Health Blog By Renee

Mesothelioma Cancer Recognize, and Understand With Ease

28th September, 2010 - Posted by admin - No Comments

A guide to understanding cancer mesothelioma. Asbestos risk factors, diagnosis and treatments for mesothelioma are discussed.

Mesothelioma is a cancer of mesothelium. The mesothelium is a membrane, a thin layer of tissue that covers the internal organs of the body.

Depending on the region of the body covered with the membrane, the mesothelium is given different names:

* The peritoneum covers the abdominal organs.
* The pleura is a sac or pleural, lung and chest covered with lines.
* The pericardium covering the heart.

As with other types of cancer can be benign or malignant mesothelioma (cancer). It is uncommon for mesothelioma to be benign. In her malignancy, malignant mesothelioma (MM) is considered a tumor. This tumor can be (metastasize) to grow and damage the cancer cells spread to other parts of tissues and organs.

According to Dr. Winston Tan, assistant professor of medicine at Mayo Medical School, 90% of cases of malignant mesothelioma begins in the lungs (pleura).
Risk Factors

The main risk factor for mesothelioma is worked with asbestos in the past. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that has been mined since the 1800s. Its use during the Second World War has increased. Although asbestos is now limited or prohibited use industries such as asbestos in a row in the past:

* Ships
Manufacture of cement *
Paper manufacturing *
brake pad *
Repair railway *
Home Insulation *

When asbestos particles are inhaled or ingested, as occurs during the manufacturing process, these microscopic particles can accumulate and enter the lungs, entry into the pleural cavity. This can cause cancers of asbestos particles. According to Dr Tan, 80% of patients in the United States had asbestos with mesothelioma. “Malignant mesothelioma peak incidence 35-45 years after asbestos exposure a.”
Incidence and mortality

There are up to 3,000 cases of mesothelioma diagnosed each year according to Dr Tan. It is more common in men than in women, occurring usually between the ages of fifty and sixty.
Read more

* What is mesothelioma? – Symptoms of mesothelioma
* Data from mesothelioma in California
* Mesothelioma

The consumption of tobacco, alcohol and other dietary factors do not seem to affect the incidence of mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is almost always fatal. The median survival of mesothelioma patients was 11 months.
Symptoms and diagnosis of mesothelioma

Symptoms may not occur for decades after exposure to asbestos. Complication is the fact that there may be no symptoms or more symptoms can be confused with other illnesses are ignored or even years.

Symptoms include:

* Pain is 60-90% in the chest
* Fatigue
* Fever
* Sweats
* Weight loss

These symptoms can be confused with the cold, the common flu or pneumonia.

To confirm the diagnosis of mesothelioma or a sample of tissue biopsy is necessary. Depending on the location of the cancer, different approaches can be taken by the doctor to remove a tissue sample for examination, beginning with the least intrusive method of operation.

Mesothelioma is either locally (only when the cancer began) or advanced (spread to other parts of the body).
Mesothelioma Treatment

There are three standard treatments for mesothelioma. These treatments can be combined (trimodal therapy).

* Surgery: A portion of the chest wall or abdominal tissue can be removed. If the lung (pleura), the lungs removed (pneumonectomy) may be. The recurrence rate after surgery is “very high and most patients die after a few months,” said Dr Tan.
* Radiation therapy: these powerful rays kill Caner and shrink the tumor. This type of treatment can lead to health problems. While radiotherapy does not cure mesothelioma, there is a reduction of pain in 50% of patients treated with radiation for chest pains.
* Chemotherapy: the use of strong drugs to kill cancer cells in the body. Cisplatin is an anticancer drug running. Although cisplatin kills cancer cells, it also damages healthy cells in the process.
* Trimodal Therapy: A combination of the three treatment groups of the above options. Dr. Tan states with therapy trimodal survival “was 45% after 2 years and 22% after 5 years.

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