Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which malignant (cancerous) cells are found in the mesothelium, a protective sac that covers most of the body’s internal organs . Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles.
What is the mesothelium?
The mesothelium is a membrane that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the body. It is composed of two layers of cells: One layer immediately surrounds the organ; the other forms a sac around it. The mesothelium produces a lubricating fluid that is released between these layers, allowing moving organs (such as the beating heart and the expanding and contracting lungs ) to glide easily against adjacent structures.The mesothelium has different names, depending on its location in the body. The peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity. The pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. The pericardium covers and protects the heart. The mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis testis. The tunica serosa uteri covers the internal reproductive organs in women.
What is mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma (cancer of the mesothelium) is a disease in which cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide without control or order. They can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also metastasize (spread) from their original site to other parts of the body. Most cases of mesothelioma begin in the pleura or peritoneum…..
How common is mesothelioma? Although reported incidence rates have increased in the past 20 years, mesothelioma is still a relatively rare cancer. About 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year. Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and risk increases with age, but this disease can appear in either men or women at any age.
What are the risk factors for mesothelioma?
Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma. A history of asbestos exposure at work is reported in about 70 percent to 80 percent of all cases. However, mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos.Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that occur naturally as masses of strong, flexible fibers that can be separated into thin threads and woven. Asbestos has been widely used in many industrial products, including cement, brake linings, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles, and insulation. If tiny asbestos particles float in the air, especially during the manufacturing process, they may be inhaled or swallowed, and can cause serious health problems. In addition to mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer, asbestosis (a noncancerous, chronic lung ailment), and other cancers, such as those of the larynx and kidney.Smoking does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma. However, the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure significantly increases a person’s risk of developing cancer of the air passageways in the lung.
Who is at increased risk for developing mesothelioma?
Asbestos has been mined and used commercially since the late 1800s. Its use greatly increased during World War II. Since the early 1940s, millions of American workers have been exposed to asbestos dust. Initially, the risks associated with asbestos exposure were not known. However, an increased risk of developing mesothelioma was later found among shipyard workers, people who work in asbestos mines and mills, producers of asbestos products, workers in the heating and construction industries, and other tradespeople. Today, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets limits for acceptable levels of asbestos exposure in the workplace. People who work with asbestos wear personal protective equipment to lower their risk of exposure.The risk of asbestos-related disease increases with heavier exposure to asbestos and longer exposure time. However, some individuals with only brief exposures have developed mesothelioma. On the other hand, not all workers who are heavily exposed develop asbestos-related diseases.There is some evidence that family members and others living with asbestos workers have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, and possibly other asbestos-related diseases. This risk may be the result of exposure to asbestos dust brought home on the clothing and hair of asbestos workers. To reduce the chance of exposing family members to asbestos fibers, asbestos workers are usually required to shower and change their clothing before leaving the workplace.
What are the symptoms of mesothelioma?
Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 30 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleura are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and abdominal pain and swelling due to a buildup of fluid in the abdomen . Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction , blood clotting abnormalities, anemia , and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions. It is important to see a doctor about any of these symptoms. Only a doctor can make a diagnosis .
How is mesothelioma diagnosed?
Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions. Diagnosis begins with a review of the patient’s medical history, including any history of asbestos exposure. A complete physical examination may be performed, including x-rays of the chest or abdomen and lung function tests. A CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI may also be useful. A CT scan is a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. In an MRI, a powerful magnet linked to a computer is used to make detailed pictures of areas inside the body. These pictures are viewed on a monitor and can also be printed.A biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma. In a biopsy, a surgeon or a medical oncologist (a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer) removes a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope by a pathologist . A biopsy may be done in different ways, depending on where the abnormal area is located. If the cancer is in the chest, the doctor may perform a thoracoscopy. In this procedure, the doctor makes a small cut through the chest wall and puts a thin, lighted tube called a thoracoscope into the chest between two ribs. Thoracoscopy allows the doctor to look inside the chest and obtain tissue samples. If the cancer is in the abdomen, the doctor may perform a peritoneoscopy. To obtain tissue for examination, the doctor makes a small opening in the abdomen and inserts a special instrument called a peritoneoscope into the abdominal cavity. If these procedures do not yield enough tissue, more extensive diagnostic surgery may be necessary.If the diagnosis is mesothelioma, the doctor will want to learn the stage (or extent) of the disease. Staging involves more tests in a careful attempt to find out whether the cancer has spread and, if so, to which parts of the body. Knowing the stage of the disease helps the doctor plan treatment.
Mesothelioma is described as localized if the cancer is found only on the membrane surface where it originated. It is classified as advanced if it has spread beyond the original membrane surface to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes , lungs, chest wall, or abdominal organs.
How is mesothelioma treated?
Treatment for mesothelioma depends on the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, and the patient’s age and general health. Standard treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy , and chemotherapy . Sometimes, these treatments are combined.
Surgery is a common treatment for mesothelioma. The doctor may remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it. For cancer of the pleura (pleural mesothelioma), a lung may be removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy . Sometimes part of the diaphragm , the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing, is also removed.
Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy , involves the use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors . Radiation therapy affects the cancer cells only in the treated area. The radiation may come from a machine (external radiation) or from putting materials that produce radiation through thin plastic tubes into the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy).
Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Most drugs used to treat mesothelioma are given by injection into a vein (intravenous , or IV). Doctors are also studying the effectiveness of putting chemotherapy directly into the chest or abdomen (intracavitary chemotherapy).
To relieve symptoms and control pain, the doctor may use a needle or a thin tube to drain fluid that has built up in the chest or abdomen. The procedure for removing fluid from the chest is called thoracentesis . Removal of fluid from the abdomen is called paracentesis . Drugs may be given through a tube in the chest to prevent more fluid from accumulating. Radiation therapy and surgery may also be helpful in relieving symptoms.
Mesothelioma Cancer Diagnosed
Following diagnosis, uppermost amongst a patient's thoughts will be these..."Am I going to die?", "Will I be in much pain?". As there is no cure for mesothelioma it is important that the patient is advised that with modern treatment they can, for months or years, live a normal life for most of the time. And that the modern drugs are very effective at keeping pain under control and relieving it.
Obviously the treatment aspect is extremely important and the patient and close relatives must ensure that they get the consultant and doctors to explain comprehensively how it is all going to work. It is advisable to compile a list of questions to put to the medical staff prior to any appointments or consultations and to get a relative or close friend to go along with the patient.
I would advise taking a look on the internet for information about the disease and printing out relevant bits. I did this when my father was diagnosed with stomach cancer. When I showed the consultant what I had been studying, I sensed a more open discussion and perhaps a few more technical details were covered that otherwise might not have been.
There is no harm in taking notes with you and you might even consider taping the discussion. These are potentially highly stressful and upsetting meetings which might mean that you don't remember all that was said. You'll want to know where and when the treatments will take place.
Include questions about possible side effects and the range and type of drugs they will be taking. And how the drugs will be taken, injection, by mouth, intravenous etc.
Difficulties arise when a question is asked about how long the patient has got to live. It is impossible for the doctor to predict the future exactly for an individual patient and they would be putting unecessary pressure on themselves if they did. This uncertainty is not good for the patient and vague answers never satisfy anyone. I would push the doctor for an educated guess based on his experience and the results he has at hand. This is only my opinion. I would want to know if I've got months (which could be two or three) or years (which could be 12 months).
Signs Of Mesothelioma Lung Cancer
Exposure to Asbestos can be an occupational or environmental hazard. People who live in central Turkey are environmentally exposed to the naturally occurring asbestos in that area with some families having a genetic predisposition to the erionite in asbestos which causes Mesothelioma. Others at risk are families that live in old buildings containing asbestos. Children that are exposed are at a much higher risk to contract Mesothelioma. People who are occupationally exposed to asbestos are those who work in mines, mills, factories, naval shipyards that use the mineral in manufacturing. Other people subject to exposure to asbestos are construction workers who remodel old buildings or are involved in their demolition. Also asbestos can be brought home on clothing which can cause second hand exposure to family members. Finally, studies show asbestos exposure and cigarette smoke (a carcinogen) put you at a 90 times greater risk for lung cancer.
Symptoms to the conditions above include coughing, shortness of breath (due to pleural effusion which is fluid between the lung and chest wall), chest wall pain, and weight loss. Diagnosis is suspect by chest x-ray and CT scan. It is confirmed with a biopsy and microscopic examination. A thoracoscopy test (camera and tube into the lung) may also be done. Treatment involves chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. Sadly to say, all carry a poor prognosis and screening tests for early detection are ongoing. At this time an elevated serum osteopontin level may be the only clue available to the onset of these illnesses.
Since asbestos exposure is unhealthy and hazardous and leads to serious health conditions, today occupational safety standards against exposure in the work place are in force. The use of respirators, protective clothing, exposure monitoring, hygiene facilities and practices, warning signs, labeling, record keeping, and medical exams. The key factor against exposure is the wearing of personal protective equipment which is essential to lowering the risk.
Because asbestos has been in use for over a century now, millions of American workers have been unknowingly exposed to its devastating effects to the body if inhaled. If you have become a mesothelioma patient yourself you need to be aware of your rights and pursue legal action if necessary. Hopefully this article has made you aware of the dangers and warning signs to you and your family that you may be able to avoid exposure and its serious consequences.
Asbestos
Asbestos is the name for a mineral grouping that occurs naturally in nature. It has been widely used, particularly in construction. The fibrous bundles of asbestos are separated to produce thin and durable sheets. The reason why this material has come to be so widely used in various industries is because its fibers have a resistance to heat, fire and chemicals, and it is not a conductor of electricity.
Although the use of asbestos may appear to be practical and harmless, evidence has shown that those exposed to asbestos, whether at home or at the workplace, face a severe health risk. Any disturbance to asbestos products can cause the release of asbestos fibers into the air that may then be breathed in. This can be extremely serious, as when breathed in, the particles could get trapped and remain lodged in the lungs for a long time. The accumulation of these fibers over time causes inflammation and scarring, affecting the respiratory function and can result in severe health problems.
The fact that asbestos has been classified as a human carcinogen should give you a clear idea of the risk it poses. Exposure to asbestos increases the likelihood of developing pleural plaques, pleural thickening, and benign pleural effusions, lung cancer and mesothelioma. Asbestosis is in fact the term for the condition resulting from exposure to asbestos and indicates the presence of symptoms like chest pain, breathing difficulties, scarring, stabbing pains, and other permanent lung damage that increases the risk of the fore mentioned diseases.
There are various factors that can add up to increase the risk posed to you from asbestos exposure.
· The source
· The dosage exposed to
· The duration of the exposure
· The nature of the asbestos fibers or manufacturing process – size, shape and chemical makeup
· Individual considerations such as the presence of a pre-existing lung disease or smoking
The risk of course, increases with heavier and more prolonged exposure, but can also be serious when only brief. Keep in mind that the signs of illness may not surface until long after the initial exposure.
