Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer sometimes known as "asbestos
cancer". It has the unusual title of asbestos cancer due to the fact
that most mesothelioma sufferers have been exposed to asbestos
at some point in their life.
What you may ask is this substance called asbestos? Asbestos is a
fibrous type material used in building insulation. It enters the general
environment when asbestos containing building materials break down.
Unfortunately, these breakdown products can rather easily enter the
air and water supply causing serious health problems for those who
inhale them. When inhaled they cause an inflammatory reaction in
lung tissue that over time can develop into a mesothilioma or asbestos
cancer. A rather unfortunate occurence for the affected party!
Who is most susceptible to exposure to asbestos? People who work in
asbestos related industries such as those that mine or make asbestos
products, work in shipyards or do home remodeling involving asbestos
products are most likely to be exposed to this dangerous fiber. If you
have asbestos in your home you may also be at risk of exposure if you
remodel your home or do any repairs which cause the material to scatter
and become airborne.
It may be many years after exposure before the symptoms of
mesothelioma occur. Sometimes mesothelioma doesn't develop
until as long as 50 years after the initial exposure! Persons who
were exposed to asbestos as early as the 1950's may now just
now be developing symptoms due to the slow manifestation of
this disease. Asbestos can also cause problems by entering the
water supply from asbestos tainted pipes.
Diagnosis is made more complicated by the fact that initial symptoms
are often vague. In fact, in the early stages, the affected party may
have no symptoms at all! Since mesothelioma generally involves the
pleural cavity of the lung, symptoms may include shortness or breath,
cough, or chest pain. This makes diagnosis difficult in the early stages
which decreases the rate of survival.
If you experience any of the above symptoms and have been exposed to
asbestos at any point in your life, it's important that you contact your
doctor immediately. He or she can run appropriate tests and make the
diagnosis. The earlier treatment is begun, the better the ultimate prognosis.
There are numerous treatment centers across the country dedicated to
treating sufferers of mesothelioma. They are most commonly found around
university based hospitals and often run clinical trials to determine better
methods of treatment for mesothelioma. This is a big advantage as the
patient can get up-to-date, state of the art treatment at these centers.
Hopefully, by being aware of the above symptoms and available
treatments, the survival rate of those affected by mesothelioma can
be maximized.
