Some Truths About Asbestos Lung Mesothelioma

Some Truths About Asbestos Lung Mesothelioma
By: Peter Nisbet

There are various types of mesothelioma but asbestos lung mesothelioma is an asbestos-induced cancer of the mesothelium of the lung, more familiarly known as the pleura, which is the external lining of the lung.

Many of the major organs of the body have a mesothelium, that of the heart being called the pericardium and of the heart the peritoneum. However, it is with the pleura that we are concerned here, and the symptoms of asbestos lung mesothelioma are what you would expect: coughing, discomfort in the chest cavity and eventual pain.

Before we come to possible treatments and palliative care, lets have a look at what causes it and why we are still seeing new cases today after asbestos was banned for construction use in the 1970s.

Asbestos comes in several forms, the most dangerous thought to be crocidolite, commonly known as blue asbestos. This form of asbestos is in a highly fibrous form, and it is the inhalation and ingestion of these fibers that cause the problem. They tend to remain in the body for a considerable period of time and it can take up to 40 45 years before the symptoms of mesothelioma begin to appear, though some people contract it in their 30s.

To complicate the situation, it is not only asbestos that causes the symptoms, but any fibrous silicate, which it is why some compensation cases are not as cut and dry as they could be. To add to this complication, smoking adds to the possibility of cancer and it is argued that many patients would not have contracted mesothelioma had they not smoked.

This is not only an argument made by solicitors in court, but has been established by statistics. It is pretty certain that smokers have a greater tendency of contracting asbestos lung mesothelioma than non-smokers, since attorneys for the employers have used this as a reason for having the otherwise high compensation significantly reduced.

There is a popular misconception that mesothelioma is caused by asbestos, but it is just a misconception. Lung cancer is mesothelioma, and in the USA 80% of mesothelioma cases are caused by smoking. That is an indisputable fact. In order to prove the intervention of asbestos in a case, therefore, not only would the patients have to prove that they had worked with asbestos, but also not to have smoked. Had they smoked, then the award could be greatly reduced.

The term asbestos lung mesothelioma is therefore a correct one because that form of the disease to which we are referring is caused by asbestos, and not smoking, is of the pleura of the lung and not of the pericardium or peritoneum, and is mesothelioma.

Its treatment is largely palliative, or intended to ease suffering, because the prognosis is fairly grim. Only about 20% of cases live to 5 years after diagnosis, with most surviving only one year, though much depends on how far the condition had developed by the time it was diagnosed. Chemotherapy and radiation treatment are used, but not successfully, and various degrees of surgery are also used. Removal of the affected lung, pericardium and half the diaphragm is the most major of these, and even that only extends life to a maximum of around five years from diagnosis.

There are new treatments being tested, but all treatment is expensive, and a good attorney is likely necessary to secure the compensation to pay for these. Ultimately hospice care will be required and again compensation money should be kept back for this. Ultimately, in spite of all the treatment given, it is palliative care that will make the last days of the patient bearable, as will the help and support of the family, and this is what compensation can fund.

Pericardial Mesothelioma Symptoms and Misdiagnosis

Pericardial mesothelioma is a mesothelioma cancer that starts perilously close to the heart. Misdiagnosis is common, and treatment options are slim. The tumor can be benign, allowing for easier removal, or malignant - fast spreading and deadly. There are many cancers and diseases that affect the pericardial space around the heart, and pericardial mesothelioma is one of the rarest. However, it is the most common primary malignant pericardial tumor. It can also be secondary to malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Five to ten percent of all mesothelioma cases are pericardial mesothelioma, and the failure to diagnose pericardial mesothelioma early enough contributes to its low life expectancy from a few months to less than two years. The failure to detect the disease can also contribute to its statistical status. Early detection of pericardial mesothelioma provides a faint hope for prolonged survival, but only in the rarest and perhaps most medically advanced of mesothelioma cases is this possible.

Exposure to asbestos is the primary cause of pericardial mesothelioma and other mesotheliomas, such as the abdominal peritoneal mesothelioma, and the more common pleural mesothelioma of the lungs. The lungs, the abdomen and the heart are surrounded by a membrane. The cancer tumors of mesothelioma attack these membranes that are made out of mesothelium cells. If you can visualize your heart hanging within a sac, you can visual the membrane that is the subject of pericardial mesothelioma.

Pericardial mesothelioma, pleural mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma all involve the fluid that is retained with the membrane. This fluid is necessary for proper functioning of the heart, lungs and other vital bodily systems. Excess fluid interferes, and even halts normal organ functions. The excess fluid is what is responsible for many of the mesothelioma symptoms of pain.

Chest pain, shortness of breath, coughing, and severe sweating at night have all been recorded as symptoms of malignant pericardial mesothelioma. These are more likely to be symptomatic of a non-cancer pericardial disease such as an inflammation of the pericardium - which is called pericardiocentesis and has identical symptoms. There have been cases where a misdiagnosis of lupus and even tuberculosis turned up as being malignant pericardial mesothelioma. Secondary cancers from lung cancer, breast cancer, lymphoma and leukemia can also attack the pericardium. Malignant mesothelioma in the pericardial region is often not discovered until surgery.

To further complicate matters, a CT scan can be interpreted as fluid, rather than the malignant tumor it is. This happened in 1979 with a 17 year old boy. Computed tomography has fortunately made significant advances since 1979, but CTs, MRIs and PETs must be done quickly. Poor detection and recognition still exist, and a second and third opinion should always be pursued. A patient should persist to find the source of pain and mesothelioma symptoms whenever a physician suggests an unknown etymology.

Pericardial mesothelioma treatment is in its infancy. Research continues in the areas of combination chemotherapies to reduce mass, intracavitary chemotherapy and irradiation, vaccines, molecular therapy and other mesothelioma treatment and preventative measures. As mesothelioma cases increase, so will effective mesothelioma treatments. It may be a long time before a cure for pericardial mesothelioma and other mesotheliomas are discovered. For now, advocacy work to ban asbestos use world wide is one of the best preventative medicines for the future that even a non-scientist can pursue.

Pericardial mesothelioma is often underdiagnosed in traditional tests and not found until heart surgery. The pain of pericardial mesothelioma and other malignant mesothelioma cancers can be quite severe. If a patient has pericardial mesothelioma with severe pain, the chances of survival and mesothelioma life expectancy is under two years. In 2004 a pericardiectomy was performed on a 19 year old boy and he died soon after surgery. A case study on a 54 year old man reported in the 2008 publication of the Annals of Thoracic Cardiovacular Surgery concluded that pain been shown to be reduced with resectioning the tumor and a pericardiectomy, which removes the pericardium, or a section of the pericardium.

Pericardiectomies are used more frequently to reduce constriction. However this barely touches the surface of the disease. The surgery is risky, but as knowledge of the cancer increases, so does the effectiveness of surgery. The earlier the pericardial mesothelioma tumor is found, the less risky the surgery. Pericardial mesothelioma does not respond to radiotherapy. Chemotherapy is used to reduce the cancerous mass.

Reference: mesothelioma information, such as mesothelioma symptoms, mesothelioma treatments and mesothelioma stages.

Mesothelioma Symptoms and Tests for Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma symptoms are progressively slow and take years to surface. Early medical testing to confirm the etymology of mesothelioma symptoms can add years on to your life, and can even offer you salvation from a normally fatal disease. If you’ve been exposed to asbestos and are experiencing mesothelioma symptoms, notify your doctor of any asbestos exposure and monitor your symptoms from their onset. Even short term asbestos exposure can result in non-fatal pleural diseases. Keeping a journal of your mesothelioma symptoms can assist you and your physician in medical diagnosis, and it may contribute to an asbestos claim.

The symptoms of mesothelioma will differ based on their origin. Pleural mesothelioma starts in the lung area, peritoneal mesothelioma starts in the abdomen area, and pericardial mesothelioma starts dangerously close to the heart. Benign and malignant mesothelioma have similar symptoms, and similar tests. Weight loss is a well-documented symptom in the majority of mesothelioma cases. Abdominal pain is a primary symptom of peritoneal mesothelioma. Both pleural mesothelioma symptoms and peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms include chest pain and shortness of breath.

Pleural mesothelioma medical tests look at the pleural lining, lung fluid, inflammatory conditions, tissue, blood counts and cells to help determine what type of pleural activity is going on inside your lungs. The tests will help diagnose whether your mesothelioma symptoms might be due to pleural effusion, diffuse pleural thickening, asbestosis or other asbestos caused diseases that aren’t necessarily as dangerous as pleural mesothelioma, but can be due to their respiratory nature.

A CT scan will identify pleural thickening better than a chest X-ray. MRI and PET scans can then determine whether the pleural disease is diffuse pleural thickening or if it is malignant pleural mesothelioma. Blood tests can also give an indication of the possibility of cancer. Once cancer is the suspected cause of your mesothelioma symptoms, a biopsy will take place. Thoracentesis removes pleural fluid for diagnosis. Thoracoscopy uses a “camera” (endoscope) inserted into the chest for diagnose and a sample of tissue is taken at that time. Pleural mesothelioma starts in the pleural region, but it will progress to attach other major body organs, such as the heart or abdominal area.

Abdominal pain and bowel restrictions are common peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms. If peritoneal mesothelioma is suspected after the traditional CT, MRI and PET scans, a peritoneoscopy or paracentesis is likely. Peritoneoscopy is done in the hospital with a camera-like instrument called a peritoneoscope. Peritoneal mesothelioma has also been incidentally discovered while performing similar procedures involving infertility examinations on women. A fluid sample is obtained in a process called paracentesis. This involves a needle going into your abdomen to get a sample of the fluid.

Pericardial mesothelioma symptoms always involve severe chest pain. This is a cancer invading the sac over the heart. The pericardial mesothelioma patient may even experience heart failure. Blood tests, CT scans, MRIs and PETs are just the beginning of pericardial mesothelioma medical tests. There will be pulmonary tests and potentially dangerous biopsies. Pericardial mesothelioma symptoms are frequently misdiagnosed. The cancer is very rare, and many well-known diseases display the same symptoms as pericardial mesothelioma. It is often during surgery that pericardial mesothelioma is discovered, and then it is usually too late.

Mesothelioma symptoms can be suggestive of many cancers or diseases. Medical testing for mesothelioma symptoms requires a long battery of tests to discover symptom origins. Medical tests for mesothelioma symptoms can expedite mesothelioma treatment. Symptoms take decades to surface. Start recording your mesothelioma symptoms and start your tests early. It’s better to test for mesothelioma symptoms early, before it’s too late.

Reference: mesothelioma information, such as mesothelioma symptoms, mesothelioma treatments and mesothelioma stages.

Mesothelioma Mesomark Blood Test

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the MESOMARK assay to help monitor response to treatment in malignant mesothelioma patients. The MESOMARK test signifies the beginning of a new era in monitoring mesothelioma malignancies,“ said Dr. W. Jeffrey Allard, vice president and chief scientific officer of Fujirebio Diagnostics. "As the first in-vitro test for patients with this aggressive disease, it will enable doctors to more accurately detect recurrence and monitor treatment of patients.”

The MESOMARK Assay test kit was developed to measure levels of a biomarker, mesothelin, in serum. Biomarkers are substances found in higher-than-normal concentrations in the blood, urine or body tissues of patients with certain types of cancers. The test may be used to monitor patients confirmed as having mesothelioma, for recurrence in patients following surgery, or for measuring response to therapies.

“Current diagnostic tests are less than ideal for quantification of changes in tumor volume, which is key to managing the disease,” continued Allard. “As the MESOMARK results correlate with tumor volume*, it provides a much needed tool for monitoring patient status. It is our plan to collect additional data in the future to support the use of the test to detect mesothelioma.”

MESOMARK test are now making it possible - with a simple blood test -to monitor response to treatment and to detect recurrence following treatment. This provides an important head start to patients racing against this aggressive cancer. “The Meso Foundation is the national research funding, patient support and advocacy organization dedicated to eradicating mesothelioma as a life-threatening disease.

Those wishing to take part in MESOMARK testing will be asked to provide one or more samples of blood. The blood samples will then be sent to a national reference laboratory for testing. In conjunction with other clinical and laboratory data obtained by your doctor, decisions regarding your treatment and care may be simplified. You may discontinue testing at any time.

Reference:
Diagnisis Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma Lawyers In High Demand

Mesothelioma is a rare, deadly cancer that strikes nearly 3,000 people in the United States every year. The average life expectancy of a person suffering from mesothelioma is a mere six months from diagnosis. Most victims are men over the age of forty who have worked with asbestos or in buildings where asbestos was present.

Because mesothelioma is caused by direct exposure to asbestos or asbestos dust, and nearly 30 million tons of asbestos was used in buildings of every description until the mid 1970’s, it has kept Mesothelioma lawyers in high demand, as they pursue Mesothelioma settlements for the victims and their families. If your home was built prior to the mid 1970’s it should be inspected for asbestos. Asbestos was used in insulation, to include boiler and pipe insulation, fireproofing spray; firebrick, gunite and many construction materials, such as roof, floor and ceiling tiles.

Mesothelioma can develop up to 50 years after direct or indirect exposure to asbestos. Early symptoms can include shortness of breath, pain in the lower back or in the sides of your chest. Unfortunately, these symptoms are common to many types of illness, and diagnosis is often delayed because of this. If you suspect that you or your loved one may have mesothelioma, it is critical that you inform your doctor of your asbestos exposure. Other less common symptoms may include unexplained weight loss, fatigue, difficulty swallowing, cough, fever and sweats.

If you or your loved one is diagnosed with mesothelioma you should contact a mesothelioma lawyer immediately to see if you have a mesothelioma case. Try to write down any source of possible exposure regardless of time passed and try to locate the responsible parties. Your mesothelioma lawyer will advise you on the statute of limitations. If you have a family member who has died from mesothelioma you may still be eligible to file a claim. If you were never directly exposed to asbestos but contracted mesothelioma from indirect exposure, such as asbestos dust brought home on a family members clothing, you may also be eligible to file a mesothelioma case.

While a settlement can not erase the fact that you or your loved one have contracted mesothelioma, it can bring comfort, security and stability to a family in crisis.

In order to cope with a diagnosis of Mesothelioma, it is crucial to know three important facts about this disease. First, one needs to know what Mesothelioma is. Second, it is imperative to know what causes this deadly cancer. Lastly, one must know as much as possible about the three forms of Mesothelioma. They are Pleural Mesothelioma, Peritoneal Mesothelioma and Pericardial Mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that is attributed to repeated exposure to asbestos. Individuals most susceptible for developing Mesothelioma are those who work in shipyards, asbestos mines, manufacture asbestos products, and those employed in the heating and construction trades. Mesothelioma does not usually become evident until 20 to 60 years after exposure to asbestos.

Mesothelioma gets its name from the word mesothelium. The mesothelium is the protective lining that covers and helps to protect most of the body’s internal organs. This form of cancer invades the mesothelium. Pleural Mesothelioma, Peritoneal Mesothelioma and Pericardial Mesothelioma are aggressive forms of cancer that attack the protective lining of the lungs, abdomen and heart, respectively.

Pleural Mesothelioma is the most prevalent form of Mesothelioma. It presents itself in the Pleura, or lining of the inside of the chest that house the lungs. When asbestos is mined, manufactured or disturbed, asbestos particles escape into the air. These particles are easily inhaled or swallowed. Over an extended period of time, these inhaled and ingested asbestos particles may eventually cause normal cells in the Pleura to become abnormal, causing Pleural Mesothelioma.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma is a more rare form of Mesothelioma. This type of cancer originates in the Peritoneum or the membranous lining of the abdomen that encloses the stomach, intestines, liver, spleen, and pancreas. Peritoneal Mesothelioma accounts for less than a quarter of all Mesothelioma cases.

Pericardial Mesothelioma is a cancer invades the Pericardium, or the membrane that surrounds the heart. This condition causes severe heart problems, and most people who contract this asbestos-related cancer eventually die from heart failure.

The Pleura is thought to be most susceptible to Mesothelioma. Due to this membrane surrounding the lungs it is in direct contact with asbestos fibers when inhaled. This would explain why Pleural Mesothelioma is the most common form of this deadly cancer.

It has been suggested that when asbestos-containing fibers are ingested or inhaled they can be picked up by the lymph nodes and spread to other parts of the body. This may account for cases of Peritoneal Mesothelioma and Pericardial Mesothelioma.

Chronic exposure to asbestos, after a latency period of approximately 20 to 60 years, can cause Mesothelioma. If you have been diagnosed with Mesothelioma it is imperative to know what it is, what causes it and its three major forms; Pleural Mesothelioma, Peritoneal Mesothelioma and Pericardial Mesothelioma. Once you know what form of this asbestos related cancer you are up against it will aid you in seeking appropriate treatment options.

In addition to seeking aggressive medical treatment, you need to find out the cause of your asbestos-related cancer. Since all three forms are caused by contact with asbestos, think back on all the jobs you’ve had, and where you were exposed to asbestos. Next, seek the advice of an attorney who is familiar with litigating Mesothelioma lawsuits. Your attorney will help you in documenting your exposure to asbestos even if it occurred many years ago, and also documenting the physical and emotional damage that your diagnosis of Pleural Mesothelioma, Peritoneal Mesothelioma or Pericardial Mesothelioma has caused for you.

What is Pleural Mesothelioma?

Pleural Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is most often found in people who have, at some point during their lives been exposed to high levels of asbestos. Asbestos is a type of naturally occurring mineral that was, for many years mixed with cement, plaster and paint and used in the interiors of houses. It was used as it is highly resistant to heat and is surprisingly strong. Unfortunately asbestos is made up of thin fibres which have since been found to be highly toxic to humans when they get into the body and it is these fibres that can be breathed in and cause a large number of health problems.

Due to the way that asbestos acts once inside the body it is usually many years later that asbestos related Pleural Mesothelioma is noticed. Pleural Mesothelioma is normally diagnosed when there is a change in the thin layer of membranes that are in the chest. When this pleural lining thickens or starts to calcify it is known as pleural plaques. These plaques in themselves are not always a definite precursor to cancer but they can greatly affect the function of the lungs and they can signal the start of Pleural Mesothelioma.

Pleural Mesothelioma may begin in the pleura but it can soon radiate outwards to the abdomen, the heart and the outer wall of the chest. When this happens and a diagnosis of Pleural Mesothelioma is made the prognosis is not good and many patients with Pleural Mesothelioma are not expected to live much longer than 12 months or so. With this in mind it is critical that anyone who has had previous exposure to asbestos is regularly tested for any changes in the pleura as this is an early sign that Pleural Mesothelioma could be imminent. When Pleural Mesothelioma is suspected early enough the patient can be treated and this can help them to live much longer than someone who has been diagnosed with full blown Pleural Mesothelioma.

Some of the symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma are pain in the lower back, shortness of breath and pain towards the side of the chest. Some people may have problems when swallowing, have a cough that will not go away and in some cases a patient might even be coughing up blood. Some people also find that they start to lose weight quite rapidly once the disease sets in.

As the outlook for a person with Pleural Mesothelioma is not good as treatment can be quite limited due to the aggressive nature of the disease. If the disease is caught quickly enough surgery can help to remove the pleura that are affected and the patient will live for longer than someone with advanced Pleural Mesothelioma. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are also options that some doctors will use to further extend the life of their patient but this does need to be carefully considered. Painkillers are used to keep the patient as comfortable as possible and other complimentary therapies can be used.

Reference: Lina Smith

Facts Concerning Peritoneal Mesothelioma Patients in California

About 10% of all Mesothelioma cases that are diagnosed in the United States today are cases of Peritoneal Mesothelioma. There are nearly 3000 newly diagnosed cases of it diagnosed every year, which means that about 300 cases of Peritoneal Mesothelioma are diagnosed annually.

The human body has numerous protective linings which encase various internal organs. Mesothelioma is the name given to the cancer which attacks this protective lining, which is only known to be cause by asbestos exposure. Asbestos is used as a fire resistant, cost effective, building material which lingers in factories, the automotive industry, the construction industry, destroyed buildings, and some older, smaller building that have been converted into office buildings usually found in cities and house small business personally owned and operated by small business entrepreneurs.

Asbestos related diseases are a horrific scar on the humanity of our free commerce society. Business owners neglectfully and reprehensively allowed the continuous exposure of their employees to the cancer causing asbestos without regard for their welfare, future health, or the potential consequences. The effects of asbestos were known as early as the 1920s, although there have been reports which speculate that the hazards of asbestos were well known as early as the late 1890s. One of the greatest human tragedies of wrongful infliction is the fact that asbestos laws which restricted (not eliminated) the use of asbestos weren’t passed until 1980. Apparently the American government wasn’t all that concerned with the fate of its laborers.

Mesothelioma is known to attack the protective lining of various organs in three different areas of the body, the heart, the lungs, and the abdominal organs such as the spleen, liver, kidneys, and intestines. Mesothelioma that attacks the lining of the lungs, which is the most common type of Mesothelioma, is known as Pleural Mesothelioma. Mesothelioma which attacks the lining that protects the heart, is the rarest form of it, is known as Pericardial Mesothelioma. Pericardial Mesothelioma is also considered the deadliest form of it with the shortest life span after diagnosis. The form of Mesothelioma which attacks the lining which protects the abdominal organs is known as Peritoneal Mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma in all forms if often very difficult to detect, and diagnosis is often made too late to effectively offer hope of life after it. Even the best Mesothelioma doctors typically can not offer hope of survival since it is typically diagnosed well after the onset of symptoms when the disease has progressed beyond the early, more treatable stages of it.

Regardless, patients diagnosed with Mesothelioma should seek out the best doctors available. Cutting edge technology and cancer research may still offer hope one day. Doctors are intimately involved with the progression of Mesothelioma as well as medical research progress and will be the first to be able to offer new and innovative treatments.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma often mimics other rare diseases, and without the information of previous long term asbestos exposure, many doctors who are not specialists are unaware that they should be considering the possibility of Mesothelioma when diagnosing the accompanying symptoms. Patients with undiagnosed or diagnosed Peritoneal Mesothelioma may experience symptoms which include abdominal swelling, bowel obstructions and other bowel issues, fever, weight loss, weakness, nausea, and abdominal pain.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma patients may choose to spend their time fighting the disease and undergoing treatments which may involve surgery, palliative therapies, chemotherapy, and radiation therapies. Treating Peritoneal Mesothelioma leads to great physical difficulty and challenges beyond the disease itself, and often patients who are treating Mesothelioma with conventional methods find the treatment process too exhaustive.

Other Peritoneal Mesothelioma patients find that they would rather spend their remaining time as comfortable as possible and with as much quality time with their families and friends as possible. It takes decades to expose itself after asbestos exposure, and sometimes there are legal avenues which patients decide to follow in an effort to hold the responsible company accountable for its neglectful attitudes on asbestos exposure.

Other patients decide that are filing Mesothelioma lawsuits are not a valuable way to spend their time. In some cases, the government has limited a Mesothelioma victim’s ability to decide whether or not filing a lawsuit is in their best interest.

Regardless of how a Mesothelioma victim decides to spend their time, the fact of the matter remains that it is a needless and horribly distressing disease that could by all reasonable means be prevented. There is simply no reasonable excuse for the continuation of diagnoses.

Reference: Nick Johnson