Mesothelioma Cancer
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. The inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause pleural mesothelioma and swallowed 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 appear. The symptoms include breathlessness, chest pain and abdominal distress.
Risk Factors
Mesothelioma is a form of asbestos that develops when asbestos fibres get into the body. The most well-known mesothelioma type is mesothelioma pleural, which develops in the chest cavity's lining and lungs. The most common form of mesothelioma is in the peritoneum or in the heart's membrane (pericardium). The cancer may take up to 50 years to develop before it manifests symptoms. These symptoms are often misinterpreted as flu-like illnesses. Mesothelioma is most often found in older people and is more common in men than women.
The main risk factor for mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that is made up of tiny fibres that were utilized in building materials, such as walls and ceilings, because of its resistance heat and fire. It was also widely used in the manufacturing of goods like pipes, insulation, shingles and cement. Workers in industries where asbestos was a common ingredient like shipbuilding, mining, or construction are at a high risk of developing mesothelioma. Even those who have only been exposed to asbestos for a short period of time like family members who brought home asbestos-covered clothing and skin are at risk.
A small percentage (less than 5percent) of mesothelioma can be traced to an alteration in the gene BAP1. This genetic change increases the likelihood of developing mesothelioma in those who have been exposed to asbestos.
The age of the patient is also a risk factor. Mesothelioma most commonly affects those who are over 45 and two-thirds of those diagnosed are aged 65 or older. This is partly due to the long latency time that is associated with asbestos exposure however, it could be due to the fact that the condition tends to affect older people who have had more extensive and prolonged exposure to the cancer-causing material.
Mesothelioma is more common in white males than females or those belonging to any other race. This is due to the fact that historically white men were more likely to work in jobs that put them at a higher risk of asbestos exposure than other groups. Mesothelioma most commonly affects those who were exposed asbestos prior to the 1980s, when more stringent regulations were in place.
Symptoms
Mesothelioma is an asbestos-related tumor that forms in the protective linings of various organs in the body. The cancerous tumors can cause severe discomfort and cause damage to the tissue. The malignancy can expand to other areas through the lymphatic or bloodstream system.
Mesothelioma symptoms may be similar to symptoms of other diseases, such as pneumonia or the flu. They often take 10 - 50 years to appear after exposure to asbestos. The time of latency can make it difficult to diagnose the disease early and symptoms could be misinterpreted as other conditions.
In most cases, the malignant tumors begin in the lungs and chest cavity (pleura). But mesothelioma can also form in the linings of the abdomen and the heart. In rare cases it may affect the lining around the heart or the testes.
Asbestos is one of the minerals that create long, thin fibers. The fibers are so strong that they can't be broken down by chemical or water, or even bacteria. They were widely used in various household and construction materials for decades before scientists understood how harmful they were to health.
The majority of mesothelioma patients were exposed to the substance in the workplace or at home and the majority of those exposed were employed in the US Navy or the air force, the shipbuilding or construction. Men are more likely to develop mesothelioma compared to women. Veterans comprise about 30% of all cases.
If mesothelioma begins to develop doctors can detect it with imaging scans and medical tests. These include X-rays, CT scans, MRIs and PET scans. The doctor can also send a sample of tissue to a laboratory for analysis.
The results will allow doctors to determine the mesothelioma type and stage of the disease which influences prognosis and treatment options. The majority of mesothelioma types are epithelioid and sarcomatoid. Between 10% and 15% of cases are biphasic, or mixed. Epithelioid mesothelioma is generally less aggressive and has the best survival rates. Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma is harder to identify and has a poorer prognosis.
Diagnosis
Mesothelioma is difficult to diagnose, especially in its early stages. Patients should first visit their primary care physician when they are experiencing any symptoms such as chest pains or coughing. The doctor will listen to the patient's breathing through an stethoscope, and record their medical history and work. This includes any previous asbestos exposure, which is important in determining mesothelioma's diagnosis.
Since mesothelioma's symptoms mirror those of other conditions, doctors need to exclude other conditions prior to concluding a diagnosis. For instance the cancer is often spread to a person's lungs from a different part of their body, such as their abdomen or chest wall. Asbestos-related lung diseases, like pneumonia, are common among asbestos sufferers. Pleural mesothelioma could be mistaken for other respiratory illnesses.
Mesothelioma is diagnosed through blood tests and imaging tests, as well as biopsies. These tests can aid doctors in identifying the cancerous region that is typically located in the lungs, but could also be in the stomach or testicles. The tests will also help doctors determine the extent of the cancer is growing throughout the body.
A CT scan or MRI could reveal the mesothelioma-related signs, such as calcium deposits in the pleura (known as plaque) and a buildup of fluid between the chest wall and the lungs. These tests can also determine whether a person's lungs are more pronounced on one side than on the other.
In many cases, a biopsied is necessary to confirm the diagnosis of mesothelioma. This procedure involves taking some of the tissue and testing it in the laboratory for mesothelioma cell.
Some patients may require additional tests such as FDG-positron emission tomography (PET) which permits doctors to look at the lymph nodes that are located in the middle of the chest and to sample the lymph nodes, or endobronchial ultrasonography (EBUS), using sound waves to examine the mesothelium and lungs. Mesothelioma is a rare condition and doctors are still learning how to treat it effectively. Therefore patients diagnosed with cancer need to be aware of their options and decide which treatment is the best for them.
Treatment
Mesothelioma can affect the lung's lining (pleural mesothelioma) and abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma) or the heart (pericardial mesothelioma). bakersfield asbestos attorneys do not appear for several decades after exposure to asbestos. This is why it is important for those who have had to work with asbestos to have their health checked when they experience unusual symptoms.
A doctor will go over your medical history in order to determine if you have mesothelioma risks. This is based on how long and how frequently you were exposed to asbestos. A doctor can also perform an examination to look for signs of mesothelioma such as an accumulation of fluid in the chest cavity. The type of cells that reside in the mesothelium, and the location of these cells, are used to classify mesothelioma. The most frequent mesothelioma type is epithelioid. It makes up 60% to 80percent of mesothelioma cases. Other types of mesothelioma are sarcomatoid and biphasic mesothelioma, which both represent approximately 10 to 15% of mesothelioma patients.
There are a myriad of treatment options for mesothelioma. The type of treatment you choose depends on the type of mesothelioma as well as the stage of the disease.
In some cases, mesothelioma may be treatable by radiation or chemotherapy. In these treatments, doctors employ powerful cancer-fighting medications or special equipment to destroy tumors. This decreases the likelihood of mesothelioma returning.
Other forms of mesothelioma are treated by surgery that eliminates a part of the lining of the affected organ. This can also ease symptoms such as breathing problems.
A person suffering from asbestosis pleural can undergo a procedure referred to as VATS. This involves placing a camera in the lungs and removing a part of the pleura and lung. This procedure can alleviate breathlessness due to fluid buildup in the lung. However, it does not treat mesothelioma.
Other treatment options include support services or pain management. It is crucial for those suffering from mesothelioma to obtain as much information as they can about the disease and ways to deal with it. The more educated they are, the better they can plan for a future which includes a wide range of health and wellness-related activities.