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Mesothelioma:
Causes, Symptoms, Prevention and
Lawsuits
What is
malignant Mesothelioma?
Malignant Mesothelioma is a
rare type of cancer that grows
on the mesothelium, the membrane
or protective sac that surrounds
the various organs of the body.
It guards the organs by
producing a special type of
fluid to promote mobility of the
organs. In the case of the
lungs, mesothelium fluid allows
ease in the movement when taking
in air. A Mesothilioma tumor can
start on any area of the
mesothelium which can be benign
or cancerous. Exposure to
asbestos is known to be the
cause of malignant Mesothelioma. Asbestos
is a heat resistant fibrous
mineral used in the industry as
the main material in making
roofing, gasket compounds, floor
tiles and patching compounds.
It's versatility makes it a
component of various products in
the market but it is extremely
dangerous once inhaled no matter
how small the quantity may be.
Inhaled asbestos fiber can pass
through the air passages which
can come in contact with linings
of the lungs which can injure
the cells and result to pleural Mesotheloma. Swallowed asbestos
on the other hand can affect the
fibers lined up on the abdominal
cavity resulting to peritoneal
Mesothelioma. There are also
evidences that link Mesothelioma
with Thorotrast, a component
used for X-rays but its usage
has been stopped for a long
time.
Mesothelioma
symptoms and signs can be
very common and this is why the
patient may just take them for
granted. The symptoms may occur two to three months before Mesothelioma is detected.
Pleural Mesothelioma is the
commonly occurring type which
takes part in almost two thirds
of the total detected
Mesotheloma cases. The linings
of the lungs and chest called
pleura are the affected regions
of Pleural Mesothelioma. Common
signs are weight loss but not
related with shift in diet,
recurring
constipation or diarrhea,
increase in the waist area,
nausea, vomiting, fever and even
anemia. Anyone who encounters
these symptoms that has been
exposed to asbestos should
consult their doctor for
diagnosis to prevent further Mesothelioma complicated
problems. Prevention of
Mesothelioma can be best done by
avoiding contact with asbestos
which is proven to be its main
causing agent. Asbestos is found
almost everywhere. It may be at
home, at work or in any public
buildings. Workers involved with
it must take extra care and
precautions to avoid contact
through inhalation or
swallowing. Low rates of Mesothilioma cases
were detected
for the past 20 years but
nowadays the number of affected
individuals has been growing to
a large degree. In United States
almost 2,000 new cases are
detected each year. It occurs
mostly with men since they are
commonly the ones involved in
business and cases that involve
the use of asbestos. Factory
workers, miners, railroad
laborers, gas mask makers,
insulation workers and ship
builders are the commonly
asbestos related victims.
Imaging
Techniques and Their Value in
Diagnosing and Assessing
Mesothelioma
There are
several imaging techniques which
may prove useful when
mesotyelioma is suspected due to
the presence of pleural effusion
combined with a history of
occupational or secondary
asbestos exposure. While these
imaging techniques can be
valuable in assessing the
possibility of the cancer,
definitive diagnosis is still
most often established through
fluid diagnosis or tissue
biopsy.
• X-ray
A chest x-ray can reveal
pleural effusion (fluid
build-up) which is confined
to either the right (60%) or
left (40%) lung. On
occasion, a mass may be
seen. Signs of prior
non-cancerous asbestos
disease, such as pleural
plaques or pleural
calcification, or scarring
due to asbestosis may also
be noted.
•
Computed Tomography (CT)
CT scans are
also able to define pleural
effusion, as well as pleural
thickening, pleural
calcification, thickening of
interlobular fissures, or
possible chest wall
invasion. CT, however, is
not able to differentiate
between changes associated
with benign asbestos disease
(pleural disease), or
differentiate between
adenocarcinoma of the lung
which may have spread to the
pleura verses mesothilioma.
CT scans may also be
valuable in guiding fine
needle aspiration of pleural
masses for tissue diagnosis.
•
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
MRI scans
are most often used to
determine the extent of
tumor prior to aggressive
treatment. Because they
provide images in multiple
planes, they are better able
to identify tumors as
opposed to normal
structures. They are also
more accurate than CT scans
in assessing enlargement of
the mediastinal lymph nodes
(those lymph nodes which lie
between the two lungs), as
well as a clear
diaphragmatic surface, both
of which play an important
role in surgical candidacy.
•
Positron Emission Tomography
(PET)
PET imaging
has now become an important
part of the diagnosis and
evaluation of mesotheloma.
While PET scans are more
expensive than other types
of imaging, and are not
always covered under
insurance, they are now
considered to be the most
diagnostic of tumor sites,
as well as the most superior
in determining the staging
of mesothelioma.
• CT/PET
For patients
who may be candidates for
aggressive multimodality
treatment (surgery,
chemotherapy and radiation),
accurate clinical staging is
extremely important.
Integrated CT/PET imaging
provides a relatively new
tool in this respect, and
has become the imaging
technique of choice for
determining surgical
eligibility. By combining
the benefits of CT and PET
(anatomic and metabolic
information) into a single
scan, this technology has
become
more accurate in determining
the stage of the cancer, and
helping to identify the best
treatment option for the
patient.
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