Monday 17 May 2010

What You Should Know About Mesothelioma?

It is important to stress that once you start experiencing the symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma (shortness of breath, chest pains, coughing up blood, and palpitations) you should immediately seek specialized help.

The traditional treatments for mesothelioma include surgery if the tumor has spread out and is beyond radiation-curable radiation therapy (external and internal radiation), and chemotherapy, which includes using a pill or needle to insert anti-carcinogen drugs into the body. This treatment is generally used along with other treatments to strengthen the mesothelioma patient's immune system.

Mesothelioma is a rare type of carcinoma of the membrane that lines numerous cavities of the body, including the lungs, abdomen and heart, and has been associated with exposure to asbestos dust. When exposed to asbestos, people can suffer from various diseases such as lung cancer, mesothelioma, asbestosis, pleural plagues, etc. So much so, that an entire breed of lawyer has been born that specializes in, you guessed it, mesothelioma cases.

Because asbestos is so strongly linked to mesothelioma, regulations have been created to set limits on the amount of exposure to asbestos a worker can have in a workplace. In the past 20 years mesothelioma cases have shot up. Some of the procedures commonly used for the diagnosis of the peritoneal mesothelioma include peritoneoscopy, thoracoscopy, and biopsy.

Since Mesothelioma is primarily a personal injury occurring from the work place, those injured should be able to take action against irresponsible businesses that exposed its employees to this cancer-causing material. Learning about the stage of mesothelioma is a critical factor that helps physicians to decide the treatment plan.

In treating Mesothelioma, the anti-cancer drugs are usually given to the patient through intravenous injection (within the vein). Three different types of mesothelioma cancer attack these three different regions. Epithelial mesothelioma is most common.

But at present, there are various Mesothelioma law firms which are established in many countries of the world especially in those places where there is high percentage of mesothelioma, a cancer which is the result of high exposure to asbestos. A great deal of research is afoot to discover better management procedures for pleural mesothelioma. Mesothelioma patients seek immense psychological and social support through such treatment forums.

Even short term asbestos exposure will cause mesothelioma generally; the probability of developing this form of cancer is directly related to the length of time you are exposed to asbestos. When fibres are inhaled they become lodged in the alveoli of the lungs and over a period of time these fibres make tissue and cells abnormal and cause mesothelioma cancer. An asbestos attorney can be consulted for further litigation if the person is adversely affected by mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is a serious malignant tumor that affects the torso of the human body. The mesothelioma prognosis is determined through physical examination and the results of a number of medical tests designed to evaluate the rare asbestos cancer. This exam will test a tissue sample for the presence of malignant and/or pleural mesothelioma.

Usually, a biopsy of the tumor is required to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma, however, sometimes only an effusion sample is needed. Once a mesothelioma prognosis is finally determined, then treating this aggressive and rare cancer can begin. If sufficient fibers are inhaled, this can lead to another type lung cancer called mesothelioma.

Individuals with a history of extended asbestos exposure are at the highest risk for developing malignant mesothelioma.

Source: Uchenna Ani-Okoye