Introduction
Nowadays there is a lot of discussion all over
the world, both offline and over the Internet, about mesothelioma. In
the USA, there are mesothelioma awareness groups in almost every city in
the USA. Besides discussion forums, mesothelioma legal cells,
mesothelioma forums, mesothelioma awareness groups etc., today
mesothelioma research is a very vast subject.
There is even a
Mesothelioma Memorial Scholarship that is offered every quarter. This
scholarship is given in remembrance and honor of those that have been
touched by mesothelioma. Billions of dollars have been spent in trying
to fight this dreaded disease and find a cure. Let us begin by asking
this simple question - what is mesothelioma?
What is Mesothelioma?
Asbestos
and mesothelioma are infamously related. Mesothelioma is a form of
cancer that affects people who have been exposed to asbestos. It is a
rare form of cancer, and affects only those people who have had a
history of exposure to asbestos, not others. However, there can be
secondary cases, where a person may come into contact with someone who
has been exposed to asbestos in the past. The key to mesothelioma, as is
apparent here, is exposure to asbestos.
The primary cause of
mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. Once the patient has inhaled
asbestos dust/fibers, other factors like smoking can aggravate the
condition over a period of time. There can be other causes of
mesothelioma too. For example, there have been cases diagnosed where the
patient has had no history of asbestos exposure. People can get it from
people who have had asbestos exposure. Before we proceed further, let
us define mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma definition: Mesothelioma is
defined as is an uncommon form of cancer, usually associated with
previous exposure to asbestos. In this disease, malignant (cancerous)
cells develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most
of the body's internal organs. Malignant mesothelioma cells proliferate
at the affected area, and are usually very hard to remove totally.
Mesothelioma
came to be widely known about only from about the 60s, when the
symptoms started manifesting, and mesothelioma cases were diagnosed.
Across America, for people working at facilities that were
asbestos-related, it became a nightmare. This was more because at that
time, asbestos, because of the number of advantages it had over other
metals, was widely used across industries all over the world. It was a
tragedy of epic proportions waiting to be unleashed, and when it was
unleashed, it wrought havoc in the lives of people all across America.
Thousands lost their lives to mesothelioma, and even now, thousands more
continue to fight this dreaded disease.
Even today, more than
3,000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma in the USA. Today,
mesothelioma victims and their relatives struggle to cope with the
disease. For survivors of mesothelioma legal action against the
industries that brought this disease on them has been one way of
exorcising the pain and agony they have had to undergo. For a number of
victims of mesothelioma lawyers have been able to settle cases
successfully. There are mesothelioma support groups to help mesothelioma
victims and their relatives cope with life in the aftermath of the
disease. There are websites like
http://www.mesotheliomaweb.org,
http://www.mesothelioma.com,
http://www.cancer.gov, etc.
Mesothelioma is considered extremely lethal for a number of reasons:
o
Mesothelioma diagnosis is often very late. It manifests in a person
years after exposure to asbestos, as long as 15 to 20 years.
o
While the gestation period is extremely long, as mentioned above, the
exposure time is extremely short, as less as two to three months. This
means that a person doesn't even have to have prolonged exposure.
o The average lifespan of a person, after diagnosis, is very short, around 24 months.
o
It affects not only a person exposed to asbestos; chances are that he
can pass on the asbestos dust or fiber to his near and dear ones as
well.
Types of Mesothelioma
Primarily, mesothelioma occurs in three areas, based on which mesothelioma is categorized into:
o Pleural mesothelioma (mesothelioma of the pleura, the outer lining protecting the chest cavity as well as the lungs)
o Pericardial mesothelioma (mesothelioma of the pericardium, the sac enclosing the heart)
o Peritoneal mesothelioma (mesothelioma of the peritoneum, the lining protecting the abdominal cavity)
Based on the types of cells seen in a mesothelioma patient, mesothelioma can again be categorized into 3 types:
o Epithelioid mesothelioma (approximately 50 to 70 percent of all mesothelial cells)
o Sarcomatoid mesothelioma (least common mesothelioma cell type, approximately 10 to 15 percent)
o Biphasic mesothelioma. (approximately 20 to 40 percent of all mesothelial cells)
Symptoms of Mesothelioma
The
symptoms of mesothelioma depend on the kind of mesothelioma a patient
may have. If a patient is suffering from malignant pleural mesothelioma,
he would generally feel a pain in the chest region, accompanied by
shallow breathing. These symptoms occur owing to the deposition of fluid
in the pleura.
Peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms differ from those
of pleural mesothelioma. In the case of localized peritoneal
mesothelioma, the symptoms include:
o Fever
o Difficulties in bowel movements
o Anemia
o Abnormalities observed during blood clots
In
the case of advanced peritoneal mesothelioma, the symptoms would
further include pain, a swelling of the face or the neck, and
difficulties in ingestion.
Mesothelioma symptoms usually map to
those of other, lesser serious ailments. Therefore it is prudent to
consult a specialist to ensure what the symptoms indicate.
Mesothelioma Diagnosis
Mesothelioma
diagnosis is not an easy task, as the symptoms map to other lesser
ailments, as mentioned above. The first step to diagnosing mesothelioma
is a review of the patient's medical history. It is important to know if
the patient has had any illnesses whose symptoms mesothelioma too
displays. At this time, it is also important to know if the patient has
had prior exposure to asbestos. If the patient hasn't had any illnesses
displaying the symptoms related to mesothelioma, and has had exposure to
asbestos, then there can be suspicion of mesothelioma.
It is
important to do a detailed physical examination of the patient,
including x-rays, CT scans, and MRIs. The focus would usually be on the
abdominal and chest regions. If there is anything suspicious at the end
of these examinations, it is advisable to do a biopsy.
A biopsy is
usually done by a specialist, either an oncologist or a surgeon. Biopsy
involves taking a tissue sample from the patient and subjecting it to
specific tests to determine the presence or absence of mesothelioma.
Biopsy in the case of mesothelioma can be:
o Thoracoscopy (done by taking tissue samples from inside the chest region, using a thoracoscope)
o Peritoneoscopy (done by taking tissue samples from the abdominal region, using a peritoneoscope)
Once
the diagnosis is made, it is vital to learn the stage at which
mesothelioma has been detected. Depending on whether the cancer is still
at the original site or whether it has spread to other parts of the
body, the mesothelioma can be called:
o Localized (still at the original site)
o Advanced (spread to other parts of the body)
Mesothelioma Treatment
Mesothelioma
treatments vary depending on the type of mesothelioma, as also the
stage at which it has been detected. The three most commonly used
treatment forms against mesothelioma are:
o Surgery - Surgically
removing the cancerous body part. For example, malignant pleural
mesothelioma treatment could involve removal of the affected lung by
performing a pneumonectomy.
o Radiation therapy - Exposing the affected part to high-energy rays to kill the malignant cells
o
Chemotherapy - Using chemicals/drugs to destroy the malignant cells,
either by injecting them into the patient, or intravenously, or by
direct placement in the chest or abdomen (intracavitary chemotherapy).
Besides
these three options, research is underway to find newer and more
effective treatment options. Clinical trials have played a major role in
developing newer treatment options.
Mesothelioma Prognosis
In
the case of mesothelioma, prognosis is not as accurate as it is with
other lesser serious ailments. This is because prognosis usually depends
on the phase at which an illness is detected. Mesothelioma is usually
detected quite late in a patient, so it becomes difficult to state the
cure percentage or lifespan of a patient after treatment. Whatever
statistics are available are not as reliable as one would like them to
be. While it has not been easy to determine which of the two - pleural
or peritoneal - mesothelioma is harder to stage, experts are generally
in agreement that a prognosis is quite difficult for both.
However,
latest studies and research have shown that mesothelioma patients might
not be as bad off as was initially believed. This data is tabulated
below.
Stage of Mesothelioma Detection Chances of Survival (No. of Years) Percentage of Patients
Mid to advanced stages 3 years 10%
5 years 5%
Early stages 2 years 50%
5 years 20%
This
is just general data on mesothelioma prognosis. There is specific data
available n the Internet for specific scenarios and situations.
Resources
o
http://www.mesotheliomaweb.org
o
http://www.mesothelioma.com
o
http://www.cancer.gov
o
http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com
o
http://www.mesolink.org/legal-guide/mesothelioma-legal-options-faq.html
