Wednesday, December 28, 2011

What Is Mesothelioma? Types and Treatment Options

By Adam Woods


Firstly lets analyze the symptoms of Mesothelioma. It is far more likely to effect ex workers in asbestos factories than residential home owners who have had a bit of a scare removing asbestos fibre.

The incident rate of mesothelioma in senior citizens is high for a couple of reasons. First, asbestos was banned in the United States during the 1970s, so exposure has decreased significantly for younger generations. Second, asbestos can remain dormant as a carcinogen for more than fifty years, and the cancer itself can develop for over a year before it is discovered, which puts the highest risk age bracket at seventy years and up.

Persistent dry or raspy cough; trouble swallowing; cough that produces blood; painful breathing; shortness of breath; chest or rib pain; night sweats/fever; and unexplained weight loss. Fatigue and lumps under the skin of the chest have also been reported in patients with pleural mesothelioma. If you spent some time in your life exposed to asbestos and now have any of these symptoms then its time to go see a Mesothelioma Doctor for caution sake at least. You may simply have a common virus but Mesothelioma is so serious that you must be diagnosed to be certain.

Peritoneal mesothelioma Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma - this is a very rare form of cancer which strikes the peritoneum (the cell walls surrounding the abdominal cavity. The peritoneum lubricates the abdominal cavity which allows the surrounding internal organs and body structures to expand and contract. Peritoneal mesothelioma is very rare with fewer than 500 people contracting this form of cancer each year. Several decades after asbestos fibers are breathed in or ingested; cancer will develop in the patient's abdomen. Modern tests can diagnose whether or not a patient has peritoneal mesothelioma. Despite the fact that it is not usually diagnosed until it is in the later stages, there are still some treatment options.

Although some patients may qualify for surgery and other curative treatment options, other patients may simply choose palliative measures. Most patients with peritoneal mesothelioma survive for less than a year. However, with the proper treatment, life expectancy could increase. A mesothelioma specialist can help patients find the best treatment options for their cancer, which might improve the patient's prognosis. According to some studies, the average life expectancy of a man diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma is 7 months, although a few men have survived for almost 100 months. Women usually survive for approximately 9 months after being diagnosed, with a few women surviving for a maximum of 49 months. Patients whose mesothelioma was caught early and with less severe symptoms naturally have a better prognosis.

Mesothelioma treatment options When it comes to treating cancer, doctors focus on killing the malignant cells and saving the healthy ones. There are several ways to do this. Doctors will utilize chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation or a combination of all three as the most effective way to treat mesothelioma. The treatment that will be recommended is dependent on several issues: The type and location of the mesothelioma How big are the tumors? How much the cancer has metastasized? What stage the cancer is in. The patient's age The patient's overall health

Incredibly the US passed a law in the 80′s banning asbestos production but it was overturned in the 90′s so that asbestos could still be manufactured in limited products. The sad thing is though that asbestos has been banned permanently in every other western country but now developing countries governments are buying it in quantities and using it in houses in impoverished areas.




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