mesothelioma, What are the symptoms of this.?

What are the symptoms of mesothelioma?

* A patient with mesothelioma usually begins showing symptoms 15 to 50 years after their exposure to asbestos. The cancer may take decades to develop in the body and symptoms do not arise until after the cancer is present.

* As the disease progresses, shortness of breath increases, and weight loss, decreased appetite, and night sweats can develop. Local invasion by the tumor can result in changing of voice, loss of function of the diaphragm, and symptoms specific to the area and involvement of adjacent structures .

* shortness of breath and reduced respiratory function. Many patients are unaware they have developed mesothelioma or the severity of their condition as mesothelioma symptoms typically resemble symptoms of less serious illnesses and occur so long after the initial exposure.

Mesothelioma facts

 

 

Mesothelioma facts:

-hough the use of asbestos in the United States was essentially halted in the late 1970s - with just a few exceptions - this toxic mineral has still had a real impact on the country during the last 30 years or so. Many people’s lives have been adversely affected by previous asbestos exposure and the mineral can still be found throughout the country, especially in old homes, factories, or commercial buildings. The continuing presence of asbestos means that it is likely that more individuals will be impacted by the mineral in the years to come.

-The outlook for patients with mesothelioma depends on how early the disease is detected and how aggressively it is treated.

 - When mesothelioma affects the chest, the doctor may look inside the chest cavity with a special instrument called a thoracoscope. 

- When mesothelioma affects the abdomen, the doctor may look inside the abdomen with a special tool called a peritoneoscope. 

 

 

 

Mesothelioma, what is it?

* Mesothelioma: is a form of cancer that is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos and it is most frequently arises from the cells lining the sacs of the chest (the pleura) or the abdomen (the peritoneum).
*Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or they have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in other ways.Pleural mesothelioma is the most common form, often presenting with symptoms in the chest area. Peritoneal mesothelioma is much less common. This can effect the organs in the abdomen, and its symptoms are related to this area of the body, that is, abdominal swelling, nausea, vomiting, and bowel obstruction. The rarest form of mesothelioma is pericardial mesothelioma, which involves the sac surrounding the heart.It has also been suggested that washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos can put a person at risk for developing mesothelioma. Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking, but smoking greatly increases risk of other asbestos-induced cancer. Compensation via asbestos funds or lawsuits is an important issue in mesothelioma (see asbestos and the law).
*There are two major cell types of mesothelioma, epithelial and sarcomatoid. Sometimes both of these cell types can be present. The sarcomatoid type is rarer and occurs in only about 15% of cases; it portends a poorer prognosis. In very rare cases, mesothelioma can originate from benign, non-malignant cells. This so-called benign mesothelioma can be cured surgically.
*The symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath due to pleural effusion (fluid between the lung and the chest wall) or chest wall pain, and general symptoms such as weight loss. The diagnosis may be suspected with chest X-ray and CT scan, and is confirmed with a biopsy (tissue sample) and microscopic examination. A thoracoscopy (inserting a tube with a camera into the chest) can be used to take biopsies. It allows the introduction of substances such as talc to obliterate the pleural space (called pleurodesis), which prevents more fluid from accumulating and pressing on the lung. Despite treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or sometimes surgery, the disease carries a poor prognosis. Research about screening tests for the early detection of mesothelioma is ongoing.