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Facts about Mesothelioma Cancer |
An unusual disease, mesothelioma cancer results from malignant cells dividing and multiplying abnormally in the mesothelia (membrane linings) of the abdomen, chest, or heart. This once rare disease is generally related to asbestos exposure, with the frequency of contact with people who have developed mesothelioma cancer being between 70 and 80%. Because of the great amount of time from initial exposure to the time when symptoms first appear – from 15 to 50 years – mesothelioma cancer presents difficulties in diagnosis and assessment.
Occurrence of mesothelioma cancer diagnosis is often among men between the ages of 50 and 75. This is often attributed to the fact that when the contact with asbestos was prevalent, they were the majority of the workers involved. Beyond this the assumption is that it is race-less and not specific to gender either. Secondhand contamination from bringing asbestos into the home environment from clothing and shoes was once a concern until new laws came into effect mandating that work clothing be left at the job site. Although mesothelioma cancer rarely attacks women nowadays, it still does happen.
Early symptoms of mesothelioma cancer most often appear as far less life-threatening healthcare problems and frequently deceive both physician and patient. Many patients demonstrate no symptoms at all within the early stages of the disease. When symptoms are present, they regularly include the same characteristics of many other ailments such as pneumonia, influenza, and/or exhaustion. Common clues of this serious illness include shortness of breath, chest or abdominal pain, coughing, fatigue, and weight loss – all generic health problems attributable to a number of disorders. Only tests such as CT scans, x-rays, MRIs, and fluid and tissue sampling can detect and confirm mesothelioma cancer.
The onset of mesothelioma cancer takes many years from the first contact with asbestos to manifest itself. The risk is that once it does become active, it becomes extremely fast growing and aggressively spreads all through the body if left untreated. The sinister nature of this disease prevents many patients from treatment until its ending stages – when therapeutic goals are only anesthetic instead of actually halting mesothelioma cancer.
Healthcare professionals generally use the 3 traditional cancer treatments of surgery (removal of tumor and surrounding tissues), chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Seldom is any one of these treatments used alone. They are usually done in combinations. New treatments are being developed such as gene and photodynamic therapies, immunotherapy and several drugs show huge promise toward treating mesothelioma cancer.
The median survivability rate for mesothelioma cancer currently ranges between 6 and 18 months beyond diagnosis. After this dangerous disease begins, it continues to grow until taken care of. Therefore, if you or a loved one has a history of asbestos exposure and are showing any of the warning signs, keep in mind that time is a matter of life or death. Urgent discussion with your physician, followed by medical checkups at least every 6 months to 1 year is vital.
Never forget that the sooner you seek and find professional medical care, the better chances you will survive from mesothelioma cancer!
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