Mesothelioma Cancer
Mesothelioma is a cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Inhaling asbestos fibers can cause pleural cancer and swallowing asbestos can cause peritoneal cancer.
The symptoms can manifest between 10 and 50 years after the initial diagnosis. Symptoms can include abdominal pain, chest pain and breathlessness.
Risk Factors
Mesothelioma occurs when asbestos fibres enter the body. Pleural mesothelioma develops in the linings of the chest cavity or the lungs. In less cases, mesothelioma can develop in the peritoneum, or the heart's pericardial membrane (pericardium). It takes between 20-50 years for the cancer to grow and manifest symptoms that can be confused with flu-like illnesses. Mesothelioma most often affects older people and is more prevalent in men than women.
The main risk factor for mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. Asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral that is made up of tiny fibres, was used as a building material such as in walls and ceilings. It is abrasive to fire and heat. It was also used extensively in the production of products like insulations, pipes, shingles, and cement. Mesothelioma is a deadly disease for people who work in industries that make use of asbestos, like shipbuilding, mining, or construction. However, even those who only experienced secondary exposure like relatives who brought home asbestos-contaminated clothes and skin, are at risk.
A small portion (less than 5%) of mesothelioma is due to a mutation in the gene BAP1. This genetic mutation increases the likelihood of developing mesothelioma in people who have been exposed to asbestos.
Age is another significant risk factor for mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is most prevalent in people who are older than 45 and two thirds of those who are diagnosed with it are 65 years or older. This is due to the long time between exposure to asbestos. However it is also possible that older people are more likely to develop the disease because of the long exposure to asbestos.
White males are more likely develop mesothelioma more than any other race or gender. This is because historically more white males have been employed in jobs that put them at a higher risk of asbestos than other groups. Mesothelioma typically affects those who were exposed asbestos before the 1980s, when more stringent regulations were in place.
Signs and symptoms
Mesothelioma is an asbestos-related cancer that develops in the protective linings of many organs of the body. The cancerous tumors can cause severe pain and damage the tissue. The malignancy could extend to other areas of the body via the lymphatic system or bloodstream.
The symptoms of mesothelioma may be similar to other illnesses like pneumonia or influenza. They often take 10 - 50 years to show up after exposure to asbestos. The latency period can make it difficult to detect the disease early and symptoms could be misinterpreted as other conditions.
In most cases, the malignant tumors originate in the chest cavity and lungs (pleura). But mesothelioma can also form in the linings of the abdomen and the heart. In rare cases the disease may affect the testes' lining or the sac that surrounds the heart (pericardium).
Asbestos is made up of a collection of minerals which form long, thin fibers. These fibers are so strong that they are unable to be broken down by water, chemicals or bacteria. These materials were used widely in a variety of construction and household products for a long time before scientists realized how dangerous they were to people's health.
Most mesothelioma cases were caused by exposure to asbestos at work or at home. The majority of patients exposed were employed in the US Navy Air Force, Shipbuilding Industry, or Construction. It is more prevalent among women than men, and veterans make up about 30 percent of mesothelioma cases.
If mesothelioma begins to develop, doctors can identify it through 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.
district of columbia asbestos law firm can help determine the mesothelioma's type and stage which affects the prognosis and treatment options. Most types of mesothelioma are epithelioid or sarcomatoid, and between 10 and 15% are biphasic or mixed. Epithelioid mesothelioma tends to be less aggressive and has the best survival rates. Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma is harder to identify and has a less favorable prognosis.
Diagnosis
It is difficult to diagnose mesothelioma in particular in the early stages. Patients should first visit their primary physician if they notice any signs such as chest pains or coughing. The doctor will use a stethoscope to listen to the patient breathing and then record their medical history and work history. This includes any previous asbestos exposure, which is essential for diagnosing mesothelioma.
Because mesothelioma's symptoms resemble other conditions, doctors need to exclude other conditions prior to confirming the diagnosis. Cancer can develop in the lung tissue of a patient through other body parts such as the chest or abdomen. Asbestos sufferers are at risk of lung diseases, such as mesothelioma, pneumonia, and pleural symptoms can be confused with other respiratory illnesses.
Mesothelioma can be diagnosed with blood tests, imaging tests and biopsies. These tests can aid doctors in identifying the cancerous site, which is usually in the lungs but can also be in the testicles or stomach. The tests will also assist doctors find out how much of the cancer is spreading within the body.
A CT scan or MRI can reveal mesothelioma-related signs, such as calcium deposits in the pleura (known as plaque) and an accumulation of fluid between the lungs and the chest wall. These tests can also reveal whether the lungs of a person are more pronounced on one side or the other.
In many cases, a biopsy is needed to confirm the diagnosis of mesothelioma. This procedure involves removing a small amount of tissue and analyzing it in a laboratory for mesothelioma cells.
Some patients may need additional tests, such as FDG-positron emission tomography (PET), which helps doctors understand how the tumor is affecting blood supply to the lungs; mediastinoscopy, which allows doctors to examine and collect 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 condition, and doctors are still learning how to treat it effectively. Patients who have been diagnosed with cancer must carefully consider their options to find the best treatment for them.
Treatment
Mesothelioma can affect the linings of the lungs, abdomen (peritoneal cancer), or heart (pericardial cancer). The symptoms generally don't show up until a few decades after exposure to asbestos. It is essential that those who have been exposed to asbestos be checked for unusual symptoms.
A doctor will look over your medical history in order to determine if you are at risk of mesothelioma risks. This includes how long and intensely you were exposed to asbestos. A doctor will also perform an exam to check for signs of mesothelioma such as an accumulation of fluid in the chest cavity. The type of cells in mesothelium, as well as the location of these cells, are used to identify mesothelioma. Epithelioid mesothelioma accounts for 60 percent to 80% mesothelioma. Other mesothelioma types are biphasic and sarcomatoid mesothelioma, which both represent about 10% to 15% of mesothelioma patients.
There are a variety of treatment options available for people with mesothelioma. The kind of treatment you choose is based on the stage and type of the mesothelioma.
In certain cases, mesothelioma is treated using chemotherapy or radiation. In these procedures, doctors administer powerful cancer-fighting drugs or utilize special equipment to destroy cancerous cells and reduce the risk of mesothelioma coming back.
Other mesothelioma types are treated through surgery that removes a portion of the lining from the affected organ. This can also relieve symptoms such as breathing difficulties.
If a person is diagnosed with mesothelioma pleural, their doctor may perform the procedure known as VATS, that involves the use of a camera into the lungs to eliminate part of the lung and pleura. This can improve breathing problems caused by the build-up of fluid in the lungs, but does not cure the disease.
Other options for treatment include support and pain management. It is crucial that those with mesothelioma get as much information about the disease as they can, and the best way to manage it. The more they are aware of, the better equipped they are to plan for a healthy and happy future.