Asbestos is the biggest work place killer today. Those who have worked with asbestos or who are regularly in contact with someone who has are at risk from asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. All these are fatal respiratory diseases which are extremely difficult to cure. Research is being carried out in various research labs all over the USA and many pharmaceutical companies are also endeavouring to find new drugs and treatment methods.
One rare disease caused by asbestos which is becoming increasingly common is mesothelioma. Although unknown by many today, it is almost certain that awareness of this disease will be broadcasted worldwide because of its increasing occurrence in men aged between 55 and 70. Many of these men are now lodging multi million dollar lawsuits against the companies who subjected them to asbestos. Those most at risk from mesothelioma are those who have been in regular contact with asbestos dust and fibres without sufficient protection. Just a couple of months of exposure to asbestos can lead to mesothelioma 30 years later. The latency period (amount of time the disease takes to start taking effect) of mesothelioma is 30 - 50 years which is one of the reasons it is so difficult to cure because it is very difficult to tackle in its early stages. Another reason it is so difficult to cure is that its early symptoms are characteristic of many other more common diseases such as pneumonia.
Mesothelioma symptoms include:
- Chest pains
- Coughing that worsens over time
- Weight loss
- Shortness of breath
- Coughing up blood
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fatigue
- Wheezing
- Lung infection
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Loss of appetite
A patient will feel symptoms depending on which type of mesothelioma he or she has got. For information on the different types of mesothelioma
In the next 35 years it is estimated that over 1 million people will die from asbestos related diseases in developed countries. Most of these people will die from lung cancer and mesothelioma as these two are the most prolific asbestos related diseases.
Showing posts with label symptoms. Show all posts
Showing posts with label symptoms. Show all posts
Saturday, March 5, 2016
Mesothelioma Information FAQ
Pericardial mesothelioma is a serious heart condition which consists of cancerous cells building up on the lining of the heart. Similarly to pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma, this is a terminal illness due to the importance of the area on which it grows.
What causes pericardial mesothelioma and who are most at risk?
The primary cause of pericardial mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos dust and fibres. Therefore those at risk are those who are most likely to have inhaled these deadly fibres such as construction workers and asbestos manufacturers. Those in contact with these people also have a chance of getting pericardial mesothelioma because these people may have asbestos fibres stuck to their clothes or hair.
What are the symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma?
The symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma change from patient to patient. Usual symptoms include persistent coughing, coughing up blood, shortness of breath, chest pain and palpitations. Other symptoms patients may experience are nausea, weight loss, vomiting and loss of appetite.
What are the treatments available for pericardial mesothelioma?
There are various different treatments for pericardial mesothelioma although none of these have a high success rate. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, dual therapy and surgery are the treatment methods available. Chemotherapy includes using drugs to kill off cancerous cells and radiation therapy uses doses of radiation to kill cancer cells although this is difficult in the case of pericardial mesothelioma due to the surrounding vital organs such as the heart and lungs. Dual therapy is a treatment combining radiation therapy with chemotherapy. Surgery comes in two forms; aggressive surgery and palliative procedures. Aggressive surgery is a very difficult procedure and consists of removing large chunks of cancerous cells in an attempt to gain long term control over the cancer. Palliative procedures just attempts to lessen the symptoms for the patient.
How much exposure to asbestos is needed for there to be a possibility of getting pericardial mesothelioma?
This depends on how strong and resistant the person is to disease and on the concentration of asbestos in the environment around him. It is possible to get pericardial mesothelioma from as little as a couple of months of exposure to asbestos although on average it would take a couple of years for enough asbestos fibres to build up to cause cancer.
What is the prognosis for pericardial mesothelioma?
This is highly dependent on how early and how aggressively the cancer is treated. If pericardial mesothelioma is treated when it has fully developed and matured then the chances of a patient’s survival is very small. The prognosis could be only a couple of months.
Is there any promising research into cures for pericardial mesothelioma?
Research into cures of pericardial mesothelioma and all other forms of mesothelioma is being done in numerous research labs all over the USA. Many pharmaceutical companies are also working hard to research new drugs for chemotherapy. So far, research has been mostly unsuccessful.
What causes pericardial mesothelioma and who are most at risk?
The primary cause of pericardial mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos dust and fibres. Therefore those at risk are those who are most likely to have inhaled these deadly fibres such as construction workers and asbestos manufacturers. Those in contact with these people also have a chance of getting pericardial mesothelioma because these people may have asbestos fibres stuck to their clothes or hair.
What are the symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma?
The symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma change from patient to patient. Usual symptoms include persistent coughing, coughing up blood, shortness of breath, chest pain and palpitations. Other symptoms patients may experience are nausea, weight loss, vomiting and loss of appetite.
What are the treatments available for pericardial mesothelioma?
There are various different treatments for pericardial mesothelioma although none of these have a high success rate. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, dual therapy and surgery are the treatment methods available. Chemotherapy includes using drugs to kill off cancerous cells and radiation therapy uses doses of radiation to kill cancer cells although this is difficult in the case of pericardial mesothelioma due to the surrounding vital organs such as the heart and lungs. Dual therapy is a treatment combining radiation therapy with chemotherapy. Surgery comes in two forms; aggressive surgery and palliative procedures. Aggressive surgery is a very difficult procedure and consists of removing large chunks of cancerous cells in an attempt to gain long term control over the cancer. Palliative procedures just attempts to lessen the symptoms for the patient.
How much exposure to asbestos is needed for there to be a possibility of getting pericardial mesothelioma?
This depends on how strong and resistant the person is to disease and on the concentration of asbestos in the environment around him. It is possible to get pericardial mesothelioma from as little as a couple of months of exposure to asbestos although on average it would take a couple of years for enough asbestos fibres to build up to cause cancer.
What is the prognosis for pericardial mesothelioma?
This is highly dependent on how early and how aggressively the cancer is treated. If pericardial mesothelioma is treated when it has fully developed and matured then the chances of a patient’s survival is very small. The prognosis could be only a couple of months.
Is there any promising research into cures for pericardial mesothelioma?
Research into cures of pericardial mesothelioma and all other forms of mesothelioma is being done in numerous research labs all over the USA. Many pharmaceutical companies are also working hard to research new drugs for chemotherapy. So far, research has been mostly unsuccessful.
Friday, May 2, 2014
Who is in danger from carcinoma cancer?
Mesothelioma may be a deadly cancer that is fairly rare though within the previous couple of decades the quantity of individuals WHO have died from it have dramatically multiplied. carcinoma is caused by exposure to amphibole while not adequate protection. once someone is exposed to amphibole, he or she inhales little amphibole fibres that ar suspended within the air. These fibres pass into the systema respiratorium and find yourself turning into lodged within the lungs. associate degree accumulation of amphibole fibres within the lining of the lungs like this will cause near cells to deform and eventually results in what\'s referred to as serosa carcinoma. Accumulation of amphibole fibres within the serous membrane (lining of the abdomen) will cause serous membrane carcinoma and build from fibres round the tissue of the guts will cause serous membrane carcinoma. amphibole fibres reach these places over time or as a result of they need been transported there by the systema lymphaticum.
Mesothelioma contains a terribly massive latency phase (time between obtaining the cancer and feeling the symptoms of it). this era is typically between thirty – fifty years so someone WHO bears carcinoma is unlikely to grasp that they need got it. this can be why carcinoma is thus laborious to diagnose in its early stages as a result of it shows no symptoms and therefore the few symptoms that it will show like unhealthy and shortness of breath ar typical of much more common diseases like respiratory disease. The probability of being cured depends mostly on however early and the way sharply the cancer is treated. If it\'s treated once it\'s totally developed and matured then it\'s very tough to cure.
In this manner, those in danger ar people who have worked amongst amphibole. Construction staff, amphibole makers or people who have lived at intervals a mile of associate degree amphibole manufactory ar the people that have the most important contact with amphibole. people who ar in reality with these folks are in danger as a result of amphibole fibres will persist with garments and hair. the bulk of individuals WHO ar discovering that they need carcinoma ar aged men of regarding sixty – seventy. This was the generation that worked with amphibole plenty while not adequate protection. several of those men ar currently lodging multi million greenback lawsuits against the businesses WHO exposed them to the hazards of amphibole.
Mesothelioma contains a terribly massive latency phase (time between obtaining the cancer and feeling the symptoms of it). this era is typically between thirty – fifty years so someone WHO bears carcinoma is unlikely to grasp that they need got it. this can be why carcinoma is thus laborious to diagnose in its early stages as a result of it shows no symptoms and therefore the few symptoms that it will show like unhealthy and shortness of breath ar typical of much more common diseases like respiratory disease. The probability of being cured depends mostly on however early and the way sharply the cancer is treated. If it\'s treated once it\'s totally developed and matured then it\'s very tough to cure.
In this manner, those in danger ar people who have worked amongst amphibole. Construction staff, amphibole makers or people who have lived at intervals a mile of associate degree amphibole manufactory ar the people that have the most important contact with amphibole. people who ar in reality with these folks are in danger as a result of amphibole fibres will persist with garments and hair. the bulk of individuals WHO ar discovering that they need carcinoma ar aged men of regarding sixty – seventy. This was the generation that worked with amphibole plenty while not adequate protection. several of those men ar currently lodging multi million greenback lawsuits against the businesses WHO exposed them to the hazards of amphibole.
Monday, March 17, 2014
The 3 Main Types
In general, mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer. Different types of mesothelioma are distinguished between by where the cancer is growing. Pleural mesothelioma, the most common, accounting for 75% of all mesothelioma cases, is where cancerous cells develop on the lining of the lungs. The next most common form of mesothelioma is peritoneal mesothelioma and this is where cancerous cells grow on the peritoneum which is the lining of the abdomen. Pericardial mesothelioma, the least common major form of mesothelioma, makes up roughly 5% of all mesothelioma cases. This is where malignant cancer cells grow on the lining of the heart.
All three of these forms of mesothelioma are caused by asbestos. Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral that was discovered around the 1860s. Due to its highly useful property of being fireproof, asbestos was used greatly in construction in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. It was not until the early 1960s when the severe health hazards that asbestos causes were discovered, that asbestos stopped being used. When exposed to asbestos with insufficient protection a person will breathe in tiny asbestos fibres which are suspended in the air. These fibres pass into the respiratory system until they become lodged in the lining of the lungs. Over time, an accumulation of these asbestos fibres in the lungs can cause pleural mesothelioma. Asbestos fibres may also pass into the lymphatic system and be transported to either the lining of the abdomen or the tissue surrounding the heart. This may cause either peritoneal mesothelioma or pericardial mesothelioma.
In terms of symptoms, the three main types of mesothelioma have some symptoms in common with each other. These symptoms are usual of all three types: chest pain, shortness of breath, coughing, coughing up blood, vomiting, nausea, weight loss and loss of appetite. An additional symptom of pericardial mesothelioma is palpitations.
There are a few treatments for all types of mesothelioma but none of these have a high success rate. The effectiveness of the treatment depends on how early and how aggressively the cancer is treated. If the cancerous cells are treated when they have fully matured and developed then it is unlikely that treatment methods will be successful. Treatment methods include chemotherapy which is the use of drugs to kill the cancer, radiation therapy which uses a radiation dosage to kill off cancerous cells and surgery which attempts to gain long term control over the cancer by removing a large portion of malignant cells. These treatment methods can be combined in the form of dual therapy.
http://www.creationoptimisation.com
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Mesothelioma
Tragically the word mesothelioma is becoming more and more well known, the mere mention of it striking fear into all of us for we know that it is associated with death. Asbestos is the reaper, mesothelioma its hand maiden.
Asbestos, the wonder product of the fifties is now recognized as an enemy of the twentieth century. A ruthless enemy which will kill more people than the war. Men, women and children will fall victim to its prey, innocents who have at some time in their lives inhaled asbestos dust.
Most of us have been in contact with products containing asbestos in our life times. We sat in asbestos class rooms, stood beside our fathers as they cut asbestos fencing, pulled up old linoleum with asbestos clogged to the back of it. Visited the local tip where broken sheets of it lay open to the wind.
Records show that there are a higher number of people afflicted with asbestosis and mesothelioma who have directly worked in asbestos mines, ship yards and companies making products from asbestos; however there are a large number of people afflicted, who have never worked in these industries. Their contact with asbestos, due to the dust brought home on their husband’s clothes or from the asbestos tailings placed around mine houses and town perimeters. But the tragedy does not end there, children innocently playing in their own back yards played amongst the asbestos tailings as children elsewhere play in the sand. They had no way of knowing that their sand was asbestos blue. A good bath at the end of the day may have removed the dust from the skin but the dust in the lungs remained and would lay dormant for many years before claiming its deadly legacy.
Without warning, a healthy individual suddenly becomes short of breath, x-rays reveal fluid on the lungs and the night mare begins. Questions are asked and you answer, Yes, I was exposed to asbestos dust but I was only in the town for a few short months and that was over 40 years ago. How can this be? This is the most perplexing thing about mesothelioma. Why is there such a long period of time between inhalation of asbestos dust and onset of the disease? What triggers a strong healthy body to suddenly succumb to it? What can we do to prevent this from happening?
Blood tests are now available to determine whether mesothelioma is present in the body, before a person is aware of any symptoms. This is an amazing breakthrough and perhaps the first step towards curing the disease before it becomes terminal. Recently mesothelioma was cured in a mouse and attempts to give it back to the mouse were unsuccessful. This too is exciting stuff and holds a glimmer of hope for us all.
I have witnessed first hand the devastation of mesothelioma. My husband was a strong and virile man who rarely had a sick day in his life. Suddenly at the age of 52 he became short of breath and was subsequently diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma. He had lived in the asbestos mining town of Wittenoom in Western Australia for a few short months at the age of seven. The asbestos dust he inhaled then, took forty five years to become lethal. I still find this hard to believe.
Despite his prognosis of three to nine months, Brian survived for two years. He was 54 years old when he died.
Asbestos, the wonder product of the fifties is now recognized as an enemy of the twentieth century. A ruthless enemy which will kill more people than the war. Men, women and children will fall victim to its prey, innocents who have at some time in their lives inhaled asbestos dust.
Most of us have been in contact with products containing asbestos in our life times. We sat in asbestos class rooms, stood beside our fathers as they cut asbestos fencing, pulled up old linoleum with asbestos clogged to the back of it. Visited the local tip where broken sheets of it lay open to the wind.
Records show that there are a higher number of people afflicted with asbestosis and mesothelioma who have directly worked in asbestos mines, ship yards and companies making products from asbestos; however there are a large number of people afflicted, who have never worked in these industries. Their contact with asbestos, due to the dust brought home on their husband’s clothes or from the asbestos tailings placed around mine houses and town perimeters. But the tragedy does not end there, children innocently playing in their own back yards played amongst the asbestos tailings as children elsewhere play in the sand. They had no way of knowing that their sand was asbestos blue. A good bath at the end of the day may have removed the dust from the skin but the dust in the lungs remained and would lay dormant for many years before claiming its deadly legacy.
Without warning, a healthy individual suddenly becomes short of breath, x-rays reveal fluid on the lungs and the night mare begins. Questions are asked and you answer, Yes, I was exposed to asbestos dust but I was only in the town for a few short months and that was over 40 years ago. How can this be? This is the most perplexing thing about mesothelioma. Why is there such a long period of time between inhalation of asbestos dust and onset of the disease? What triggers a strong healthy body to suddenly succumb to it? What can we do to prevent this from happening?
Blood tests are now available to determine whether mesothelioma is present in the body, before a person is aware of any symptoms. This is an amazing breakthrough and perhaps the first step towards curing the disease before it becomes terminal. Recently mesothelioma was cured in a mouse and attempts to give it back to the mouse were unsuccessful. This too is exciting stuff and holds a glimmer of hope for us all.
I have witnessed first hand the devastation of mesothelioma. My husband was a strong and virile man who rarely had a sick day in his life. Suddenly at the age of 52 he became short of breath and was subsequently diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma. He had lived in the asbestos mining town of Wittenoom in Western Australia for a few short months at the age of seven. The asbestos dust he inhaled then, took forty five years to become lethal. I still find this hard to believe.
Despite his prognosis of three to nine months, Brian survived for two years. He was 54 years old when he died.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Asbestos Killed my Husband
In December 1999, my husband and I were walking home from a game of lawn bowls when I became aware of his shortness of breath. I was surprised and concerned when he told me that he had experienced this on several occasions. Believing this to be due to chest a infection, I made a doctor’s appointment for him the next day.
Chest X-rays revealed fluid on the lungs, over two litres of which was drained, giving Brian immediate relief, but it was a tense wait for the pathology results. Through the Internet I had become aware of several conditions which may have been responsible for fluid on the lung; these included asbestos- related diseases. Brian had lived in Wittenoom as a child and I was afraid of his diagnosis. Not wanting to worry him unnecessarily, I did not mention my fears to him. I prayed that he had pleurisy or pneumonia but the pathology results revealed that there were cancer cells present.
When Brian finally received his diagnosis, my worst nightmare became reality. He had pleural mesothelioma, a terminal cancer of the lung caused by the inhalation of asbestos dust. We found it inconceivable that the disease was the result of Brian inhaling asbestos dust as a child and that it had lain dormant for forty-five years before become lethal.
We were still reeling from the shock when, without preamble, the young doctor gave his prognosis. His exact words were, “Three to nine months, I reckon”. That he could say this so unfeelingly amazed me. His total lack of compassion did not encourage even the small comfort of tears. I felt as if Brian and I had been shot and from that moment on we were waiting to drop.
Undoubtedly, were mortally wounded. We suffered shock, disbelief, anger, helplessness and utter despair; in fact all the symptoms of grief one feels when a loved one has actually died. Suddenly, we had no control over our lives, our journey through terminal illness had begun.
Throughout the course of our married life my deep love for Brian and my determination to resolve difficulties had seen us through many trials. I found it hard to believe that nothing could be done to save his life and begun surfing the Internet for information regarding mesothelioma, all the time praying for a miracle, hoping against hope to find a doctor who had successfully operated on or cured someone of it.
It was a sad realization to discover that for Brian there were no miracles; however, I learned a lot and it helped me to accept that he was dying. With my acceptance came a fierce determination to ease his burden. I continued to seek information regarding mesothelioma and the pain and symptoms Brian would experience, due to the progression of his disease. In this way, I came to understand the importance of pain management and symptom control and realized that although I could not stop Brian from dying – I could help him to live.
My acquired knowledge regarding pain and symptom management enabled me to communicate with Brian and to understand the type of pain he was experiencing and the intensity of that pain. I was then able to work hand in hand with his doctors, to bring his pain and symptoms under control. As my efforts resulted in his improved quality of life, I lost my sense of helplessness and gained strength.
Together, we achieved for Brian, a quality of life few thought possible, considering the nature of his disease. Testament to this, despite his prognosis of three to nine months, Brian survived for 2 years, remained active and alert, drove his car for eighteen months after diagnosis and was not bed bound until three short days prior to his death.
Brian's courageous battle with mesothelioma came to an end on the 24th December 2001; he passed away at home surrounded by his loved ones. He was 54 years old.
Chest X-rays revealed fluid on the lungs, over two litres of which was drained, giving Brian immediate relief, but it was a tense wait for the pathology results. Through the Internet I had become aware of several conditions which may have been responsible for fluid on the lung; these included asbestos- related diseases. Brian had lived in Wittenoom as a child and I was afraid of his diagnosis. Not wanting to worry him unnecessarily, I did not mention my fears to him. I prayed that he had pleurisy or pneumonia but the pathology results revealed that there were cancer cells present.
When Brian finally received his diagnosis, my worst nightmare became reality. He had pleural mesothelioma, a terminal cancer of the lung caused by the inhalation of asbestos dust. We found it inconceivable that the disease was the result of Brian inhaling asbestos dust as a child and that it had lain dormant for forty-five years before become lethal.
We were still reeling from the shock when, without preamble, the young doctor gave his prognosis. His exact words were, “Three to nine months, I reckon”. That he could say this so unfeelingly amazed me. His total lack of compassion did not encourage even the small comfort of tears. I felt as if Brian and I had been shot and from that moment on we were waiting to drop.
Undoubtedly, were mortally wounded. We suffered shock, disbelief, anger, helplessness and utter despair; in fact all the symptoms of grief one feels when a loved one has actually died. Suddenly, we had no control over our lives, our journey through terminal illness had begun.
Throughout the course of our married life my deep love for Brian and my determination to resolve difficulties had seen us through many trials. I found it hard to believe that nothing could be done to save his life and begun surfing the Internet for information regarding mesothelioma, all the time praying for a miracle, hoping against hope to find a doctor who had successfully operated on or cured someone of it.
It was a sad realization to discover that for Brian there were no miracles; however, I learned a lot and it helped me to accept that he was dying. With my acceptance came a fierce determination to ease his burden. I continued to seek information regarding mesothelioma and the pain and symptoms Brian would experience, due to the progression of his disease. In this way, I came to understand the importance of pain management and symptom control and realized that although I could not stop Brian from dying – I could help him to live.
My acquired knowledge regarding pain and symptom management enabled me to communicate with Brian and to understand the type of pain he was experiencing and the intensity of that pain. I was then able to work hand in hand with his doctors, to bring his pain and symptoms under control. As my efforts resulted in his improved quality of life, I lost my sense of helplessness and gained strength.
Together, we achieved for Brian, a quality of life few thought possible, considering the nature of his disease. Testament to this, despite his prognosis of three to nine months, Brian survived for 2 years, remained active and alert, drove his car for eighteen months after diagnosis and was not bed bound until three short days prior to his death.
Brian's courageous battle with mesothelioma came to an end on the 24th December 2001; he passed away at home surrounded by his loved ones. He was 54 years old.
Monday, March 3, 2014
Asbestos Home Testing- Prevention Is Better Than Cure
Asbestos home testing is a process of testing the presence of asbestos in homes in general and building materials in particular. Asbestos is a mineral fiber resistant to heat, chemicals, and electricity. Building and insulation industries made widespread use of asbestos in their operations. Asbestos is commonly used in your homes in one form or the other. Some building materials that may contain asbestos materials are vinyl floor tiles; patching compounds textured paints, furnace and stovepipe, insulation, stove door gaskets, roofing shingles, cement, and siding material.
Asbestos was most commonly used until early 1970s in various home appliances, such as toasters, clothes dryers, and hair dryers. Now, government has laid norms for the use of asbestos and its exposure. Asbestos home testing is essential because exposure to and inhalation of Asbestos fibers is dangerous to health. Friable asbestos materials in homes, industries and appliances could lead to serious asbestos related diseases. Following people are more vulnerable to Asbestos-related diseases:
Works in industries and mines
Construct Buildings
Make ceilings
Perform Ceiling insulation
Apart from these persons all other persons who live in houses having asbestos contaminated building material or are involved in use or repair of appliances and products that contain asbestos can also contact asbestos diseases. This makes asbestos home testing a necessary process for all homes that are built before 1980s and all the people who are using appliances and or products that could contain asbestos materials.
Health Hazards Of Asbestos
Undamaged Asbestos cannot cause any health hazards. When asbestos is exposed to hitting, rubbing, or extreme vibration, its wear and tear occurs and shows signs of abrasion. Asbestos is only harmful, when damaged, and its fiber gets mixed with air. You can determine the status and stability of asbestos products by asbestos home testing. Asbestos home testing is compulsory because asbestos exposure could lead to fatal diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma cancers. Asbestos may harm you only if you inhale asbestos fiber. There are no safe levels of asbestos exposure and even short-term exposure to asbestos creates a possibility of your catching any disease caused by asbestos.
Removing Asbestos From Home
It is not possible to perform asbestos testing in home. You need qualified professional to test the presence of asbestos in your home. Asbestos abatement is the process of determining the status of asbestos material and taking corrective measures for preventing risk of asbestos exposure. It is not necessary that you have to remove all the asbestos material from your home. You can also opt for economic measures such as enclosures and encapsulation for preventing the risk of asbestos exposure even without removing the Asbestos Containing Materials.
Sunday, March 2, 2014
All Pericardial Mesothelioma Information FAQ
What is pericardial mesothelioma?
Pericardial mesothelioma is a serious heart condition which consists of cancerous cells building up on the lining of the heart. Similarly to pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma, this is a terminal illness due to the importance of the area on which it grows.
What causes pericardial mesothelioma and who are most at risk?
The primary cause of pericardial mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos dust and fibres. Therefore those at risk are those who are most likely to have inhaled these deadly fibres such as construction workers and asbestos manufacturers. Those in contact with these people also have a chance of getting pericardial mesothelioma because these people may have asbestos fibres stuck to their clothes or hair.
What are the symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma?
The symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma change from patient to patient. Usual symptoms include persistent coughing, coughing up blood, shortness of breath, chest pain and palpitations. Other symptoms patients may experience are nausea, weight loss, vomiting and loss of appetite.
What are the treatments available for pericardial mesothelioma?
There are various different treatments for pericardial mesothelioma although none of these have a high success rate. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, dual therapy and surgery are the treatment methods available. Chemotherapy includes using drugs to kill off cancerous cells and radiation therapy uses doses of radiation to kill cancer cells although this is difficult in the case of pericardial mesothelioma due to the surrounding vital organs such as the heart and lungs. Dual therapy is a treatment combining radiation therapy with chemotherapy. Surgery comes in two forms; aggressive surgery and palliative procedures. Aggressive surgery is a very difficult procedure and consists of removing large chunks of cancerous cells in an attempt to gain long term control over the cancer. Palliative procedures just attempts to lessen the symptoms for the patient.
How much exposure to asbestos is needed for there to be a possibility of getting pericardial mesothelioma?
This depends on how strong and resistant the person is to disease and on the concentration of asbestos in the environment around him. It is possible to get pericardial mesothelioma from as little as a couple of months of exposure to asbestos although on average it would take a couple of years for enough asbestos fibres to build up to cause cancer.
What is the prognosis for pericardial mesothelioma?
This is highly dependent on how early and how aggressively the cancer is treated. If pericardial mesothelioma is treated when it has fully developed and matured then the chances of a patient’s survival is very small. The prognosis could be only a couple of months.
Is there any promising research into cures for pericardial mesothelioma?
Research into cures of pericardial mesothelioma and all other forms of mesothelioma is being done in numerous research labs all over the USA. Many pharmaceutical companies are also working hard to research new drugs for chemotherapy. So far, research has been mostly unsuccessful.
Pericardial mesothelioma is a serious heart condition which consists of cancerous cells building up on the lining of the heart. Similarly to pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma, this is a terminal illness due to the importance of the area on which it grows.
What causes pericardial mesothelioma and who are most at risk?
The primary cause of pericardial mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos dust and fibres. Therefore those at risk are those who are most likely to have inhaled these deadly fibres such as construction workers and asbestos manufacturers. Those in contact with these people also have a chance of getting pericardial mesothelioma because these people may have asbestos fibres stuck to their clothes or hair.
What are the symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma?
The symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma change from patient to patient. Usual symptoms include persistent coughing, coughing up blood, shortness of breath, chest pain and palpitations. Other symptoms patients may experience are nausea, weight loss, vomiting and loss of appetite.
What are the treatments available for pericardial mesothelioma?
There are various different treatments for pericardial mesothelioma although none of these have a high success rate. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, dual therapy and surgery are the treatment methods available. Chemotherapy includes using drugs to kill off cancerous cells and radiation therapy uses doses of radiation to kill cancer cells although this is difficult in the case of pericardial mesothelioma due to the surrounding vital organs such as the heart and lungs. Dual therapy is a treatment combining radiation therapy with chemotherapy. Surgery comes in two forms; aggressive surgery and palliative procedures. Aggressive surgery is a very difficult procedure and consists of removing large chunks of cancerous cells in an attempt to gain long term control over the cancer. Palliative procedures just attempts to lessen the symptoms for the patient.
How much exposure to asbestos is needed for there to be a possibility of getting pericardial mesothelioma?
This depends on how strong and resistant the person is to disease and on the concentration of asbestos in the environment around him. It is possible to get pericardial mesothelioma from as little as a couple of months of exposure to asbestos although on average it would take a couple of years for enough asbestos fibres to build up to cause cancer.
What is the prognosis for pericardial mesothelioma?
This is highly dependent on how early and how aggressively the cancer is treated. If pericardial mesothelioma is treated when it has fully developed and matured then the chances of a patient’s survival is very small. The prognosis could be only a couple of months.
Is there any promising research into cures for pericardial mesothelioma?
Research into cures of pericardial mesothelioma and all other forms of mesothelioma is being done in numerous research labs all over the USA. Many pharmaceutical companies are also working hard to research new drugs for chemotherapy. So far, research has been mostly unsuccessful.
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