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Asbestos Related Diseases - Mesothelioma Defined
by Melinda Brindine
http://www.mesotheliomay.com
What is mesothelioma? In short, it's a kind of cancer. It
has been linked to asbestos and is commonly found in
people who have been exposed to this substance in the past.
Most people who develop the disease are elderly men, at
retirement age. This is probably because these men are
likely to have worked with asbestos thirty to
fifty years ago, prior to the implementation of modern
precautions.
Another group that can be affected with mesothelioma are
those who came into regular contact with an asbestos
worker, since the microscopic particles can easily get
trapped in clothes and hair.
Unfortunately, mesothelioma is very difficult to
treat and may not respond well to traditional cancer
therapies. The symptoms are hard to catch, since they
are quite common. They include coughing, weight loss,
difficulty breathing, and fever.
You should tell your doctor if you have been exposed
to asbestos in the past. This is imperative if you
handled asbestos without the type of safety equipment
that is now required (chemical suits and masks). Also,
if you spent a lot of time with someone who worked
with asbestos, let your physician know.
Mesothelioma affects the cells of the mesothelium--the
external layer of the stomach, lungs, and heart.
Therefore, there are three kinds of mesothelioma, one
for each afflicted organ.
Pleural mesothelioma, which affects the lung, is the
most common. This is not suprising if you consider
that asbestos particles are easily breathed in and
trapped in the lung. Common symptoms include trouble
breathing, shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing,
unexplained weight loss, and fever.
Peritoneal mesothelioma is the type that affects the
abdomen or stomach. Symptoms include vomiting,
loss of appetite, constipation, a swollen or painful
belly, and unexplained weight loss.
If the heart is the organ affected then symptoms might
include breathing problems, heart palpitations, and bad
coughing. This mesothelioma is called pericardial
mesothelioma and is the rarest form.
Prognosis is best if the disease is caught early, as with
most types of cancer. That's why it's so important to
talk to your physician about your medical history and
prior exposure to asbestos. But mesothelioma in general
has a poor sucess rate, especially when caught later.
Mesothelioma can be treated surgically, with radiation
therapy and with chemotherapy. There are also a number of
palliative therapy treatments that help relieve the
suffering of a person with the disease.
As with other cancers, there are many mesothelioma
treatment clinical trials currently underway around the
globe. Doctors and scientists are constantly searching
for new ways to treat even such devastating cancers as
this one.
There is one silver lining. Since we know what causes
mesothelioma, you can easily prevent it by staying
away from asbestos, or from people who work with this
substance without taking proper precautions. Asbestos
itself is not that dangerous until it is broken down,
because this allows the particles to float around in
the air and get absorbed by the body.
Asbestos is still not uncommon in houses, as it was once
very common in the construction industry. If you find
asbestos in your roofs or walls, don't remove it yourself -
this is illegal. Call a professional instead. It may be
more expensive, but isn't your peace of mind worth it?
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