Understanding and Recognizing the Symptoms of Mesothelioma

What is Mesothelioma?


Mesothelioma is a critical malignant tumor that affects the torso of the human body. There exists a strong link between mesothelioma and contact with asbestos particles via breathing or swallowing.

There are three typical forms of mesothelioma:

1. Pleural Mesothelioma is one of the most common form of Mesothelioma. It starts in the chest cavity (after breathing the particles) prior to spreading to other areas.

2. Peritoneal Mesothelioma begins in the abdomen (after swallowing the particles) and accounts for about 10-20% of Mesothelioma patients.

3. Pericardial Mesothelioma is the most rare form of Mesothelioma. It starts in the cavity that surrounds the heart.

Mesothelioma is difficult to identify early on because the symptoms are often mistaken for those of other, less serious ailments. For making matters worse, it often takes many years for the symptoms to show up after the contact with asbestos takes place. People with a history of extended asbestos exposure are at the maximum risk for developing malignant mesothelioma. Even a small visibility to this cancer-causing material can result in malignant mesothelioma. Nevertheless, mesothelioma has a latency of up to thirty-forty years, and many individuals previously exposed to asbestos are now showing symptoms. This means the average age of mesothelioma affected individuals is between 50 and 70 years. Men are typically affected more, because of the common presence of asbestos in industrial settings. There are 3 major types of malignant mesothelioma. Epithelial, sarcomatoid, and mixed. Epithelial mesothelioma is most common. Symptoms may include, but are not restricted to respiratory distress, a lasting cough, and pneumonia. Moreover, symptoms are often mistaken for less serious ailments, and a lot of patients do not show any signs at all.



Individuals with pleural mesothelioma may amass some liquid between the lung lining and chest cavity. This can be recognized through a chest x-ray, as well as CT scans.

Diagnosis of Mesothelioma is depending on a biopsy. This exam will test a tissue sample for the presence of malignant and/or pleural mesothelioma.



Causes of Mesothelioma

Asbestos is the principal cause of Mesothelioma. Asbestos is a type of insulation material, which was commonly utilized in the past in the following sectors:

Steel Employees

Brake Technicians

Insulators

Boilermakers

Ship installers

Maintenance Staff

Pipe Fitters

Construction field

Shipbuilding sector



Mesothelioma appears usually in people who worked in the above industries and were exposed to asbestos in their office. The utilization of asbestos was very prevalent after 1940's. Nevertheless it would take 10-40 years after the first exposure for the first signs of mesothelioma to become noticeable, which made it very difficult to diagnose. The peak in mesothelioma cases is projected to be achieved near year 2010 according to studies. There are three regularly used types of asbestos: white, brown, and blue. Brown and blue asbestos are more frequently associated with mesothelioma. These kinds of asbestos have been restricted by most countries in the 1990s. A list of asbestos exposure at work is reported in about 70 percent to 80 percent of all cases.

Asbestos is a very risky material and can cause serious damage to your health. It is comprised of very minute fibers, which can find their way to pleura (outside lining of the lung) and damage the cells pleura are made of. These fibers can also be passed on to outfits, which makes them dangerous not only to the person exposed to asbestos, but to their family members as well.

Mesothelioma Cancer and Asbestos

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer which takes place in thin membranes (called the mesothelium) lining the chest, lungs, abdomen and sometimes the heart. Although quite rare, mesothelioma symptoms strike more than 200 individuals each year in the United States. The greater part of mesothelioma cases are directly linked to asbestos exposure.

Because of the long latency period of mesothelioma, the average age of patients is between 50 and 70 years. Mesothelioma impacts men most due to the high exposure of asbestos in industrial typed jobs. Mesothelioma symptoms consist of respiratory problems, shortness of breath, continual cough and pneumonia. Other mesothelioma symptoms consist of weight loss, abdominal problems and swelling. In some mesothelioma patients, the mesothelioma symptoms are quite modest, making it hard for mesothelioma doctors to diagnose.

Mesothelioma doctors are experts in the study, research, and treatments of Mesothelioma cancers.

Mesothelioma (or the cancer of the mesothelium) is a illness in which cells become abnormal and replicate without control. Throughout Mesothelioma, these cells will occupy and damage tissues and organs. Mesothelioma cancer cells can spread throughout the body causing death.

Mesothelioma treatments and Mesothelioma clinical trials and tests

There are many mesothelioma treatment options accessible. Treatments include surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy and the mesothelioma treatment depends on the patient’s age, general health and level of the cancer. There has been much mesothelioma analysis conducted throughout the past two years to find new therapy methods. Click here to read more about mesothelioma treatment methods.





Through mesothelioma research, The National Cancer Institute has sponsored mesothelioma tests and clinical trials that are developed to find new treatment methods. Due to the increase in number of mesothelioma cases in the United States, both governments have increased funding for mesothelioma research. Mesothelioma research and clinical trials have been effective in developing new methods to fight this cancer and the outlook for more advanced mesothelioma treatments is promising.

Surgery is the most common treatment method for dangerous mesothelioma. Tissues and linings affected by mesothelioma are removed by the doctor and may include the lung or even diaphragm.

A second mesothelioma treatment method is radiation therapy throughout the use of high energy x-rays that crush cancer cells. Radiation therapy can be outside or within the body.

A third mesothelioma treatment method is chemotherapy. By means of pills or drugs through needles, chemotherapy drugs are used to kill cancer cells.


A new mesothelioma treatment method is called intraoperative photodynamic therapy. In this particular treatment, light and drugs are used to kill cancer cells while in surgery for early stages of mesothelioma in the chest. Although there are numerous treatments and drugs for mesothelioma, doctors are losing the battle against this deadly disease. Most mesothelioma treatments entail old techniques combined with different drug cocktails. However, in most cases, these mesothelioma treatments have several side effects including organ damage, nausea, increase in heart failure etc. The rush to find a more efficient mesothelioma treatment or even cure is ongoing at numerous clinical labs across the nation. Let us hope that the mesothelioma treatments will eventually erradicate mesothelioma cancer and asbestosis.