Mesothelioma Cancer

Mesothelioma cancer always occurs as a
consequence of previous exposure to asbestos. One should be aware of
the disease and what really happens in it. The mesothelium is actually
a protective lining that offers coverage to the body’s internal organs.
Malignant cancer cells develop in the mesothelium to cause cancer.

People
who have jobs where they are required to inhale asbestos particles or
have been exposed to asbestos cement products during the home
renovation usually have the tendency to develop the mesothelioma
cancer. One can also be exposed to asbestos dust and fiber through
washing the clothes of a person who has worked with asbestos. A chain
smoker can have lung cancer, but not cancer of the mesothelioma.

Symptoms

The
symptoms of the disease starts rearing its ugly head only after one has
had prolonged exposure to asbestos, may be a period of 20 or 50 years.

Pleural mesothelioma

Owing
to the build-up of fluid in the pleural space or the outer lining of
the lungs and chest cavity, one may experience cough, shortness of
breath and pain in the chest.

Peritoneal mesothelioma

Considerable weight loss, cachexia, swelling in the abdomen and pain
due to ascites or the accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity,
are the common symptoms of this mesothelioma cancer. The other symptoms
include blood clotting abnormalities, bowel obstruction, fever and
anemia. Once the cancer spreads to other parts of the body, one might
experience swelling of the face or neck, pain and trouble in
swallowing.

When
the disease has reached its severe stage, the patient suffering from it
can experience many tumor masses, a lung collapse or a pneumothorax.
The symptoms also include the clotting of the blood in the veins, low
blood sugar level, jaundice, severe ascites, pleural effusion,
disseminated intravascular coagulation that causes severe bleeding in
many body organs, and clotting of the blood in the arteries of the
lungs.

Diagnosis of the mesothelioma cancer

This
disease shares its symptoms with the other diseases also and therefore
it becomes quite difficult to diagnose the mesothelioma cancer.
Firstly, the patient’s medical history is reviewed. If there is a
history of exposure to asbestos, the suspicion for mesothelioma
clinically increases. The physical examination includes lung function
tests and chest x-ray. A CT scan or MRI is also performed. When a large
amount of fluid is present, cytology can detect the abnormal cells.

If the cytology is positive, a biopsy will be required for the confirmation of the diagnosis of mesothelioma cancer.

Treatments

Conventional
treatments have proved to be unsuccessful, enabling the patients to
live for only 6 to 12 months after presentation. Surgical treatments
provide a 5-year survival rate for less than 10%. The entire
mesothelium cannot be removed without killing the patient.

Radiation
is for the patients who have the disease localized. It is provided
post-operation to prevent the growth of tumor along the chest wall
track.

Mesothelioma is an aggressive tumor that is usually
fatal. Though there are lots of treatments available for mesothelioma
cancer, but long-term survival generally cannot be expected.