Mesothelioma Cancer
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is triggered by exposure to asbestos. The inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause pleural mesothelioma and swallowed asbestos can cause peritoneal mesothelioma.
The symptoms may be similar to those of less serious diseases and may take between 10 and 50 years to appear. The symptoms include breathlessness, abdominal pain and chest pain.
Risk Factors
Mesothelioma develops when asbestos fibres enter the body. The most common mesothelioma type is called mesothelioma pleural, which develops in the chest cavity's lining and the lungs. Mesothelioma can also develop in the peritoneum (the membrane that surrounds the heart) or in the pericardium. It can take between 20 and 50 years for the cancer to develop and manifest symptoms, which can often be confused with flu-like illnesses. Mesothelioma is more common in older people and is more common in males than females.
Exposure to asbestos is the most significant risk factor for mesothelioma. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral composed of tiny fibres that were used in construction materials, like ceilings and walls because of its resistance heat and fire. It was also used extensively in the manufacturing of goods such as pipes, insulations shingles, and cement. Mesothelioma is a serious disease for those working in industries that employ asbestos, for example shipbuilding, mining, or construction. However even those who had a secondary exposure to asbestos such as family members who brought home asbestos-contaminated clothes and skin, are also at risk.
A small portion of mesothelioma cases can be traced to a genetic mutation known as BAP1. This genetic mutation increases the risk of developing mesothelioma among those who have been exposed to asbestos.
Age is another important risk factor for mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is most prevalent in people who are older than 45, and two thirds of those who are diagnosed with the disease are 65 years old or older. This is largely due to the long latency time that is associated with asbestos exposure but it could be due to the fact that the disease is more prevalent in older people who have had more extensive and prolonged exposure to asbestos-related material.
White males are more likely develop mesothelioma more than any other race or gender. This is because historically more white men have worked in occupations which put them at higher risk of asbestos than other groups. Additionally, mesothelioma is most often seen in those who were exposed to asbestos before better regulations were put into place in the 1980s.
Signs and symptoms
Mesothelioma, a type of cancer caused by asbestos, develops in the protective linings of many organs. The cancerous tumors can cause severe pain and damage the tissue. The malignancy may extend to other areas of the body via the lymphatic system or the bloodstream.
The symptoms of mesothelioma can be similar to other illnesses like pneumonia or influenza. They often take 10 - 50 years to appear after exposure to asbestos. This latency period makes it difficult to recognize mesothelioma early. Additionally, the symptoms may be misinterpreted as other diseases.
The majority of malignant tumors originate in the chest cavity or lungs (pleura). Mesothelioma may also develop in the linings that surround the heart and abdomen. In rare instances the disease can affect the lining of the testes or the sac that surrounds the heart (pericardium).
Asbestos is made up of minerals in a grouping which form long, thin fibres. The fibers are so strong that they are unable to be broken down by chemical, water or bacteria. These materials were used widely in many household and construction products for a long time before researchers realized how dangerous they were for health.
The majority of mesothelioma patients were exposed to the substance in the workplace or at home, and the majority of those exposed were employed in the US Navy, the air force, the shipbuilding industry or construction. It is more prevalent in men than women, and veterans make up around 30% of mesothelioma cases.
When mesothelioma develops doctors can spot it through imaging scans and medical tests. These include X-rays CT scans, MRIs and PET scans. The doctor could also collect a sample of the tissue and send it to a lab for analysis.
The results will allow doctors to determine the type of mesothelioma and stage of the disease which can affect the prognosis as well as treatment options. The majority of mesothelioma types are epithelioid or sarcomatoid. Between 10% and 15% of cases are biphasic, or mixed. Epithelioid cancers are less aggressive and typically has the highest rate of survival. Sarcomatoid mesothelioma is a less favorable prognosis and is more difficult to treat.
Diagnosis
Mesothelioma is difficult to identify, especially in its early stages. Patients should consult their primary care physician if they are experiencing any symptoms such as chest pain or coughing. The doctor will observe the patient's breathing through an stethoscope, and record their work and health history. This includes any asbestos exposure history, which is crucial to determine mesothelioma's presence.
Since mesothelioma's symptoms mirror those of other conditions, doctors need to be able to rule out other conditions prior to concluding the diagnosis. For example the cancer is often spread to the lungs of a patient from another part of their body, such as their abdomen or chest wall. Asbestos-related lung diseases, including pneumonia, are common in asbestos sufferers. Pleural mesothelioma may also be mistaken for other respiratory diseases.
Mesothelioma can be diagnosed with blood tests and imaging tests, as well as biopsies. These tests will aid in locating the site of the cancer, which is typically in the lungs, but may also be located in the stomach or testicles. The tests will assist doctors determine how far cancer has spread within the body.
A CT scan or MRI could reveal mesothelioma-related signs. These include calcium deposits (also called plaque) in the pleura, and an accumulation between the lungs and chest wall. These tests can also reveal whether a person's lungs are more prominent on one side or the other.
In many instances a biopsy is required to confirm the diagnosis of mesothelioma. This procedure involves removing small quantities of tissue and testing them in the laboratory for mesothelioma.
Certain patients might require additional tests, like FDG-positron emission tomography (PET) which permits doctors to look at the lymph nodes that are located in the middle of the chest and sample the lymph nodes, or endobronchial ultrasonography (EBUS) using sound waves to look at the lungs and the mesothelium. Mesothelioma is a rare condition and doctors are still learning how to treat it effectively. As a result, patients who are diagnosed with the cancer must consider their options carefully and decide what treatment is best for them.
Treatment
Mesothelioma can affect the lining of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma) or the abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma) or the heart (pericardial mesothelioma). Symptoms usually do not appear for several decades after asbestos exposure. It is essential that those who have been exposed to asbestos get checked if they experience any strange symptoms.
A doctor will take a medical history to check for mesothelioma-related risk factors, including how long and how intensely the patient was exposed to asbestos. A doctor may also conduct an examination to look for signs of mesothelioma such as the accumulation of fluids in the chest cavity. The type of cells that reside in mesothelium, as well as the locations of those cells are used to identify mesothelioma. The most frequent type of mesothelioma is epithelioid, which makes up between 60 and the majority of mesothelioma patients. The other types of mesothelioma are biphasic mesothelioma and sarcomatoid that both account for around 10 to 15% of mesothelioma patients.
There are mesothelioma asbestos many treatment options for mesothelioma. The type of treatment depends on the type of mesothelioma and the stage of the disease.
In some cases, the mesothelioma is treated using chemotherapy or radiation. In these treatments, doctors administer powerful cancer-fighting drugs or utilize special equipment to destroy cancerous cells and reduce the risk of mesothelioma returning.
Other types of mesothelioma may be treated through surgery which involves the removal of parts of the lining of the affected organ. It can also alleviate symptoms like breathing problems.
If a person is diagnosed with mesothelioma pleural, their doctor may perform the procedure known as VATS, which uses a camera inserted into the lungs to remove part of the pleura and lungs. This procedure can help with breathlessness due to fluid buildup in the lungs. However, it will not treat mesothelioma.
Other treatment options include support or pain management. It is crucial for those with mesothelioma to get as much information as possible about the disease and ways to manage it. The more educated they are, the better they can plan for a future which includes a variety of wellness and health activities.