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What is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is normally caused by asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma is cancer that occurs in the mesothelium.
Mesothelioma:
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer affecting the cells of mesothelial lining in the chest and abdomen. Mesothelioma cancer can develop in the tissues covering the lungs or the abdomen. Mesothelioma has also been found in the stomach and other abdominal organs but it is much rarer in those areas than are both pleural mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma. Mesothelioma can also occur in the ovaries and scrotum. Mesothelioma invades the chest wall or the esophagus during the second stage.Mesothelioma also takes a long time to develop (typically 15-40 years), so patients today could have been exposed prior to the 1980s when asbestos was not highly regulated. Mesothelioma is not caused by smoking, as lung cancer so often is.
Symptoms:
Symptoms One of the most common symptoms of mesothelioma is an accumulation of fluid between the lining of the lung and the chest cavity. Symptoms include:abdominal painascites, or an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen a mass in the abdomen problems with bowel function weight loss. Symptoms such as trouble swallowing, pain, or swelling of the neck and face can be indications that the cancer has spread beyond the mesotheliom to other parts of the body. Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include persistent pain in the chest and severe difficulty breathing caused by pleural effusion, or an accumulation of fluid in the pleural lining Cough, weight loss, and fever are also common symptoms. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and abdominal pain and swelling due to a buildup of fluid in the abdomen. Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos.
Diagnosis:
The key to long-term survival from treatment of mesothelioma is early diagnosis, which enables the greatest potential for success from standard therapies. Diagnosis begins with a review of the patient's medical history, including any history of asbestos exposure. Diagnosis of Mesothelioma is based on a pathological exam, more commonly referred to as a biopsy.Since this disease can be hard to diagnosis and costly to treat, it may require the consultation of an experienced attorney. When conclusive diagnosis cannot be made from fluid samples, diagnosis is often made through a surgical procedure called a throrascopy.The average age at diagnosis of mesothelioma is between 50 and 70 years old, with men being affected three to five times more often than women. The diagnosis may be suspected with chest X-ray and CT scan, and is confirmed with a biopsy (tissue sample) and microscopic examination. The median survival time is 17 months, with ten percent of patients living for three years after diagnosis.
Conclusion:
Mesothelioma is a deadly cancer which is fairly rare although in the last few decades the number of people who have died from it have dramatically increased. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer, but the deadliest one of all. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer and only affects between 2,000 and 3,000 people in the United States per year. Mesothelioma is less common in African Americans than in white Americans. Mesothelioma is rare in people under age 55. National Cancer Institute stats show that 3000 new diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma is reported each year. Mesothelioma is not always fatal and that is the hope to hold on to.
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