What is Mesothelioma? What are the symptoms of Mesothelioma? Treatment/Cure for Mesothelioma

67

By cooljohnny23

What is Mesothelioma? What are the symptoms of Mesothelioma? Treatment/Cure for Mesothelioma

"Mesothelioma" is a form of cancer which is caused due to exposure of the human body to Asbestos. In this disease, malignant(tumour cells) develop in the mesothelium which is the protective lining of the body's internal organs. The most affected part is the Pleura (outer lining of the lungs and the internal chest wall). Mesothelioma may also affect the Peritonium(lining of abdominal cavity), the Heart, the Pericardium (covering sac that surrounds the heart) and Tunica Vaginalis(membrane covering the front and sides of the testis)

Most people affected by Mesothelioma may have worked on jobs involving the vicinity of asbestos, where they would have been exposed to asbestos dust or fiber in various ways. Wearing or washing the clothes of a person who have worked with asbestos may also increase the risk of acquiring Mesothelioma. Unlike Lung cancer, Mesothelioma is not caused by smoking.

The main symptoms of Mesothelioma are shortness of breath, pleural efflusion(accumulation of fluid between lungs and the chest cavity wall), chest wall pain and weight loss. Mesothelioma is diagnosed using X-ray and CT(computed tomography scan) and confirmed through Biopsy. Treatment for Mesothelioma include Chemotherapy, radiation therapy or surgery but Mesothelioma carries a poor prognosis. Researchers are working to formulate methods for early detection of Mesothelioma

What are the symptoms of Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma patient may show symptoms only after years of exposure to asbestos, typically 20 to 50 years. Symptoms include shortness of breath, pleural efflusion, chest wall pain and weight loss. Other symptoms of mesothelioma may include blood clotting abnormalities, bowel obstruction, fever and anaemia. If the disease has spread beyond the mesothelium of the body, the patient may have pain and trouble in swallowing and exhibit swelling in neck or the face. Mesothelioma usually does not spread to the bones, brain and adrenal glands.

Symptoms of Mesothelioma

Shortness of breath

Chest wall pain

Pleural efflusion

Fatigue

Fever

Anaemia

Cough, wheezing , hoarseness

blood in sputum through cough

Symptoms of infection in abdominal cavity

Abdominal pain

Formation of mass in the abdomen

Ascites(peritoneal fluid)

Bowel disfunction

Weight loss

Symptoms in severe cases of Mesothelioma

Severe Ascites

Pleural efflusion

Low blood sugar level

Jaundice

Blood clots in the veins, causing Thrombophlebitis(swelling of veins)

Blood clots in the arteries of lungs(Pulmonary Emboli)

Disseminated intravascular coagulation(condition in which proteins that control blood clotting become abnormally active)

Diagnosis of Mesothelioma

Diagnosing Mesothelioma has been a challenging factor because symptoms are mostly similar to that of other diseases. Diagnosis is usually initally carried out using X-ray and followed by various Lung tests. An X-ray will normally reveal pleural thickening of the patient. CT or MRI is also used to analyse the condition of the patient. If a large amount of pleural fluid is found, it's usually aspirated with the help of a syringe. This process is usually called a "chest drain" or Pleural tap".

Absence of malignant cells does not always rule out the possibility of Mesothelioma, but makes its existence unlikely. However if case is suspicious, a Biopsy is usually suggested to confirm the disease. Biopsy may be done in different ways. If the infection is in chest, it it may be done using Thoracoscopy. If it's in the abdomen, it's done using laparoscopy

Treatment for Mesothelioma

Unfortunately, like most cancers, there is no cure for mesothelioma. Radiotherapy may be used to cure mesothelioma. Chemotherapy may be employed to slow the growth of the disease. Surgery for Mesothelioma is extermely complicated. Since the abdomen is full of very sensitive and important organs, it may be difficult to carry out surgeries for Mesothelioma. Often, surgery is not recommended for Mesothelioma. In most cases of Pleural Mesothelioma, treatment is carried out by expelling the fluid using a Syringe.

Extrapleural Pneumonectomy is a very extensive operation which is often used for patients with a localized form of the disease. It is a very complex operation, normally performed by specialized surgeons from large medical centers. This operation involves removal of the pleura lining the chest wall, diaphragm, pericardium and the particular lung which is affected by the tumour.

Chemotherapy is considered a very effective treatment for Mesothelioma but the problem is that either the tumour may be too large to be destroyed by chemotherapy or the tumour may develop resistance to the Chemotherapy. Radiation is generally not considered to be an effective treatment for pleural Mesothelioma as it may lead to lung damage. Radiation therapy is of limited use in abdominal Mesothelioma but it has proved very useful for preventing malignant seeding of the incision sites

Comments

No comments yet.

Submit a Comment
Members and Guests

Sign in or sign up and post using a hubpages account.



    • No HTML is allowed in comments, but URLs will be hyperlinked
    • Comments are not for promoting your Hubs or other sites

    working