Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma this name is associated to a disease which has been diagnosed as a type of cancer. It is also referred to as asbestos cancer. This is a rare disease.The most serious of all asbestos diseases is malignant mesothelioma. It is difficult to diagnose.A layer of mesothelial cells line the chest, heart and abdominal cavities which coats the surface of most internal organs. The tissue formed by these cells is called mesothelium which helps to protect the organs. This tissue produces a fluid that allows the organs to move around. Mesothelium tumors can be cancerous or noncancerous. Malignant mesothelioma is often called mesothelioma.

In the late seventies, it was recognized as a tumor of the pleura, peritoneum and pericardium. However, after the study made by J.C. wager, it was found that there exits a relationship between the mesothelioma and asbestos exposure. In United States, there has been rise in the cases between 1970 and 1984 in males. It has been associated with the environmental and occupational exposure mostly in areas of asbestos product

There are two types of mesothelioma. One is pleural mesothelioma. It spreads within the chest cavity and sometimes the lungs. It may take decades before this disease shows its symptoms. One such symptom is persistent pain in chest. It is accompanied with difficulty in breathing. It is due to the accumulation of fluid in the pleural space. Other symptoms are cough, weight loss and fever. CT scan is one of the most valuable single tests to show the extent of disease. However there are no serum markers that are available for the diagnosis of mesothelioma. There is one test which differentiate it from other tumors is the detection of serum level of a hyaluronic acid. There is median survival of 17 months from the period of diagnosis.
Another type of mesothelioma is peritoneal mesothelioma. It takes place in the abdominal cavity. Infection is caused in the liver, spleen or bowel. The survival rate is 10 months in this case. Fluid is accumulated in the abdominal cavity resulting in the enlargement of abdomen. Pain is a common complaint. The symptoms of this disease may include vomiting, swollen feet, nausea and difficulty in moving bowels accompanied by fever.
It is not easy to diagnose this disease. A patients vocational history is reviewed to see whether he or she was exposed to asbestos to great amount of time. Generally, CT scans or x-rays of the chest or abdomen are performed to see the symptoms.

It is followed by the biopsy in which a tissue is taken as a sample for diagnosis. If it is believed to be a cancer of the chest, then thoracoscopy is conducted. Peritoneoscopy is used if cancer is believed to be in the abdomen. If the disease is diagnosed as mesothelioma, then the stage of the disease should be considered. Early detection is almost critical in treating most of the cancers. It is also determined if it has spread in other parts of the body.

Once the disease is diagnosed, the treatment will be dependent upon the stage of the disease. The age and general health of the patient is also considered. The other areas which have been affected by the disease help in evaluating the stage of disease.

The treatment consists of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Surgery is done to remove all the cancerous cells. The process consists of removal of infected tissues around the chest or abdomen. However, in pneumonectomy, a lung may be removed.

In radiation therapy, high energy rays are used to kill or shrink cancer cells. Thin plastic tubes are places into the infected area which produce radiation.In Chemotherapy, anticancer drugs are used to kill cancer cells. They are usually injected. The most commonly affected people by this disease are those who have been exposed to asbestos. It consists of miners, factory workers, insulation manufacturers and railroad workers. Even their family members run the risk of catching the disease.

However, early detection of the disease may help to curb it followed by the required treatment. Mesothelioma, this name is associated to a disease which has been diagnosed as a type of cancer. It is also referred to as asbestos cancer. This is a rare disease.

The most serious of all asbestos diseases is malignant mesothelioma. It is difficult to diagnose.A layer of mesothelial cells line the chest, heart and abdominal cavities which coats the surface of most internal organs. The tissue formed by these cells is called mesothelium which helps to protect the organs. This tissue produces a fluid that allows the organs to move around.

Mesothelium tumors can be cancerous or noncancerous. Malignant mesothelioma is often called mesothelioma. In the late seventies, it was recognized as a tumor of the pleura, peritoneum and pericardium. However, after the study made by J.C. wager, it was found that there exits a relationship between the mesothelioma and asbestos exposure.

In United States, there has been rise in the cases between 1970 and 1984 in males. It has been associated with the environmental and occupational exposure mostly in areas of asbestos product

There are two types of mesothelioma. One is pleural mesothelioma. It spreads within the chest cavity and sometimes the lungs. It may take decades before this disease shows its symptoms. One such symptom is persistent pain in chest. It is accompanied with difficulty in breathing. It is due to the accumulation of fluid in the pleural space. Other symptoms are cough, weight loss and fever. CT scan is one of the most valuable single tests to show the extent of disease. However there are no serum markers that are available for the diagnosis of mesothelioma. There is one test which differentiate it from other tumors is the detection of serum level of a hyaluronic acid. There is median survival of 17 months from the period of diagnosis. Another type of mesothelioma is peritoneal mesothelioma. It takes place in the abdominal cavity. Infection is caused in the liver, spleen or bowel. The survival rate is 10 months in this case. Fluid is accumulated in the abdominal cavity resulting in the enlargement of abdomen. Pain is a common complaint. The symptoms of this disease may include vomiting, swollen feet, nausea and difficulty in moving bowels accompanied by fever.It is not easy to diagnose this disease. A patient’s vocational history is reviewed to see whether he or she was exposed to asbestos to great amount of time. Generally, CT scans or x-rays of the chest or abdomen are performed to see the symptoms.

It is followed by the biopsy in which a tissue is taken as a sample for diagnosis. If it is believed to be a cancer of the chest, then thoracoscopy is conducted. Peritoneoscopy is used if cancer is believed to be in the abdomen.

If the disease is diagnosed as mesothelioma, then the stage of the disease should be considered. Early detection is almost critical in treating most of the cancers. It is also determined if it has spread in other parts of the body.

Once the disease is diagnosed, the treatment will be dependent upon the stage of the disease. The age and general health of the patient is also considered. The other areas which have been affected by the disease help in evaluating the stage of disease.

The treatment consists of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Surgery is done to remove all the cancerous cells. The process consists of removal of infected tissues around the chest or abdomen. However, in pneumonectomy, a lung may be removed. In radiation therapy, high energy rays are used to kill or shrink cancer cells. Thin plastic tubes are places into the infected area which produce radiation.In Chemotherapy, anticancer drugs are used to kill cancer cells. They are usually injected.

The most commonly affected people by this disease are those who have been exposed to asbestos. It consists of miners, factory workers, insulation manufacturers and railroad workers. Even their family members run the risk of catching the disease.However, early detection of the disease may help to curb it followed by the required treatment.