Mesothelioma Overview
Introduction
Mesothelioma Exposure
Exposure to asbestos particles suspended in air and building materials is much less hazardous except when they are being removed. The X-ray may reveal pleural thickening commonly seen after asbestos exposure and increases suspicion of mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma Symptoms
Symptoms include abdominal pain and weight loss. Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. The near-term symptoms of these diseases include coughing, wheezing, reduced lung capacity and other pulmonary abnormalities. Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to secure accurate statistics about how many individuals suffer from Mesothelioma because in the beginning stages, the symptoms are quite similar to various other conditions. Diagnosis of mesothelioma can be difficult due to the fact that the symptoms are similar to other respiratory diseases. Further complicating mesothelioma treatment is the malignant nature of the cancer, for once symptoms surface, current therapeutic treatments are usually no longer effective and post-diagnosis survival rates typically range from four months to a year.
Mesothelioma Diagnosis
Diagnosis begins with a review of the patient's medical history. Also, diagnosis may be difficult due to the non-specific nature of most mesothelioma symptoms, which often resemble symptoms of less serious diseases. The average age of diagnosis is 60. A diagnosis of mesothelioma is always difficult, whether it is pleural mesothelioma or another variety. Like the other asbestos-related diseases, mesothelioma has a long latency period (period of time between first exposure to asbestos and the diagnosis of the disease).
Mesothelioma Treatments
Treatments for patients of malignant mesothelioma commonly fall in line with treatment of other lung and lung-related cancers. Treatments for mesothelioma include conventional treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, as well as experimental procedures, including immunotherapy and gene therapy. Treatments that could be use include chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery. While the treatment may be curative, it is important to remember that curative treatments do not rule out the recurrence of the disease. Combination treatments, which integrate two or more different treatment options, such as surgery coupled with radiation, or surgery paired with radiation and chemotherapy have been successful in extending life expectancies.
Conclusion
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos. The ones that affects the pleura can cause these signs and symptoms:chest wall painpleural effusion, or fluid surrounding the lungshortness of breathfatigue or anemiawheezing, hoarseness, or coughblood in the sputum (fluid) coughed up. Mesothelioma is described as localized if the cancer is found only on the membrane surface where it originated. It is a very aggressive form of cancer that is difficult to diagnose and highly resistant to treatment, and full recovery is extremely rare. The treatments can be divided into two main categories: curative treatments and palliative treatments.