Home | Health | Diseases And Conditions | Cancer

What is Mesothelioma

By: Content Zebraman

Read More About Cancer

Most folks who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or they have been exposed to asbestos dirt and fiber in other ways. It has additionally been recommended that washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos can place someone at risk for developing mesothelioma. Not like lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking, but smoking greatly will increase the risk of other asbestos-induced cancers.[3] Compensation via asbestos funds or lawsuits is an important issue in mesothelioma (see asbestos and also the law).

The symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath because of pleural effusion (fluid between the lung and the chest wall) or chest wall pain, and general symptoms such as weight loss. The diagnosis might be suspected with chest X-ray and CT scan, and is confirmed with a biopsy (tissue sample) and microscopic examination. A thoracoscopy (inserting a tube with a camera into the chest) will be used to take biopsies. It permits the introduction of gear like talc to obliterate the pleural space (called pleurodesis), that prevents additional fluid from accumulating and pressing on the lung. Despite treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or generally surgery, the disease carries a poor prognosis. Analysis regarding screening tests for the early detection of mesothelioma is ongoing.

Signs and symptoms

Symptoms of mesothelioma may not seem till twenty to fifty years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath, cough, and pain within the chest thanks to an accumulation of fluid within the pleural space are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma.

Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma embrace weight loss and cachexia, abdominal swelling and pain thanks to ascites (a buildup of fluid within the abdominal cavity). Different symptoms of Peritoneal Mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to alternative parts of the body, symptoms might embody pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.

These symptoms could be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions.

Mesothelioma that affects the pleura will cause these signs and symptoms:

* Chest wall pain
* Pleural effusion, or fluid surrounding the lung
* Shortness of breath
* Fatigue or anemia
* Wheezing, hoarseness, or cough
* Blood in the sputum (fluid) coughed up (hemoptysis)

In severe cases, the person might have several tumor masses. The individual may develop a pneumothorax, or collapse of the lung. The disease may metastasize, or spread, to other components of the body.

Tumors that affect the abdominal cavity usually don't cause symptoms until they are at a late stage. Symptoms include:

* Abdominal pain
* Ascites, or an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen
* A mass in the abdomen
* Issues with bowel function
* Weight loss

In severe cases of the disease, the following signs and symptoms may be present

* Blood clots in the veins, that might cause thrombophlebitis
* Disseminated intravascular coagulation, a disorder inflicting severe bleeding in many body organs
* Jaundice, or yellowing of the eyes and skin
* Low blood sugar level
* Pleural effusion
* Pulmonary emboli, or blood clots within the arteries of the lungs
* Severe ascites

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

asbestosmesotheliomacode.info

Please Rate this Article

 

Not yet Rated

Click the XML Icon Above to Receive Cancer Articles Via RSS!
Additional Articles From - Home | Health | Diseases And Conditions | Cancer
Sign Up for a free account.
Our other websites
All about SEO
Beauty Tips Forum
Submit Articles
Member Login
Link Us
Submission Guidelines
Ezine Notifications
Article RSS Feeds
Sitemap
New Stuff
About Us
Developer
Good shopping portal
Link to Us
Contact Us
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service

counter easy hit

Powered by Article Dashboard