What Is Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a rare and deadly cancer that attacks three vital components of the human body. Mesothelioma damages the lining of the chest, abdominal cavity, and the heart. Unfortunately many cases of Mesothelioma are not diagnosed in the early stages of the disease because symptoms may remain latent for decades.

Another deadly aspect of Mesothelioma is the minimal exposure it takes to become infected with this disease. It only takes an average of one to two months of exposure to become afflicted.

Many cases of Mesothelioma are caused by asbestos, a mineral fiber that was used in the construction of buildings because of its highly effective insulation and flame resistant properties. The inhalation of these fibers is directly related to the diagnosis of Mesothelioma.

Signs and symptoms of the disease are shortness of breath, pain in the abdominal region and chest, swelling of the neck or face, and trouble swallowing. The dilemma is that these symptoms may be caused by less a severe issue such as a common cold or other ailments.

Treatments for mesothelioma range from surgery to radiation to chemotherapy. None of these treatments seem to be highly effective in curing patients, but like other types of cancer, research is being done to try and find a treatment that will successfully heal Mesothelioma patients.

Mesothelioma Prognosis: A Difficult Challenge to Face

Mesothelioma prognosis and mesothelioma treatment options depend on the size of the tumor, the stage of cancer, potential surgical removal of any tumor, amount of fluid in the chest or abdomen, overall health and age of patient, specific type of mesothelioma cancer cell and whether cancerous cells are found anywhere else in the body.

The mesothelioma prognosis is determined through physical examination and the results of a number of medical tests designed to evaluate the rare asbestos cancer. Once a mesothelioma prognosis is finally determined, then treating this aggressive and rare cancer can begin. Early diagnosis and treatment are most important in looking for a favorable mesothelioma prognosis.

Since mesothelioma is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage, the statistics for one to five year survival are usually unreliable.

The two most common types of mesothelioma are peritoneal (abdominal) mesothelioma and pleural (lung) mesothelioma, with pleural mesothelioma being the most common. Peritoneal mesothelioma can be difficult to stage because of its rarity. The initial symptoms of pleural mesothelioma are subtle and often ignored resulting in the cancer being more advanced when it is finally diagnosed causing it to be difficult to stage. However, because it is the most common of the mesothelioma cancers, pleural mesothelioma has multiple staging systems.

Unfortunately, patients who have been diagnosed with peritoneal or pleural mesothelioma are often advised of a grim mesothelioma prognosis, one which can often be less than one year survival expectancy from the time of diagnosis. Of course every patient is so different requires a different mesothelioma treatment plan and as a result of the individuality of each patient, an accurate mesothelioma prognosis must be individualized by your physician.

The mesothelioma prognosis has several important factors such as the patient’s overall health at the time of diagnosis, exact type of mesothelioma tumor, size of the mesothelioma tumor and precise location of the mesothelioma tumor. Normally mesothelioma is located near the vital organs such as the heart and lungs which can cause severe consequences if the cancerous tumors begin to press on these vital organs. It is important to remember that the healthier a patient is going in to treatment for malignant mesothelioma then the patient generally responds better to treatment and has a greater chance of a prolonged survival.

After properly being diagnosed with mesothelioma and a mesothelioma prognosis is made, the doctor and patient will discuss treatment options. Because there is currently no known cure for mesothelioma, treatment options are designed to relieve symptoms, try to prevent metastasis and to prolong life while maintaining an acceptable quality of life.

Malignant Mesothelioma Diagnosis

The most critical form of mesothelioma is the malignant form. Known as malignant mesothelioma, the primary causal factor is asbestos infection. According to the US National Cancer Institute, "Malignant mesothelioma is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the sac lining the chest (the pleura), the lining of the abdominal cavity (the peritoneum) or the lining around the heart (the pericardium)."

Mesothelioma can be classified into three types – pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma refers to a cancer of the lining of the lung (pleura), peritoneal mesothelioma refers to a cancer of the abdominal cavity (peritoneum) lining, and pericardial mesothelioma is a cancer that occurs in the lining that surrounds the heart (pericardium). The subtypes of mesothelioma are of three basic types, one very aggressive, one least aggressive, and one lying between the two extremes.

Malignant mesothelioma can be diagnosed through several imaging techniques. These imaging techniques enable physicians to assess mesothelioma. Once mesothelioma is suspected, patients are advised to undergo several tests, like X-ray, Computed Tomography (CT) scan, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans, and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging. The physician may also like to undertake special mesothelioma tests like thoracoscopy, peritoneoscopy and biopsy.

Learning about the stage of mesothelioma is a critical factor that helps physicians to decide the treatment plan. If the cancer is confined to the pleura, mesothelioma is considered localized. If the cancer spreads beyond the pleura and to other parts of the body such as the lungs, abdominal cavity, lymph nodes and the chest wall, mesothelioma is considered to be in an advanced stage.

The oft used and the oldest system for determining the stages of mesothelioma is the Butchart System. The Butchart System is based on the extent of the primary tumor mass available in a patient. This system divides mesothelioma into four stages. The TNM system, a slightly advanced system over the Butchart System, determines staging through variables of tumor in mass and the spread, the lymph node involvement and metastasis. However, the latest system is known as the Brigham System, where staging is done as per the respectability and lymph node involvement. In spite of such modern techniques, a definitive diagnosis of mesothelioma still remains possible through fluid diagnosis and tissue biopsy.

Mesothelioma Litigation: An Overview

Mesothelioma is a deadly and rare form of cancer that develops from exposure to asbestos. The inhaling of the highly toxic asbestos is the major reason of the mesothelioma. The ingested particle of the asbestos develops the cancerous or the malignant cells in the mesothelium. The mesothelium is the cell structure that covers and surrounds various internal organs.

The person who has developed mesothelioma through exposure to asbestos can seek the legal assistance for the compensation. Mesothelioma litigation has developed in large numbers. This is because some companies allow employees to work with asbestos - the cause for this deadliest disease - without informing the workers. For the wrongful deaths of the people who have developed mesothelioma by these irresponsible firms, claims can be filed for legal compensation for the sufferer or for the benefit of the family. This is referred to as mesothelioma litigation.

Low levels of protection and the lack of effort to control the exposure of humans to asbestos has developed mesothelioma litigation, inciting damage. The unawareness of the workers of the asbestos exposure causes them to delay the necessary medical treatment. The treatment of mesothelioma is very expensive. One cannot pay for it in at their own expense. The person who has developed mesothelioma through exposure to asbestos can seek immediate legal assistance for maximum compensation.

A lawyer who has a good track record in dealing with these cases can help you in receiving the compensation money from the irresponsible asbestos-related companies. The compensation for the victims who have developed mesothelioma with the exposure of asbestos can be awarded millions of dollars as the payout. Mesothelioma litigation helps the person who has developed mesothelioma to receive a good and fair compensation amount from the firms that expose the asbestos. The money is intended for the fulfillment of basic needs, medical expenses, personal loss, and damages that happened due to the mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma Cancer

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer involving mesothelial tissues of body organs usually lungs or abdominal. It is often caused by exposure to asbestos. However, there are 30-50% of patients without any history of asbestos exposure. People who have received asbestos exposure of as little as one or two months to very low doses are at risk of mesothelioma cancer. Even people who wash clothes of asbestos exposed people are at risk. A person exposed to asbestos could develop mesothelioma after 50 years of exposure.

People in the occupations such as construction jobs in shipyards, insulators, boilermakers, etc. are at the risk of contracting asbestos disease.

The 2 common types of mesothelioma are:

Pleural mesothelioma (lung cancer) and Peritoneal mesothelioma (abdomen organs).

The survival time for a patient with diffuse malignant mesothelioma is from 4 to 24 months from the observance of the symptoms. Mesothelioma is also difficult to diagnose.

The chance of recovery for a patient with mesothelioma depends on size and location of the cancer, age of the patient and his response to the treatment.

Presently, the treatment options for mesotheliomas are:

# Radiation therapy
# Chemotherapy
# Surgery and Photodynamic therapy

There is some evidence that provitamin A or beta-carotene may decrease the risk of mesothelioma.