Mesothelioma

Life Expectancy Mesothelioma

In regards to life expectancy mesothelioma allows individuals who are diagnosed early enough to generally live up to three years more following diagnosis and initiation of treatment regimens. In addition, other factors are involved in the life expectancy of someone suffering from mesothelioma, ranging from genetics, health condition of the individual and at what stage the mesothelioma is diagnosed. While some cancers reveal symptoms early in its progression, indications that one is afflicted with mesothelioma may not manifest for 20, 30 even as late as 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Doctors recommend that people who are aware they have been repeatedly exposed to asbestos in the past get checkups and annual asbestos screenings so that the disease can be caught in the early stages and treated promptly.

The age of someone who is diagnosed with mesothelioma will affect life expectancy as well. A 55 year old man who is in relatively good health but discovers he has mesothelioma will probably outlive a man who is 75 years and and discovers the same kind of condition, unless the 75 year old found the asbestos-related lung cancer in the very early stages.  Logically, smokers diagnosed with mesothelioma do not have the life expectancies that non-smokers afflicted with mesothelioma have, either. However, there are ways to improve one’s life expectancy following a diagnosis of mesothelioma, regardless of the factors involved. (more…)

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Mesothelioma

Is Mesothelioma Curable?

Is mesothelioma curable? Unfortunately, researchers have yet to discover  a cure for mesothelioma, which is caused by inhalation or swallowing of asbestos fibers that are carcinogenic to the human body. The main problem with successfully treating someone diagnosed with mesothelioma is the fact that this disease is rarely diagnosed in its early stages. Most diagnoses are made when the disease has progressed into stage three or four and not much can be done except to try to prolong the patient’s life and make the patient as comfortable as possible. (more…)

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Mesothelioma

Facts about Mesothelioma

Researchers are learning more facts about mesothelioma each year due to the increasing number of cases diagnosed and advances in medical technology. The number of asbestos-related mesothelioma cases are expected to peak in about ten years because asbestos was banned from use in the 1980s and it usually takes at least 20 years for mesothelioma to produce symptoms. However, it became apparent that individuals repeatedly exposed to this toxic material were developing an aggressive type of lung cancer decades after their exposure several years before the 1980s. Other facts about mesothelioma include:

  • The first diagnosis made regarding mesothelioma and its association with exposure to asbestos came in 1964.
  • There are three histologic types of mesothelioma: biphasic, epithelial and sarcomatoid
  • A latency period of up to 50 years has been seen individuals exposed to asbestos
  • The National Institute of health estimates that nearly 11 million people have been exposed to asbestos between 1940 and 1978.
  • A stage 1 diagnosis of mesothelioma generally allows around 30 months of life for an individual following diagnosis while a stage 4 condition of mesothelioma allows for about six to seven months.
  • Most people developing mesothelioma are older than 50 but younger than 70 years of age
  • Approximately ten to 20 percents of mesothelioma cases affect the stomach
  • PET and CT scans are the preferred types of scans physicians use when attempting to diagnose mesothelioma
  • Pemetrexed and Cisplatin are the most frequently prescribed drugs for chemotherapy purposes, with two hours sessions scheduled every three weeks for patients undergoing this kind of therapy.

Symptoms of pleural (lung) mesothelioma include shortness of breath, chest pain, chronic cough and fatigue caused by persistent coughing and a weakened immune system. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma, or asbestos-related cancer found in the stomach include: accumulation of abdominal fluid (called ascites); unexplained lumps and swelling in the abdominal area and frequent stomach pain.

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Mesothelioma

Epithelioid Malignant Mesothelioma

Epithelioid malignant mesothelioma is the most frequent asbestos-related type of cancer diagnosed in individuals who were once repeatedly exposed to asbestos. Cells which have become infected with epithelioid mesothelioma are distorted in shape, appearing tubular under a microscope because of DNA mutations caused by the asbestos fibers embedded in lungs which have disturbed normal cellular processes. Specialists are also able to detect noticeable differences in the cell nuclei of cells sickened by epithelioid malignant mesothelioma.

The only cause of this cancer is from asbestos exposure, a fibrous material created from naturally occurring minerals and used in a variety of building materials and other industrial products. Because these fibers are microscopic, they are easily inhaled and quickly insert themselves into the soft tissues surrounding the lungs. As a result, inflammation irritates the lungs, which generates conditions conducive to the proliferation of malignant cell growth. According to the Cancer Society’s website, the risk of being affected by mesothelioma increases with age, “with three out of four people diagnosed with mesothelioma being over the age of 65”. In addition, this disease appears to men four times more than women, no doubt due to the manufacturing-type jobs men used to have over 30 years ago.

A relatively new technique being experiment with for the treatment of epithelioid malignant mesothelioma is PDT, or photodynamic therapy. This therapy involves a light-activated drug that is injected in the patient’s vein. The drug has a definite tendency to target cancerous cells and collect inside the cells. After waiting a few days, a specialized red light is inserted into the chest, which stimulates the drug and promotes eradication of cancer cells. However, the drug can only be activated by this red light. The Cancer Organization site states that clinical trials are now being implemented to further develop this type of treatment for epithelioid malignant mesothelioma.

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Mesothelioma

Diagnosing Mesothelioma

A physician diagnosing mesothelioma will employ several techniques in order to correctly diagnose the type of mesothelioma and what to what stage it has progressed. After obtaining the patient’s medical history and any other pertinent information, the doctor will order one of several tests—x-rays, CT scans, MRIs, or PETs. X-rays are only helpful if tumors have formed in the mesothelial lining of the lungs, since evidence of (more…)

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Mesothelioma

Definition of Mesothelioma

A comprehensive definition of mesothelioma involves knowing how it is caused and what damage it perpetrates on the mesothelial tissues lining the lungs. The onset of mesothelioma occurs when someone is repeatedly exposed to asbestos, a highly fibrous, durable and chemically resistant form of magnesium silicate once used in building materials, fireproofing, chemical filters, electrical insulation and many other items associated with manufacturing. Although there are three types of mesothelioma with which an individual can become afflicted, the most frequently seen kind is called pleural mesothelioma, which affects the pleura, or tissues covering the lungs. (more…)

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Mesothelioma

Chemotherapy Mesothelioma

For individuals opting for chemotherapy mesothelioma is one treatment plan among several other programs. Chemotherapy attacks cancerous tumors clinging to the mesothelial lining of the lungs that formed because of asbestos exposure and inhalation of tiny asbestos fibers. Sometimes chemotherapy is employed to reduce the size of tumors in order to (more…)

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Mesothelioma

Causes of Mesothelioma

Fundamentally, the causes of mesothelioma is due to prolonged exposure to asbestos, a fiber created from minerals that are toxic to humans. These fibers are unable to be broken down and eliminated like other substances are generally processed by the body and as a result, accumulate in the lungs inner tissues. Once enough asbestos fibers become embedded into the lungs, the body starts to negatively react to them by initiating a series of biological changes almost always leading to mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer that may take up to 40 years to manifest itself by producing tumors within the lung’s mesothelial tissues. (more…)

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Mesothelioma

Peritoneal Mesothelioma Causes

Peritoneal mesothelioma causes primarily consist of prolonged and repeated exposure to asbestos, a name referring to a group of minerals that natural occur in the earth crust. When broken down into fibers, asbestos is an excellent type of insulation that resists corrosion and extreme heat. However, it was discovered many years later that asbestos was harmful when inhaled, causing an insidious form of lung and stomach cancer. When asbestos accumulates in the lungs and causes a type of detrimental scar tissue to form on the epithelial layer, the resulting reduction in lung functioning creates debilitating symptoms that usually force the individual to seek a doctor’s attention. (more…)

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Mesothelioma

Peritoneal Mesothelioma Cancer

Peritoneal mesothelioma cancer is not as commonly found in individuals as pleural, or lung, mesothelioma but it does occur and affects the peritoneum instead. The peritoneum is the thin, cellular wall that surrounds the abdomen’s interior that lubricates this area so that nearby organs can expand and contract normally. Without the optimal functioning of the peritoneum, internal body structures would be inflexible and unable work properly. Rates of peritoneal mesothelioma cancer are quite low, with around 400 to 450 individuals being diagnosed with this form of mesothelioma cancer each year. (more…)

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