Nine Things That Your Parent Teach You About Asbestos Mesothelioma Cancer
Mesothelioma Cancer
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. Inhaling asbestos fibers can cause pleural cancer, and swallowing asbestos can cause cancer of the peritoneal area.
The symptoms may manifest within 10 to 50 years of the initial diagnosis. The symptoms include breathlessness, abdominal pain, and chest pain.
Risk Factors
Asbestos fibres can cause mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma is a form of cancer that develops in linings of the chest cavity or lungs. The most common form of mesothelioma is in the peritoneum or in the heart's membrane (pericardium). It can take between 20 and 50 years for the cancer to develop and show symptoms that are often mistaken for flu-like illness. Mesothelioma is most often found in older people and is more prevalent in males than women.
The main risk factor for mesothelioma is exposure asbestos. Asbestos is a natural mineral made up of tiny fibres that were used in building materials, such as ceilings and walls, because of its resistance to fire and heat. It was also used in the manufacture of goods like pipes, insulation, shingles and cement. Mesothelioma is a deadly disease for those working in industries that make use of asbestos, such as mining, shipbuilding, or construction. Even those who have had a second exposure to asbestos like family members who brought home Asbestos (www.Gstd.net)-covered clothing and skin, are at risk.
A small proportion (less than five percent) of mesothelioma can be traced to mutations in the BAP1 gene. This genetic change increases the risk of developing mesothelioma in those who have been exposed asbestos.
The patient's age is also an indicator of risk. Mesothelioma typically affects people over the age of 45, and two-thirds of those diagnosed are aged 65 or older. This is partly due to the long latency time associated with asbestos exposure, but it may be due to the fact that the condition is more prevalent in older patients who have experienced longer-term and more intense exposure to the cancer-causing material.
White males are more likely to develop mesothelioma more than any other race or gender. This is due to the fact that historically, more white males have been employed in occupations that expose them to greater risk of asbestos claim than other groups. In addition, mesothelioma is most often seen in those who were exposed to asbestos prior to when more stringent regulations were put in during the 1980s.
Signs and symptoms
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is caused by asbestos, is found in the linings that protect various organs. The cancerous tumors can cause severe discomfort and cause damage to the tissue. The malignancy could be spread to other parts of the body via the bloodstream or lymphatic system.
The symptoms of mesothelioma could be similar to other diseases such as influenza or pneumonia. They can take up to 50 years after exposure to asbestos before showing symptoms. The latency period can make it difficult to diagnose the disease early and symptoms may be misinterpreted as other conditions.
Most malignant tumors begin in the chest cavity, or lungs (pleura). Mesothelioma can also develop in the linings that surround the heart and abdomen. In rare cases it can affect the lining of the heart or the testes.
Asbestos is one of the minerals that form long, thin fibers. The fibers are so strong that they are unable to be broken down by chemical and water, or by bacteria. They were widely used in many household and construction products for a long time before researchers realized how dangerous they were to health.
The majority of patients with mesothelioma were exposed to asbestos in the workplace or at home, and the majority of those exposed worked in the US Navy or the air force, the construction or shipbuilding industries. Men are more likely to develop mesothelioma than females. Veterans account for about 30 percent of all cases.
If mesothelioma begins to develop doctors can detect it through imaging scans and medical tests. This includes X-rays, CT scans, MRIs and PET scans. The doctor may also send a sample of tissue to a laboratory for analysis.
The results will help determine the mesothelioma's stage and type, which impacts prognosis as well as treatment options. The majority of mesothelioma types are epithelioid and sarcomatoid and between 10% and 15 percent are biphasic, or mixed. Epithelioid cancers are less aggressive and generally has the highest survival rates. Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma is more difficult to identify and has a poorer prognosis.
Diagnosis
It is difficult to recognize mesothelioma in particular at an early stage. Patients should consult their primary care physician if they notice any signs like chest pain or coughing. The doctor will listen to the patient's breathing with an stethoscope, and record their work and health history. This includes any asbestos exposure history, which is crucial for diagnosing mesothelioma.
Doctors must rule out any other diseases before they can confirm the diagnosis, as mesothelioma signs are similar to other diseases. For instance mesothelioma is a cancer that usually spreads to the lungs of patients from a different part of the body, like the chest wall or abdomen. Asbestos-related lung diseases, like pneumonia, are common among asbestos settlement sufferers. Pleural mesothelioma may be confused with other respiratory illnesses.
Mesothelioma can be diagnosed with blood tests, imaging tests and biopsies. These tests can aid doctors in locating the location of the cancer, which is commonly in the lungs but could also be found in the stomach or testicles. The tests will assist doctors determine how far cancer has spread throughout the body.
A CT scan or MRI may show signs of mesothelioma. This includes calcium deposits (also known as plaque) in the pleura and an accumulation of lung tissue and chest wall. These tests can also determine whether the lungs of a person are more pronounced on one side than the other.
In many cases, a biopsied is necessary to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma. This involves removing some of the tissue and analyzing it in a laboratory for mesothelioma cells.
Some patients may require additional tests, like FDG-positron emission tomography (PET) which can help doctors see how the tumor is affecting the blood supply to the lungs; mediastinoscopy, which permits doctors to examine and sample lymph nodes that are located in the center of the chest as well as endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) which uses sound waves to look at the mesothelium and lungs. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer, is being treated by doctors. In the end, patients who are diagnosed with cancer must consider their options carefully and decide what treatment is best for them.
Treatment
Mesothelioma may affect the lung linings and abdomen (peritoneal cancer), or heart (pericardial cancer). The symptoms usually don't show up for several decades following asbestos exposure. It is essential that those who have been exposed to asbestos should be checked if they experience any strange symptoms.
A doctor will take an medical history to look for mesothelioma risk factors for example, the length of time and intensity an individual was exposed to asbestos. A doctor can also perform an examination to look for signs of mesothelioma such as the accumulation of fluids 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 popular type of mesothelioma is epithelioid, and accounts for up to 60% to 80% of mesothelioma cases. Other mesothelioma types include biphasic and sarcomatoid mesothelioma that make up between 10% and 15% of mesothelioma cases.
There are a myriad of treatment options for mesothelioma. The kind of treatment is contingent on the type of mesothelioma and the stage of the disease.
In certain cases, mesothelioma may be treated with chemotherapy or radiation. During these treatments doctors use powerful cancer-fighting drugs or equipment to kill tumors. This lowers the risk of mesothelioma coming back.
Other types of mesothelioma can be treated with surgery that eliminates a part of the lining of the affected organ. It can also alleviate symptoms such as breathing difficulties.
If a person is diagnosed with mesothelioma of the pleura the doctor can perform a procedure called VATS, which involves inserting 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, but is not a cure for the disease.
Other options for treatment include support or pain management. It is essential that patients with mesothelioma get as much information on the disease as they can and how to deal with it. The more educated they are, the better they can prepare for a future that includes a full range of wellness and health activities.