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Mesothelioma Cancer

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. Inhaling asbestos fibres can cause pleural cancer, and swallowing asbestos can cause peritoneal cancer.

The symptoms may manifest 10 to 50 years after the initial diagnosis. Symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain and abdominal distress.

Risk Factors

Asbestos fibres can cause mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma forms in the linings of the chest cavity or the lungs. Mesothelioma can also form in the peritoneum (the membrane surrounding the heart) or in the pericardium. It takes between 20-50 years for the cancer to grow and to show signs, which can often be confused with flu-like illnesses. Mesothelioma is most often found in older people and is more prevalent in males than women.

Exposure to asbestos is the biggest risk factor for mesothelioma. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral made up of tiny fibres which were employed in construction materials, like ceilings and walls because of its resistance to fire and heat. It was also used in the manufacturing of goods such as pipes insulation, shingles, and cement. Mesothelioma is a serious disease for people who work in industries that use asbestos lawyer, like shipbuilding, mining or construction. Even those who have been exposed to asbestos litigation for a short period of time like family members who brought home asbestos-covered clothing and skin are at risk.

A small portion of mesothelioma cases are linked to a gene mutation called BAP1. This genetic change increases the likelihood of developing mesothelioma in people who have been exposed to asbestos.

Age is a major risk factor for mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is most often found in people over the age of 45 and two-thirds of those diagnosed are 65 or older. This is due to the lengthy duration of exposure to asbestos. However it is also possible that older people are more likely to develop the disease due to the long exposure to asbestos legal (mouse click the next page).

Mesothelioma is more prevalent in white males than women or people of any other racial group. This is due to the fact that historically more white men have worked in occupations that put them at higher risk of asbestos than other groups. Mesothelioma most commonly affects those who were exposed to asbestos before the 1980s, when more strict regulations were in place.

Symptoms

Mesothelioma is an asbestos-related cancer that develops in the linings that protect many organs of the body. The cancerous tumors can cause extreme pain and can damage the tissues. The malignancy can be spread to other parts of the body via the lymphatic system or bloodstream.

Mesothelioma symptoms may be similar to other diseases, like pneumonia or the flu. It can take up to 50 years after asbestos exposure before they show symptoms. This latency period makes it difficult to diagnose mesothelioma in the early stages, and the symptoms could be misinterpreted as other diseases.

The majority of malignant tumors start in the chest cavity, or lungs (pleura). But mesothelioma can also grow in the tissues of the heart and abdomen. In rare cases the disease may affect the testes' lining or the sac that surrounds the heart (pericardium).

Asbestos is made up of a grouping of minerals that form long, thin fibers. The fibers are so strong that they cannot be broken down by chemical and water, or by bacteria. These materials were widely used in a variety construction and household products before scientists realized how harmful they were to the lives of people.

The majority of patients with mesothelioma were exposed to the material in the workplace or at home and the majority of those who were exposed worked in the US Navy, the air force, the shipbuilding or construction. Men are more likely to develop mesothelioma than women. Veterans make up about 30% of all cases.

When mesothelioma develops doctors can spot it with imaging scans and medical tests. These include X rays, CT scanners, MRIs, and PET scans. The doctor could also take a sample of the tissue and send it to a lab for testing.

The results will help doctors determine the mesothelioma type and stage of the disease, which affects the prognosis and treatment options. The majority of mesothelioma forms are epithelioid and sarcomatoid. Between 10 percent and 15 percent of cases are biphasic or mixed. Epithelioid cancer is less invasive and usually has the highest survival rate. Sarcomatoid mesothelioma has a poorer prognosis and is more difficult to treat.

Diagnosis

Mesothelioma is difficult to identify particularly in its early stages. Patients should consult their primary physician if they experience any symptoms like chest pain or coughing. The doctor will utilize a stethoscope to listen to the patient breathing and record their health and work history. This includes any asbestos exposure history, which is crucial to determine mesothelioma's presence.

Doctors must rule out other diseases before they can make a diagnosis because mesothelioma symptoms are like those of other diseases. Cancer can develop in the lungs of a patient from other organs such as the chest or abdomen. Asbestos-related lung diseases, including pneumonia, are common among asbestos-related victims. Pleural mesothelioma can be confused with other respiratory diseases.

Tests for blood, imaging and biopsy are all used to identify mesothelioma. These tests will aid doctors in locating the location of the cancer, which is most commonly in the lungs but could also be found in the stomach or testicles. The tests will assist doctors determine the extent to which the cancer has spread within the body.

A CT scan or MRI could reveal mesothelioma-related signs. These include calcium deposits (also known as plaque) in the pleura as well as a buildup between the lungs and chest wall. These tests can also determine whether a person's lungs are more on one side than on the other.

In many cases, a biopsy is needed to confirm the diagnosis of mesothelioma. This procedure involves removing the tissue in a small amount and testing it in the lab for mesothelioma-related cells.

Some patients may need additional tests, like FDG-positron emission tomography (PET), which helps doctors understand how the tumor is affecting the blood supply to the lungs; mediastinoscopy, which allows doctors to look at and sample lymph nodes in the center of the chest and endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) which uses sound waves to look at mesothelium and the lungs. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer and doctors are still learning how to treat it effectively. In the end those diagnosed with cancer must be aware of their options and decide what treatment is best for them.

Treatment

Mesothelioma can affect the linings of the lungs, abdomen (peritoneal cancer) or the heart (pericardial cancer). Symptoms usually do not appear for several decades after exposure to asbestos. This is why it's important for people who have worked around asbestos to be examined for any unusual symptoms.

A doctor will collect an examination of the medical history to check for mesothelioma risk factors such as how long and how often an individual was exposed to asbestos. The doctor will also perform an examination to find signs of mesothelioma, like the accumulation of fluid in the chest cavity. The type of cells in the mesothelium and the locations of those cells are used to identify mesothelioma. The most popular type of mesothelioma is epithelioid, which makes up to 60% to 80% of mesothelioma cases. Other types of mesothelioma are sarcomatoid and biphasic mesothelioma that both account for about 10% to 15% of mesothelioma cases.

There are a variety of treatments available to people with mesothelioma. The type of treatment is dependent on the stage and type of the mesothelioma.

In certain cases, mesothelioma may be treated with radiation or chemotherapy. During these treatments doctors administer powerful cancer-fighting medications or use special equipment to eliminate cancerous cells and reduce the risk of mesothelioma returning.

Other types of mesothelioma may be treated through surgery that removes a portion of the lining of the affected organ. It can also alleviate symptoms like breathing problems.

If someone is diagnosed with mesothelioma pleural, their doctor may perform VATS, a procedure which involves inserting a camera into the lungs in order to remove part of the lung and pleura. This can improve breathlessness caused by fluid build-up in the lungs, but is not a cure for the disease.

Other options for treatment include pain management and support services. It is vital that people 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 plan for a future which includes a wide range of health and wellness-related activities.