Month: August 2011

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that has become more common over recent years. Exposure to asbestos fibers is the main cause of this cancer. Exposure may be brief or chronic, when one is exposed to asbestos without insufficient protection, asbestos dust and fibers attach to and affect the mesothelial cells which make up the mesothelium.  The mesothelium is the outer lining that protects some of the body’s most vital organs such as the heart and lungs and the abdominal cavity.  The mesothelial cells become abnormal and start to divide and multiply without control after periods of exposure to asbestos leading to the development of the tumor.

Due to the latency period and symptoms of this cancer, mesothelioma is very difficult to diagnose.  Mesothelioma takes decades to mature and develop fully and this is why many elderly men who were exposed to asbestos thirty years before are just discovering they have the cancer.  A lot of these men are currently lodging multi-million dollar lawsuits against the companies that exposed them to the dangers of asbestos without sufficient protection.

The organs that are affected most by mesothelioma are the lungs.  The most common type of mesothelioma which is called pleural mesothelioma affects the lining of the lungs and can cause symptoms such as coughing, breathing and swallowing difficulties, shortness of breath and fever.

Another area that can be affected by mesothelioma is the abdomen.  This is less common and this is known as peritoneal mesothelioma.  Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include nausea and vomiting, weight loss, fever, bowel obstruction, loss of appetite and general pain in the stomach area.

Another form of mesothelioma which is very uncommon is known as pericardial mesothelioma and it affects the heart and the tissue surrounding it.  Symptoms of this form of the cancer include palpitations, breathing difficulties and persistent coughing.  Generally, the symptoms of mesothelioma are typical of many other diseases and this makes it very difficult to diagnose.

The last and the least common type of this cancer is testicular mesothelioma which affects the tunica vaginalis {mesothelial lining of the testis} of the testis.

There are treatments for mesothelioma although these are usually unsuccessful.  If the cancer is treated aggressively in its early stages then there is a good chance of a patient surviving.  However, due to the difficulty to diagnose mesothelioma, the cancer is not normally found until it is too late.  Treatments that are used for mesothelioma include surgery, radiation therapy, palliative therapy and chemotherapy.  Research for additional treatment of mesothelioma is being done at various cancer centers all over the United States as well as by pharmaceutical companies.

Patients should learn as much as they can about mesothelioma and treatment options, and reach out to available resources to make coping with a mesothelioma diagnosis easier.

By: Bello Gbenga

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