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What You Need to Know about a Mesothelioma Law Suit, Mesothelioma Law and a Mesothelioma Law Firm |
| There is some important information you should be aware of if you are considering pursuing a Mesothelioma Law Suit. Prior to pursuing a Mesothelioma Law Suit you should seek advice from a reputable. . .
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Choosing a Mesothelioma Doctor |
| Mesothelioma Cancer is considered, within the medical profession, to be a serious illness. Mesothelioma Doctors are now available to those who are sufferers of Mesothelioma Cancer. Mesothelioma Doc. . .
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Avoid Further Mesothelioma Injury Through Prompt Treatment |
| Mesothelioma injury can be classified into three main groups, Pleural (chest), Peritoneal (abdominal) and Pericardial (heart). All three types of Mesothelioma injury are mainly cause through exposu. . .
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Mesothelioma Cancer |
| Mesothelioma is a type of cancer involving mesothelial tissues of body organs usually lungs or abdominal. It is often caused by exposure to asbestos. However, there are 30-50% of patients without. . .
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Mesothelioma - An Asbestos Related Lung Cancer |
| What is Mesothelioma?Mesothelioma is a form of cancer located in the lining of either the lungs, abdomen or the heart. These linings are thin layers of tissue covering the organ. The pleura is the . . .
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What Is Mesothelioma? |
| Mesothelioma (cancer of the mesothelium) is a disease in which cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide without control or order. They can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. Ca. . .
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Seeking Mesothelioma Help |
| If you, or someone you know has been diagnosed with, or thinks that they might have Mesothelioma Cancer, it is often daunting and can be difficult to know where to seek help. However, you are not a. . .
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Mesothelioma Cancer: Early Warning Signs and Causes |
| Abstract: Malignant mesothelioma is a devasting, rare and deadly form of cancer, caused by exposure to asbestos. If you've lived under working conditions that exposed you to asbestos, or had a ho. . .
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Mesothelioma: More About this Asbestos Cancer |
| Cancers and other forms of diseases are usually named according to the part of the body or the internal organ where abnormal growth of malignant cells takes place. In the case of Mesothelioma, the . . .
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What Are The Four Stages of Mesothelioma Cancer? |
| One rare form of cancer is called Mesothelioma, a malignant tumor in the mesothelial tissues of the lungs and the abdomen, arising from the inhalation of asbestos. Its rarity is one of the reasons . . .
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 Mesothelioma cancer is a form of cancer that is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos.[1] In this disease, malignant cells develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most of the body's internal organs. Its most common site is the pleura (outer lining of the lungs and chest cavity), but it may also occur in the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity) or the pericardium (a sac that surrounds the heart).
Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or have been exposed to asbestos dust and fibre in other ways, such as by washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos, or by home renovation using asbestos cement products. There is no association between mesothelioma and smoking.[2]
Asbestosis is a chronic inflammatory medical condition affecting the parenchymal tissue of the lungs. It occurs after long-term, heavy exposure to asbestos, e.g. in mining, and is therefore regarded as an occupational lung disease. Sufferers have severe dyspnea (shortness of breath) and are at an increased risk regarding several different types of lung cancer.
Mesothelium derives from the embryonic mesoderm cell layer, that lines the coelom (body cavity) in the embryo. It develops into the layer of cells that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the body.
Mesothelioma Diagnosis
Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs
where they inhaled asbestos particles, or have been exposed to
asbestos dust and fibre in other ways, such as by washing the
clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos, or by home
renovation using asbestos cement products. Unlike lung cancer,
there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking.
Typical immunohistochemistry results
Doctors have begun testing the Mesomark assay which measures
levels of soluble mesothelin-related proteins (SMRPs) released
by diseased mesothelioma cells. The procedure could diagnose
mesothelioma earlier than conventional methods thus improving
the survival prospects for patients.
Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions. Diagnosis begins with a review of the patient's medical history. A history of exposure to asbestos may increase clinical suspicion for mesothelioma. A physical examination is performed, followed by chest X-ray and often lung function tests. The X-ray may reveal pleural thickening commonly seen after asbestos exposure and increases suspicion of mesothelioma. A CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI is usually performed. If a large amount of fluid is present, abnormal cells may be detected by cytology if this fluid is aspirated with a syringe. For pleural fluid this is done by a pleural tap or chest drain, in ascites with an paracentesis or ascitic drain and in a pericardial effusion with pericardiocentesis. While absence of malignant cells on cytology does not completely exclude mesothelioma, it makes it much more unlikely, especially if an alternative diagnosis can be made (e.g. tuberculosis, heart failure).
If cytology is positive or a plaque is regarded as suspicious, a biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma. A doctor removes a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope by a pathologist. A biopsy may be done in different ways, depending on where the abnormal area is located. If the cancer is in the chest, the doctor may perform a thoracoscopy. In this procedure, the doctor makes a small cut through the chest wall and puts a thin, lighted tube called a thoracoscope into the chest between two ribs. Thoracoscopy allows the doctor to look inside the chest and obtain tissue samples.
If the cancer is in the abdomen, the doctor may perform a laparoscopy. To obtain tissue for examination, the doctor makes a small opening in the abdomen and inserts a special instrument into the abdominal cavity. If these procedures do not yield enough tissue, more extensive diagnostic surgery may be necessary.
Mesothelioma Signs And Symtons
Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 20 to 50 years
after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath, cough, and pain
in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleural
space are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma.
The lungs are surrounded by two membranes, the pleurae. The outer pleura is attached to the chest wall and is known as the parietal pleura; the inner one is attached to the lung and other visceral tissues and is known as the visceral pleura. In between the two is a thin space known as the pleural cavity or pleural space. It is filled with pleural fluid, a serous fluid produced by the pleura. The pleural fluid lubricates the pleural surfaces and allows the layers of pleura to slide against each other easily during respiration. It also provides the surface tension that keeps the lung surface in contact with the chest wall. During quiet breathing, the cavity normally experiences a negative pressure (compared to the atmosphere) which helps adhere the lungs to the chest wall, so that movements of the chest wall during breathing are coupled closely to movements of the lungs.
The pleural membrane also helps to keep the two lungs away from each other and air tight, thus if one lung is punctured and collapses due to an accident, the other pleural cavity will still be air tight, and the other lung will work normally.
The parietal pleura is highly sensitive to pain; the visceral pleura is not. The visceral pleura has a dual blood supply, from the bronchial and pulmonary arteries. In humans, there is no anatomical connection between the left and right pleural cavities, so in cases of pneumothorax (see below), the other hemithorax will still be able to function normally.
Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and cachexia, abdominal swelling and pain due to ascites (a buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity). Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.
These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions.
Mesothelioma that affects the pleura can cause these signs and symptoms:
- chest wall pain
- pleural effusion, or fluid surrounding the lung
- shortness of breath
- wheezing, hoarseness, or cough
In severe cases, the person may have many tumor masses. The individual may develop a pneumothorax, or collapse of the lung. The disease may metastasize, or spread, to other parts of the body.
Tumors that affect the abdominal cavity often do not cause symptoms until they are at a late stage. Symptoms include:
- abdominal pain
- ascites, or an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen
- a mass in the abdomen
- problems with bowel function
- weight loss
In severe cases of the disease, the following signs and symptoms may be present:
- blood clots in the veins, which may cause thrombophlebitis
- disseminated intravascular coagulation, a disorder causing severe bleeding in many body organs
- jaundice, or yellowing of the eyes and skin
- low blood sugar level
- pleural effusion
- pulmonary emboli, or blood clots in the arteries of the lungs
- severe ascites
A mesothelioma does not usually spread to the bone, brain, or adrenal glands. Pleural tumors are usually found only on one side of the lungs.
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