Mesothelioma is
a form of cancer that is becoming more and more common. The most common
cause of this cancer is exposure to asbestos. When constantly exposed
with insufficient protection, asbestos dust and fibres 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. The mesothelial cells become
abnormal after lengthy periods of constant exposure to asbestos causing
an array of problems.
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.
The last
and least common type of mesothelioma 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.
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.
