You May Have Heard of Mesothelioma - What is It?

There are different types of cancer and Mesothelioma is one of them which occur if a person is exposed to asbestos for quite a long time. Our internal organs have a protective lining over them called mesothelium which develops a number of bad cells with asbestos exposure. It mostly occurs in the heart and the lungs and the victims are workers who are part of the asbestos industry. They inhale asbestos and are always at the risk of developing this disease.

The starting symptoms of Mesothelioma are breathing difficulties and sudden loss of weight. Since weight loss occurs in the case of other physical disorders, it is hard for a person to identify that they have developed this illness. An X-ray might make the doctor suspect that the person has developed this disease and it can be diagnosed and confirmed only if a biopsy is performed on the patient.

After diagnosing a person with mesothelioma, a number of treatment procedures are available which is decided by the doctor based on the condition of the patient. The treatment procedures may include the introduction of talc into the respiratory system of the diagnosed and this is done to block the pleural space around the lungs. This is done to reduce the pressure on the lungs caused by fluids. The outcome of this disease is usually very severe mainly because a lot of damage is already done before the disease has been diagnosed. The other procedures involved in treating mesothelioma are Radiation therapy, surgery and chemotherapy..

Mesothelioma not only affects the lungs and there a number of other types of the disease other than pleural mesothelioma. But statistical evidences show that more than 70% of the people affected by the disease belong to this category. Mesothelioma is also developed in the abdominal linings and this disorder is called Peritoneal Mesothelioma. This also occurs with prolonged exposure to asbestos and but this happens by the intake of asbestos into the digestive tract and not by inhalation. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy are employed to treat the ones affected and in cases of early identification of the disease a simple surgery is enough for curing the patient.

Pericardial Mesothelioma is a rare type of the illness and it is found to occur only in 10% of the total Mesothelioma cases registered every year. This is also caused by asbestos exposure and in this case it is the heart which is affected. The passage of asbestos to the heart is not very evident and it is believed that the asbestos taken into the bloodstream is the main cause for this disorder. In case of Pericardial Mesothelioma the same techniques of chemotherapy and radiation therapy are employed and surgery cannot be performed as the tumour area is risky to operate on.

People who have been exposed to asbestos without prior intimation can go on to get financial compensation if they have been diagnosed with this disease. This mainly includes workers and construction laborers who are working in the asbestos environment. Once Mesothelioma has developed there is nothing which one can do to cure the disease.

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