Mesothelioma Information:
A form of cancer that affects those regularly exposed to asbestos in the past, mesothelioma is a disease that affects the cells in the heart, abdominal and respiratory areas of the body. This cancer is normally malignant in nature, and can affect people who worked with asbestos several decades ago, when protective equipment and clothing were not always considered necessary. It is also a disease that affects men more commonly than women, as several decades ago, it was mainly men that worked with asbestos.
This disease does not actually present itself for thirty years or more, which means that some people who worked with asbestos all those years ago are only just finding out that they have the disease. Because of the time period between contraction and manifestation of mesothelioma symptoms, it is usually too late for doctors to successfully treat the disease once it has been diagnosed. Moreover, there is currently no treatment that can cure the disease, although experts are continually trying to remedy this through clinical trials.
There are three main types of mesothelioma, and they are categorised by the part of the body that the cancer affects. Pleural mesothelioma is the most common form of the disease, and this is where the cancer cells attack the respiratory and lung areas of the patient. Some of the symptoms to look out for include shortness of breath, persistent coughing, swallowing difficulties, chest pains and weight loss.
Peritoneal mesothelioma is the second form of this disease, and this is where the cancerous cells affect the abdominal region of the body. This can cause abdominal swelling, stomach pains, nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, blood clotting difficulties and vomiting.
The final type of this cancer is pericardial mesothelioma. This is the rarest form of this cancer, and affects the area around the heart. Some of the symptoms include chest pains, shortness of breath, palpitation and persistent coughing.
There are treatments available that can help to ease the symptoms and increase the life expectancy of mesothelioma sufferers. However, the average life expectancy is usually only 4-24 months. There are many clinical trials being performed, and some breakthroughs have been made through medical research. However, it is likely that there is still a fair way to go before a cure is found.
It is advisable to take some precautions to help your GP and yourself if you have worked with asbestos in the past. Making your doctor aware of your work history and being aware of the symptoms of this disease could help your doctor make a speedier diagnosis should any of the symptoms present themselves. The symptoms of mesothelioma are very non-specific and therefore could be attributed to many other illnesses. This makes the diagnosis of mesothelioma difficult, thus causing even further delay before any treatment can be administered. However, if your doctor is aware of your connection with asbestos, he or she can make a far more informed diagnosis and may be able to save a great deal of time in diagnosing the disease.
Once a diagnosis has been made, there are several treatments routes that may be suggested. These include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Your doctor will generally base the decision as to which treatment will be most suitable on your health, your age, your general fitness and condition and also on which part of the body is affected by the cancerous cells.
With thousands of new mesothelioma cases being identified each year in America alone, the medical profession are working hard to try and find appropriate treatment that will turn this life threatening disease into a treatable condition.