PRLog (Press Release) – Oct 29, 2011 –
malignant mesothelioma, specifically, is a rare form of cancer that develops from the protective lining that covers many internal organs of the body, the mesothelium. It is usually caused by exposure to asbestos.
Its most common site is the pleura (outer lining of the lungs and internal chest wall), but it can also occur in the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity), pericardium (a sac that surrounds the heart), or the tunica vaginalis (a sac that surrounds the testicles).
Article Mesothelioma: Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos, or have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in other ways. It was also suggested that the laundry of a family member who worked with asbestos can put a person at risk of developing mesothelioma. Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking but smoking greatly increases the risk of other cancers caused by asbestos. Those who have been exposed to asbestos have collected damages for asbestos-related disease, including mesothelioma. Compensation for asbestos funds or lawsuits is an important issue in the practice of law on mesothelioma (see asbestos and the law).
Symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath due to pleural effusion (fluid between the lung and chest wall) or chest wall pain, and general symptoms such as weight loss. The diagnosis may be suspected with chest X-ray and CT scan and is confirmed by examination of biopsy (tissue sample) and microscopic. A thoracoscopy (inserting a tube with a camera into the chest) can be used to take biopsies. It allows the introduction of substances such as talc to obliterate the pleural space (called pleurodesis), which prevents the accumulation of more fluid and pressing on the lung. Despite treatment with chemotherapy, radiation or surgery, sometimes, the disease carries a poor prognosis. Research on screening tests for early detection of mesothelioma is ongoing.
Visit http://www.articlemesothelioma.net for details.
Symptoms or signs of mesothelioma may not appear until 20 to 50 years (or more) after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath, coughing and chest pain due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleural cavity (pleural effusion) are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma.
Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and cachexia, abdominal swelling and pain due to ascites (fluid in the abdominal cavity). Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.
These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other less serious conditions.
The pleural mesothelioma which affects can cause these signs and symptoms:
The pain of the chest wall
Pleural effusion, or fluid surrounding the lung
Breathlessness
Fatigue or anemia
Wheezing, hoarseness, or cough
Blood in the sputum (fluid) coughed up (hemoptysis)
In severe cases, the person may have many tumor masses. The person may develop a pneumothorax, or collapsed lung. The disease may metastasize, or spread to other parts of the body.
Tumors that affect the abdominal cavity often do not have symptoms until they are at a late stage. Symptoms include:
Abdominal pain
Ascites, or an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the abdomen
A lump in the abdomen
Problems with bowel function
Weight loss
In severe cases of the disease, signs and symptoms may be present:
Blood clots in the veins, which may cause thrombophlebitis
Disseminated intravascular coagulation, a disorder causing severe bleeding in many organs
Jaundice, or yellowing of the skin and eyes
Low blood sugar
Pleural effusion
Clots, pulmonary embolism, or blood in the arteries of the lungs
Severe ascites
Mesothelioma is not usually spread to the bone, brain or adrenal glands. Pleural tumors are usually found on only one side of the lungs.
Visit http://articlemesothelioma.net for more informations.
