Asbestos Lung Mesothelioma: A Dreadful Medical Situation

by Heidi Wingrain Mesothelioma cancer, which is classified into three according to the area infected by each of these, is caused by asbestos particle...


Mesothelioma cancer, which is classified into three according to the area infected by each of these, is caused by asbestos particles inhaled mostly at workplaces. The three types are the pleural mesothelioma (that affects the mesothelium around the lung cavities), the peritoneal (found in the lining of the abdomen) and the pericardial (which attacks the heart cavities). The former, which attacks the lining of the lungs, is also called asbestos lung mesothelioma because it affects the lung cavities and is caused by asbestos.

The pleural mesothelioma is definitely fatal. The infection spreads all along the lungs even forcing the removal of a lung. The inhaled fibers of asbestos accumulated in the pleural innings starting harmful cell activity. Unnatural cell division occurs resulting in pleural effusion and thickening of the layer. This induces breathing problems and other respiratory illnesses in the victim. The time taken by the disease to reach this alarming proportion would be sometimes decades after asbestos exposure.

Mesothelioma diagnosis is not an easy task, especially if the doctor handling the case is not a skilled person. Many symptoms resulting from this cancer are like the symptoms of other diseases like pneumonia. Sometimes mesothelioma cases are detected when the patient goes for some other treatments. An expert doctor would not hesitate to ask the work and health history of the patient before proceeding to other tests.

Chronic cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, loss of body weight, night sweat, fever etc are the most common symptoms of asbestos lung mesothelioma. Some patients may show some of the symptoms, but others might not develop any symptom at all. This trait of the cancer has often created confusions resulting in failure to detect the cancer or wrong diagnosis.

Conventional treatment methods like surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are followed to treat the disease in the initial stages. Surgery is used to remove the infection. Additional therapies like chemotherapy prevent the spread of cancer to near by cells and tissues. Radiation therapy is used to remove the remnants of cancer through high energy or particle beams. Palliative treatment is provided to patients who are in the advanced stage of the cancer.

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