What is Mesothelioma?

A diagnosis of mesothelioma can be overwhelming. It's normal for people to be overwhelmed, confused, and upset.

The pleura, which surrounds the lungs as well as the chest wall, is afflicted by mesothelioma pleural. This cancer causes the accumulation of fluid in the lungs and makes it difficult to breathe.

Asbestos exposure is the primary cause of mesothelioma. Anyone who has worked with asbestos or lived with a person who did are at risk.

What is Mesothelioma?

The mesothelioma cancerous form forms on the lining of the tissue, or mesothelium. This layer protects your chest abdomen, and heart and a majority of your other organs. It is composed of two layers that create an enveloping sac that surrounds the organs within your body. The fluid that flows between the layers permits organs to move freely. Mesothelioma cancer cells grow and destroy tissue around them. They can also spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body.

People who are the most at risk of developing mesothelioma are those that have been exposed to asbestos at work. asbestos lawsuit workers include builders plumbers, electricians and plumbers welders, asbestos miners, auto industry workers and others. Workers who live or work near asbestos plants, such as power plants and factories, are also at higher risk. Patients diagnosed with mesothelioma have been exposed to asbestos for between 20 and 60 years prior their illness manifests.

The most commonly encountered type of mesothelioma is mesothelioma pleural, which is found in the lining that surrounds the lungs. This kind of mesothelioma can cause chest pain, breathing problems and weight loss. It typically affects the lungs, but it may also affect other organs, such as the stomach and heart. People with peritoneal mesothelioma a rare type of disease that affects the abdominal lining cavity, may feel pain in the belly and abdomen, and difficulties eating.

The pericardial mesothelioma and the tunica vaginalis are the two other forms of mesothelioma. They both develop in the tissues that cover the linings of the chest, abdomen or testicles. These types of mesothelioma often go undiagnosed, asbestos and they have lower survival rates than other types of the disease.

The mesothelioma prognosis is contingent on the nature and location of the disease as well as the stage of diagnosis and general patient health. Certain patients are successfully treated with surgery, chemo and radiation. Other patients with mesothelioma more advanced might be treated with experimental therapies, such as immunotherapy and gene therapy. In either scenario, treatment options can improve a patient's life expectancy.

Symptoms

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that most often occurs in the chest lining or abdominal cavity. It is caused by exposure to asbestos compensation (http://dnpaint.co.kr/bbs/board.php?bo_table=B31&wr_id=3847586), a heat - and fire-resistant mineral that was used in insulation, construction, shipbuilding, power generation, and home renovations before it was banned in the 1970s. The main reason for exposure is working in the asbestos industry, but people who have cleaned their work clothing containing asbestos fibres or disturbed asbestos during home renovations also risk developing mesothelioma.

Most mesothelioma patients have general symptoms such as fatigue and weight loss, coughing that has changes in frequency or intensity, chest pain, and the list goes on. Patients should always consult with their doctor if they experience any of these symptoms. It is also important to tell their doctor if they have been exposed to asbestos.

In pleural asbestosis, symptoms are often caused by the tumor, causing fluid to accumulate in the area around the lungs. This fluid build-up, also known as a "pleural effusion" can put pressure on the lungs, making breathing difficult. The ability to control the amount of fluid inside the pleural cavity can improve breathing difficulties.

Other symptoms of Mesothelioma include a fever, night sweats and abdominal pain. The body's temperature increases as it fights against the disease. This can cause a fever. The night sweats are an ailment to the fever and an attempt by the body to reduce its temperature. These symptoms are all signs that the cancer is growing worse and causing the body stress.

The less common mesothelioma symptoms are a swollen abdomen and fatigue as well as difficulty walking. Mesothelioma can also affect the tissue that surrounds the heart, which can cause difficulty breathing and chest pain. It is also possible to develop mesothelioma within the membrane surrounding the testicles which can cause swelling or a lump in the testicles.

Since mesothelioma is a rare disease, it can be difficult to identify early. The symptoms of mesothelioma are similar to those of other diseases and are often mistaken for a flu or pneumonia. This is why mesothelioma symptoms can take months to years to appear before they are diagnosed.

Diagnosis

Mesothelioma is a gruelling cancer. Doctors must exclude other conditions with similar symptoms before diagnosing mesothelioma. Once this is done, they can decide on the best treatment options for you.

Your doctor will inquire about your symptoms, and then perform a physical examination. Your doctor can request blood tests to determine how well your organs work. A complete blood count (CBC) that measures the number of white and red blood cells as well as how your liver and kidneys are functioning, is one such test. Mesothelioma cells are often seen in these blood tests, however they can be difficult to detect because they look like normal cells.

If your doctor suspects that you have mesothelioma, they'll likely order imaging tests to determine the location and extent of any growth or fluid around the lungs or abdomen. The most commonly used test is a chest radiograph. If the test does not reveal any abnormalities, your doctor might recommend more thorough tests, like an CT or MRI.

These tests give high-resolution pictures of the body using magnetic fields and radio waves to create a series of precise images. They can detect thickening or fluid of the peritoneum or pleura which could indicate mesothelioma. A CT scan may also detect other health problems such as a lung infection or pneumonia.

A biopsy can help doctors get a better idea about the type of cancer you have. This is the only way to determine mesothelioma. The samples are analyzed under a magnifying glass to determine the kind of mesothelioma and the extent of the cancer's spread.

Certain doctors inject dye into a vein, or perform other tests to determine the site of the cancer. This is called staging the mesothelioma and helps doctors understand how far the tumor has spread and how severe.

Treatment

Mesothelioma develops in the cells that line the lungs and other organs. These cells can grow out of control, forming tumors (masses). The cancer spreads to surrounding tissues because the cells don't respond to signals that keep them from expanding too rapidly. It can also infiltrate blood vessels that provide oxygen to the lung. This can make breathing difficult and cause coughing.

Doctors diagnose mesothelioma by looking at the patient's symptoms and his history of asbestos exposure. They can also order imaging tests and other lab tests to help find and identify tumors. For instance, doctors may utilize chest X-rays to look for lung changes such as pleural thickening or the pleural effusion, which is a build-up of fluid. They may also order CT scanning, an MRI or a PET scan in order to determine the location of the tumors and determine the extent of mesothelioma's spread. They can also collect fluid from the lungs (called a thoracentesis) to check for mesothelioma and to relieve pressure on the lung caused by fluid accumulation.

After mesothelioma has been diagnosed doctors can determine the best treatment to treat the disease. It is important to discuss your goals for treatment with a mesothelioma professional. Some people choose aggressive treatment to improve their survival and prolong their lives, while others prefer a less intensive method of reducing the negative effects of treatment, such as pain and nausea.

Treatments for mesothelioma include chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation. The type of treatment a person receives depends on the stage of mesothelioma as well as whether it is comprised of epithelioid and sarcomatoid cells. Epithelioid mesothelioid cancer cells are more straightforward to remove via surgery and have better outcomes than sarcomatoid cells. Some patients have a combination of both types, and suffer from an even worse outcome than those who only have epithelioid cancer.

After completing treatment it is crucial to check in with your mesothelioma specialist regularly. This will help keep the cancer from recurring. If it does recur, your mesothelioma team will create a new treatment strategy.

Patients suffering from mesothelioma can be enrolled in clinical trials to test new treatments. Clinical trials allow patients access to cutting-edge treatments that are not yet approved for general use.