Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that is most often found in patients that have had exposure to asbestos particles, commonly through inhalation. The risk of being diagnosed with this disease is higher in those who have had a prolonged exposure to asbestos. However, it is possible for some individuals that only have had a brief exposure to develop mesothelioma.
It is possible that family members and others have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma from living with those who work with asbestos. This may due to exposure to asbestos dust that clings to clothing or hair of the workers. In hopes to reduce this exposure, asbestos workers usually shower and change their clothing prior to coming home from their workplace. In fact, many companies require this of their employees.
This cancer of the mesothelium (a membrane that protects and envelops most of the internal organs of your body) is where the cells of the mesothelium become abnormal. They divide without control or order and can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. As with many cancers, there is always the possibility of metastasizing or spreading to other parts of your body.
The following are symptoms to look out for when diagnosing mesothelioma:
•Weight loss
•Abdominal pain and swelling due to fluid buildup in the abdomen
•Bowel obstruction
•Abnormal blood clotting or anemia
•Fever
If the cancer has metastasized or spread to other parts of the body, additional symptoms may be pain, swelling of the neck and/or face and trouble swallowing.
Mesothelioma treatment options are based on the location of the cancer and the stage of the disease. Additional factors are the overall health of the patient and their age. The following are the most common treatments:
• Surgery. It is performed by removing part of the chest’s or abdomen’s lining and nearby tissue. It is also possible that removal of a lung may be necessary. Depending on the cancer location, a part of the diaphragm (a muscle below the lungs that helps you breathe) may also be removed.
• Chemotherapy. This is a common treatment for cancer in general which uses drugs to kill the cancer cells in the body. Most of these drugs used to treat mesothelioma are given by injection through an IV intravenously.
• Radiation or radiotherapy. This is another common treatment for many cancers. It uses high energy rays designed to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. This is a targeted therapy that only affects cancer cells in the treated area and can be delivered in two ways. It may come from external radiation through a machine or via materials that produce radiation that are applied by inserting thin plastic tubes into the cancer affected area through internal therapy.
Unfortunately, there is no cure on the horizon for mesothelioma. Patients can respond well to treatment, however this may only relieve or sooth the symptoms of this disease. It is important to raise awareness of risk factors of and to make sure that more people are not diagnosed with this disease.
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