A Mesothelioma

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A Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is one of the rare and aggressive cancers. This is caused by asbestos and forms on protective tissues that cover the lungs, stomach or heart. The symptoms include coughing, chest pain and shortness of breath. Treatments combining surgery, radiation and chemotherapy improve survival and life expectancy.

Cause

The cause of Mesothelioma is a rare cancer caused by asbestos exposure.

Cancer develops when a person swallows asbestos, and also causes changes in a person's DNA.

Our genes, which are made of DNA, control how cells grow, multiply & die. Changes in our genes can cause cells to divide out of control and can cause cancer.

Development of Mesothelioma

- Someone inhales or also swallows airborne asbestos fibers.

- Asbestos fibers become lodged in the lining of the lungs, stomach or heart.

- Embedded fibers damage mesothelial cells and often cause inflammation.

- Over time, tumors begin to form in damaged mesothelium, which is the lining of the stomach, lungs, heart and testes.

- Tumors can also be benign (not cancer). But when the tumor is cancerous, doctors call the disease mesothelioma malignant. Often abbreviated to mesothelioma.

Symptoms

Common symptoms of mesothelioma include:

- Dry cough

- Hard to breathe

- Complications of breathing

- Pain in the chest or abdomen

- Fever or night sweats

- Pleural effusion (fluid around the lungs)

- fatigue

- Muscle weakness

Symptoms of mesothelioma usually do not appear until the tumor grows and spreads. Mesothelioma latency is at 20-50 years. That's how long it takes from the initial exposure to an accurate diagnosis. For that reason, many people with mesothelioma are in their 60s or 70s.

You should talk to a mesothelioma specialist immediately if you have a history of asbestos exposure and also experience these symptoms. Early diagnosis can improve your prognosis and life expectancy.

Type of Mesothelioma

Oncologists call each type of mesothelioma based on the location in the body where it develops.

This type of pleural & peritoneal mesothelioma is the most common. Pericardial accounts for 1 percent of cases. Another rare type is testicular mesothelioma. This represents less than 1 percent of all mesothelioma.

Prognosis, symptoms and treatment options vary by type.

- Pleural mesothelioma

- Pleural Mesothelioma

- The most common type

- Forms on the soft tissue that covers the lungs

- It is best treated with a multimodal approach

Who is the Most at Risk for Mesothelioma?

Veteran

The use of asbestos in the military was widespread from 1940 to 1980. Veterans from all branches of the US armed forces were at risk of being exposed. Navy veterans are most at risk. This branch uses the largest quantity of asbestos products.

Work Exposure

Approximately 75 jobs have exposed workers to asbestos. Automatic mechanics, textile workers, steel factory workers, construction workers, and firefighters are among the most risky.

Secondary Exposure

Asbestos workers unknowingly carry asbestos fibers to their bodies or clothing. This results in secondary asbestos exposure among residents such as women and children.

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Overview

Malignant mesothelioma (me-zoe-thee-lee-O-muh) is one type of cancer that occurs in a thin layer of tissue that covers most of your internal organs (mesothelium).

Mesothelioma is an aggressive and very deadly form of cancer. Mesothelioma treatment is available, but for many people with mesothelioma, medicine is not possible.

Doctors divide mesothelioma into various types based on the part of the mesothelium that is affected. Mesothelioma most often affects the tissue that surrounds the lungs (pleura). This type is called pleural mesothelioma. Other types of mesothelioma that more rarely affect the tissue in the stomach (mesothelioma peritoneum), around the heart or around the testicles.

Mesothelioma does not include the form of non-cancerous (benign) tumors that occur in the chest and sometimes called benign mesothelioma or solitary fibrous tumors.

Symptoms

Signs or symptoms of mesothelioma vary depending on where the cancer occurs.

Pleural mesothelioma, which affects the tissue that surrounds the lungs, causes signs and symptoms that may include:

- Chest pain under the ribs

- Coughing is painful

- Hard to breathe

- Unusual lumps of tissue under the skin on your chest

- Weight loss for no reason

Peritoneal mesothelioma, which occurs in the tissue in the stomach, causes signs and symptoms that may include:

-  Stomach ache

- Swelling of the stomach

- Lumps of tissue in the stomach

- Weight loss without reason

Other forms of mesothelioma

Signs and symptoms of other types of mesothelioma are also unclear, because these forms of disease are very rare.

Pericardial mesothelioma, which affects the tissue surrounding the heart, can cause signs and symptoms such as difficulty breathing & chest pain.

Mesothelioma tunica vaginalis, which affects the tissue around the testicles, may be first detected as a swelling or mass in the testicles.

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When to see a doctor

See your doctor if you have signs or symptoms that might indicate mesothelioma. Signs and symptoms of mesothelioma are not specific to this disease and also because of the scarcity of mesothelioma, more likely to be related to other conditions. If there are persistent signs and symptoms that appear unusual or disturbing, ask your doctor to evaluate them. Tell your doctor if you are exposed to asbestos.

Cause

In general, cancer begins when a series of genetic mutations occur within the cell, causing cells to grow and the possibility of breeding out of control. It is unclear what causes the initial genetic mutations that lead to mesothelioma, although researchers have identified factors that can increase risk. It looks like cancer is formed because of interactions between many factors, such as inherited conditions, your environment, your health condition and your lifestyle choices.

Risk factor

Asbestos Exposure: The main risk factor for mesothelioma

Asbestos is a mineral found naturally in the environment. Asbestos fibers are strong and heat resistant, making them useful in a variety of applications, such as insulation, brakes, shingles, floors and many other products.

When asbestos breaks, such as during the mining process or also when removing asbestos, dust can be made. If dust is inhaled or accidentally ingested, asbestos fibers will settle in the lungs or stomach, where they can cause irritation that can cause mesothelioma. Exactly how this happens is not understood. It takes 20 to 40 years or more for mesothelioma to develop after asbestos exposure.

Most people with asbestos exposure for years have never experienced mesothelioma. However, other people with very short exposure develop disease. This shows that other factors may be involved in determining whether or not someone gets mesothelioma. For example, you can inherit a tendency to cancer or some other condition can increase your risk.

Risk factor

Factors that can increase the risk of mesothelioma include:

- Personal history of asbestos exposure. If you are directly exposed to asbestos fibers at work or at home, the risk of your mesothelioma is greatly increased.

- Live with someone who works with asbestos. People exposed to asbestos can bring fiber home to their skin and clothing. Exposure to this stray fiber for years can put other people at home at risk for mesothelioma. People who work with high levels of asbestos can reduce the risk of taking home - asbestos fibers by bathing and changing clothes before leaving for work.

- Family history of mesothelioma. If your parents, siblings or children have mesothelioma, you may have an increased risk of this disease.