately only now properly understood. In most cases exposure to asbestos is likely to have been job related and the ads suggest people may be entitled to sue their former employers.

Some people may have been exposed to asbestos in other ways that we don't hear so much about because asbestos particles are tiny and anyone coming into contact with the clothes or possesions of an exposed person could also be in danger of being affected by the illness. Something we should all be aware of is that exposure to asbestos is possible during a home renovation if asbestos cement products were used in the home. Many buildings still contain the original asbestos products installed when the building was contructed so construction workers and other people could be exposed through working in old buildings that have not been inspected for asbestos. These workers may never realise they have been exposed to asbestos risks through simply doing their ordinary daily jobs.

The word mesothelioma actually refers to a protective lining that covers he internal organs in your body. This is the area where the malignant cells can begin to develop and often they develop most in the pleura which is the area of the outer lining of the lungs and chest cavity. Other areas affected include the pericardium or the sac which covers the heart. You can see how because mesothelioma seems to mostly be attracted to some critical areas within the body it makes it a particularly dangerous type of cancer.

The more common symptoms of mesothelioma vary quite a lot because it affects these different parts of the body and organ linings. Development of the symptoms can take anything from twenty up to around fifty years after the original first exposure and because the symptoms are similar to some other diseases, the diagnosis can be difficult and protracted.

Where the mesothelioma is affecting the pleural lining one of the more common symptoms will be a shortness of breath, a cough that just won't go away or it may be a pains in your chest caused by fluid building up in the chest area. It is important to understand that these symptoms may be an indication of other problems and are not only experienced with mesothelioma. Peritoneal mesothelioma has different symptoms which may be abdominal pain, felt because of the fluid build-up, and weight loss even though you are making no attempt to diet or lose weight. Some other, less common, symptoms may be a fever, anemia, bowel obstructions, and also problems with blood clotting. As a result of the fact that this cancer can tend to spread itself to other parts of the body, there may also be other symptoms that may not seem to be connected like trouble swallowing and swelling in the face or neck and a general discomfort and pain.

When considering the worst cases of mesothelioma these may include tumors or masses in several different parts of the body. Any tumors appearing in the abdominal cavity are often not found until the cancer has developed to a very late stage which may make treatment difficult. Other late stage symptoms may include blood clots, bleeding, jaundice, and low blood sugar levels.

The diagnosis of mesothelioma is often made more difficult because the symptoms can be very like other diseases so a complete medical history must be taken followed by tests. Thes would include a physical exam, chest X ray, and lung function tests. A CAT scan or an MRI may also be considered necessary before a diagnosis can be made and a biopsy may also be required.

Following the first diagnosis it will have to be decided at which stage it is. Mesothelioma is usually considered advanced if the cancer has moved outside of the lining where it originally started. If it has moved to the lymph nodes, lungs, chest wall, or the abdominal organs, the disease is considered to be in this later stage.

It is a sad fact that mesothelioma is not easily treated. The conventional cancer treatments have not been very successful and typically the survival rate will be about six to twelve months after the diagnosis. Radiation treatments have not proved to be terribly helpful in removing the tumors though chemotherapy might help to some degree. The FDA has approved the use of Alimta for treatment of mesothelioma but due to the rapid development and growth of mesothelioma tumors survival rate is not usually very high. The majority of therapies used are to make the patient more comfortable.

The only known way to prevent mesothelioma is to stay away from asbestos and its particles but exposure does not always lead to mesothelioma but the possibility is always there so try to stay away from asbestos.

Sally Green



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