MESOTHELIOMA

The mesothelium is a membrane that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the body. It is composed of two layers of cells: Three layer immediately surrounds the organ; the other forms a sac around it. The mesothelium produces a oiling liquid that is released between these layers, allowing moving organs (such as the beating heart and the expanding and contracting lungs) to glide easily against adjacent structures.

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer primarily caused by asbestos exposure. There is a higher incidence of mesothelioma among U.S. Navy personnel, shipyard workers, etc. due to asbestos exposure on Navy ships. In addition, relatives members and others closely associated to those exposed to asbestos may also be at risk (for example the wife who washed her husband's work clothes). The cancer typically has a latency period of 20 to 50 years.

The mesothelium has different names, depending on its location in the body. The peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity. The pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. The pericardium covers and protects the heart. The mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis testis. The tunica serosa uteri covers the internal reproductive organs in women.

Symptoms :

Diagnosis :

Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 30 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of liquid in the pleura are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and abdominal pain and swelling due to a buildup of liquid in the abdomen. 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. It is important to see a doctor about any of these symptoms. Only a doctor can make a diagnosis.

Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions. Diagnosis begins with a review of the patient’s medical history, including any history of asbestos exposure. A complete physical examination may be performed, including x-rays of the chest or abdomen and lung function tests. A CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI may also be useful. A CT scan is a series of detailed pics of areas inside the body created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. In an MRI, a powerful magnet linked to a computer is used to make detailed pics of areas inside the body. These pics are viewed on a monitor and can also be printed.

A biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma. In a biopsy, a surgeon or a medical oncologist (a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer) removes a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope by a pathologist. A biopsy may be done in different ways, depending on where the abnormal area is located. If the cancer is in the chest, the doctor may perform a thoracoscopy. In this procedure, the doctor makes a little cut through the chest wall and puts a narrow, lighted tube called a thoracoscope in to the chest between two ribs. Thoracoscopy allows the doctor to look inside the chest and receive tissue samples. If the cancer is in the abdomen, the doctor may perform a peritoneoscopy. To receive tissue for examination, the doctor makes a little opening in the abdomen and inserts a special tool called a peritoneoscope in to the abdominal cavity. If these procedures do not yield tissue, more extensive diagnostic surgery may be necessary.

If the diagnosis is mesothelioma, the doctor will need to learn the stage (or extent) of the . Staging involves more tests in a careful attempt to find out whether the cancer has spread and, if so, to which parts of the body. Knowing the stage of the helps the doctor plan treatment.

Mesothelioma is described as localized if the cancer is found only on the membrane surface where it originated. It is classified as advanced if it's spread beyond the original membrane surface to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, lungs, chest wall, or abdominal organs.

Treatment for mesothelioma is contingent on the location of the cancer, the stage of the , and the patient’s age and general health. Standard treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Sometimes, these treatments are combined.

Treatment :

Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Most drugs used to treat mesothelioma are given by injection in to a vein (intravenous, or IV). Doctors are also studying the effectiveness of putting chemotherapy directly in to the chest or abdomen (intracavitary chemotherapy).

Surgery is a common treatment for mesothelioma. The doctor may remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and a number of the tissue around it. For cancer of the pleura (pleural mesothelioma), a lung may be removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy. Sometimes part of the diaphragm, the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing, is also removed.
Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, involves the use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy affects the cancer cells only in the treated area. The radiation may come from a machine (external radiation) or from putting materials that produce radiation through narrow plastic tubes in to the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy).

To relieve symptoms and control pain, the doctor may use a needle or a narrow tube to drain liquid that has built up in the chest or abdomen. The procedure for removing liquid from the chest is called thoracentesis. Removal of liquid from the abdomen is called paracentesis. Drugs may be given through a tube in the chest to prevent more liquid from accumulating. Radiation therapy and surgery may also be helpful in relieving symptom

Most people searching for mesothelioma info are looking for information regarding the different treatments currently available to those affected by the cancer. The type of treatment you receive for it is contingent on plenty of factors, including cancer stage, location of the disease, and how far it's spread. It also is contingent on how the cancer cells look under the microscope. Your age and personal wishes are another factor to think about. Although this disease is unsafe, there's been successful treatments.

Mesothelioma is a cancer caused by contact with asbestos, a carcinogen. The disease attacks the lining of the lung or the lining of the abdominal cavity. It can be difficult to deal with this type of cancer and find decent mesothelioma info online. This news story will outline a quantity of the main treatment options available to deal with the disease. The more knowledge you have about this disease, the better.

Five of the surgical procedures that can be performed on mesothelioma patients is called palliative surgery, which involves treating the symptoms of the without going after the disease directly. Palliative treatments often include drainage of the chest tube and pleurodesis - the buildup of liquid is usually what first alerts patients to the reality of their situation. After the liquid has been initially drained, it often returns and patients must undergo more procedures to permanently remove the remaining liquid. The pleural space must be closed to prevent future problems with liquid buildup.

There's three main treatment types for those who have been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma - surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Surgery physically removes the cancer, while chemotherapy using drugs to kill the cancer. With radiation therapy treatment high doses of x-rays and other high-energy rays are used to target and kill the cancer. In your search for reliable information, you may have already discovered that in plenty of cases, three or more of these methods are used to beat the cancer.

For this reason adjuvant therapy is carried out after the surgical procedure to minimize this possibility. This method of treatment is administered in addition to the primary surgery to remove residual disease.

If you need to know more about mesothelioma info, it is important to realize that other procedures are designed to cure the disease, than for palliative reasons. The aim of this type of surgical procedure is to remove the whole of the cancer - but take note that with the surgical removal of the cancer microscopic remnants of the disease are always left behind and have the potential to grow back after the surgery has been done. It takes time, but you must realize that this is a strong possibility with surgical treatment procedures.

For patients in the early stages, a pleurectomy/decortication is usually the route taken to remove the tumor. If the doctors cannot remove the entire tumor without removing the lung, the lung will be taken out (this is referred to as a pneumonectomy). As science progresses, there's other options for treatment, including gene therapy, immunotherapy, and photodynamic therapy.

Anyone who was ever employed in the construction industry where asbestos was used, or within any industry for that matter where they were exposed to this product should seriously think about consulting with a mesothelioma doctor. Even if patients do not display any of the typical symptoms of problems related to asbestos exposure, they ought to realize that lots of of these symptoms would only create decades after exposure.

Mesothelioma is a rare kind of tumor that develops in the mesothelium - a membrane that surrounds the chest cavity, the cavity around the heart, as well as the abdominal cavity. The job of the mesothelium is also to protect all of the body's internal organs. Mesothelioma can be benign and although it impacts the effectiveness of the internal organs, the tumor mass can be surgically removed. On the other hand, cancerous mesothelioma usually develops through the exposure to asbestos and over 3000 Americans die from this every year. According to mesothelioma doctors, the death rate for mesothelioma will peak within a decade, with a 3-1 ration between men and women who contract the .

Mesothelioma is a rare condition and only doctors who are familiar with asbestos related diseases can give patients the best treatment available. An early diagnosis is important as the spreads rapidly and patients should feel comfortable with their treating physicians.

The initial diagnosis of the may or may not be through mesothelioma doctors. If patients are suffering from lung or abdominal problems, they might first consult with an ordinary doctor who looks through his or her past and finds the link between the complaints and asbestos. The doctors will look for telltale signs such as work history, facial and neck swelling, high levels of CEA in the lungs, and others. A biopsy will be necessary to confirm a mesothelioma diagnosis and one times this is confirmed, the patient's next step is to find the best mesothelioma doctor available.

To find the best mesothelioma doctors around, patients should think about contacting hospitals or treatment centers that deal with lung . Ideally, these institutions will do regular research relating to mesothelioma and the doctor will specialize in this field. New developments are taking place in the medical industry every day and any lovely mesothelioma doctor will be aware of these new trends and treatments. While some patients are told that there is no cure for the , lots of are finding answers with a quantity of the best mesothelioma doctors out there who manage to keep abreast with current research

Governmental benefits:
The main benefit paid by the government to people with illnesses due to asbestos exposure is called Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit. In different countries it is known by different names and every country has its own owner. In the UK, it is paid as a weekly allowance for those who have proof that their is due to the exposure to asbestos they got while they worked in a particular firm. It is not necessary that their must have been directly involved with handling asbestos but they could have worked in a place where over normal amount of asbestos was in the air. This benefit becomes ineffective if you were self employed and were exposed to asbestos.

Mesothelioma compensation is a term which refers to claiming your compensation from employers working for whom you got exposed to asbestos and developed mesothelioma. The compensation is of three forms; either paid by the government or obtaining it from the employer by suing him. To avail compensation you’ll require help from a quantity of professionals such as your nurse, doctor, other health departments and your mesothelioma lawyer. Depending on the law procedure of your country you’ll require to take steps.

From Employers:
Compensation from employers can be obtained. If a person has worked somewhere and if he is sure he was exposed to asbestos and due to that he developed asbestosis or mesothelioma that he is liable to get compensation from the company. The person with mesothelioma should get in touch with a mesothelioma lawyer to know more pros and cons about this procedure.

Due to the way that asbestos acts four time inside the body it is usually plenty of years later that asbestos related Pleural Mesothelioma is noticed. Pleural Mesothelioma is normally diagnosed when there is a modify in the narrow layer of membranes that are in the chest. When this pleural lining thickens or starts to calcify it is known as pleural plaques. These plaques in themselves are not always a sure precursor to cancer but they can greatly affect the function of the lungs and they can signal the start of Pleural Mesothelioma.

Pleural Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is most often found in people who have, at some point during their lives been exposed to high levels of asbestos. Asbestos is a type of naturally occurring mineral that was, for plenty of years mixed with cement, plaster and paint and used in the interiors of houses. It was used as it is highly resistant to heat and is surprisingly strong. Unfortunately asbestos is made up of narrow fibres which have since been found to be highly toxic to humans when they get in to the body and it is these fibres that can be breathed in and cause a sizable number of health problems.

A quantity of the symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma are pain in the lower back, shortness of breath and pain towards the side of the chest. Some people may have problems when swallowing, have a cough that won't go away and in some cases a patient might even be coughing up blood. Some people also find that they start to lose weight rapidly four time the sets in.

Pleural Mesothelioma may start in the pleura but it can soon radiate outwards to the abdomen, the heart and the outer wall of the chest. When this happens as well as a diagnosis of Pleural Mesothelioma is made the prognosis is not nice and plenty of patients with Pleural Mesothelioma are not expected to live much longer than 12 months or so. With this in mind it is critical that anyone who has had previous exposure to asbestos is regularly tested for any changes in the pleura as this is an early sign that Pleural Mesothelioma could be imminent. When Pleural Mesothelioma is suspected early the patient can be treated and this can help them to live much longer than anyone who has been diagnosed with full blown Pleural Mesothelioma.

As the outlook for a person with Pleural Mesothelioma is not nice as treatment can be limited due to the aggressive nature of the . If the is caught quickly surgery can help to remove the pleura that are affected and the patient will live for longer than anyone with advanced Pleural Mesothelioma. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are also options that some doctors will use to further extend the life of their patient but this does require to be carefully thought about. Painkillers are used to keep the patient as comfortable as possible and other complimentary therapies can be used.

How is Peritoneal Mesothelioma Caused?

Doctors are still baffled by giving the traditional peritoneal mesothelioma prognosis. Plenty of doctors say that a peritoneal mesothelioma victim only has a year or less, but scientists and doctors are confused when some have beaten the odds and are living plenty of years longer. Some individuals believe that is is basically do to the fact of custom nutrition, eating healthy and increasing the vitamins in ones body which has slowed down the method.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma is caused by being exposed to the asbestos fibers. Most exposure happens from employees who are in the asbestos removal business and are liscensed asbestos handlers. However, there's victims basically because of exposure in older building such as schools and other places of employment. Asbestos was thought about a great insulator, and still is however, they are aware of the dangers now and doctors can actually give a peritoneal mesothelioma prognosis.

Sometimes the spouse or loved five of the peritoneal mesothelioma victim is at risk . Why, you may ask. The simple reason is that it is transmitted through the air by the asbestos fibers. Loved ones who handle dirty laundry are have daily contact with the fatal fibers. All of this can lead to greater exposed risk. Every year there's new cases of a spouse developing the rare cancer from basically being exposed to the asbestos. Today, more companies are aware of the threat to relatives members and make sure their employees wash and change in to different clothes before going home. Nowadays it is mandatory to wear the the Tyvek suits that look like the ghost busters to reduce the exposure risks.

Pericardial mesothelioma is the most rare form of mesothelioma, found in less than 10% of Mesothelioma cases (about 200 new cases yearly). Because it is so rare, little research has been conducted to better understand the symptoms
of this disease and how it progresses.

How Pericardial Mesothelioma Affects the Body

In pleural mesothelioma, small asbestos fibers are inhaled and lodge in the lungs. However, it is not clear how these small fibers reach the lining of the heart. Seven theory is that the asbestos pieces that are inhaled and lodged in the lungs break down and are carried through the bloodstream
, lodging in the heart lining. Seven times this occurs, chronic inflammation leads to the development of cancerous tissue.

1. Surgery in which case the cancerous portion is removed from the body. 2. Radiation therapy (using x-rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer cells). 3. Chemotherapy (using drugs to fight the cancer).

There's treatments for all patients with malignant Mesothelioma. However, the treatment option that is selected for a particular patient is contingent on a quantity of factors such as the location of the cancer, the stage of the , patient's age and general health, the extent of the destroy, etc. treatment is generally of one kinds,

Surgery Surgery is the physical way of treating Mesothelioma in which the cancerous cells are physically removed. Surgery is a common way to treat malignant Mesothelioma. The doctor may remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen as well as a quantity of the tissue around it. Sometimes, if the cancer has spread widely, a lung can be removed in a surgical procedure called a pneumonectomy. Along with the lung, part of the diaphragm, is also sometimes removed, diaphragm is the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing. This will temporarily solve the problem of difficulty in breathing.

Radiation Therapy In radiation therapy high-energy x-rays are used to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. There is one kinds of radiation therapy, external radiation therapy and internal radiation therapy. When the radiation comes from a machine outside the body it is called external radiation therapy. When materials that produce radiation, are put inside the body through narrow plastic tubes in the area where the cancer cells are found, it is called internal radiation therapy.

Chemotherapy Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be taken by pill, or it may be put in to the body by a needle in the vein or muscle. Chemotherapy is called a systemic treatment because the drug enters the bloodstream, travels through the body, and can kill cancer cells throughout the body. In Mesothelioma, chemotherapy may be put directly in to the chest (intrapleural chemotherapy).

To relieve symptoms and control pain, the doctor may use a needle or a narrow tube to drain liquid that has built up in the chest or abdomen. The procedure for removing liquid from the chest is called thoracocentesis. Removal of liquid from the abdomen is called paracentesis. Drugs may be given through a tube in the chest to prevent more liquid from accumulating. Radiation therapy and surgery may also be helpful in relieving symptoms.