Mesothelioma, also known as asbestos cancer, is a rare but deadly
disease which affects the pleura (a thin lining surrounding the lungs)
and other parts of the body. It is caused by exposure to asbestos,
naturally occurring minerals which were widely used in various
industries for their fire-resistant properties. The most common form of
this cancer is lung mesothelioma, which is also known as pleural
mesothelioma. Asbestos fibers can also attack the lining of the
abdominal cavity, resulting in peritoneal mesothelioma.
Additionally, mesothelioma cancer sometimes affects the pericardium, a
sac which surrounds the heart, as well as other organs in the body.
If you or a loved one were diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis,
or asbestos-related cancer, you may be entitled to
substantial compensation. We invite you to fill out our form today for a
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How Does Mesothelioma Develop?
The development of mesothelioma is a drawn-out process, which makes it
hard to diagnose and treat. On average, it takes decades for the
symptoms of mesotheliomato
surface. Mesothelioma can mask its presence because its symptoms
resemble those of more common respiratory illnesses. By the time a
doctor orders a battery of tests to look for mesothelioma, it is usually
too late to treat the cancer effectively. Symptoms include shortness of
breath, chest pains, or a combination of both. As mesothelioma advances
to its final stage, symptoms can become more severe and typically
include severe chest and lung pain, bloating, coughing up blood,
difficulty in swallowing, or buildup of fluid in the chest cavity.
Extreme tiredness, lack of appetite, and subsequent weight loss, skin
rashes, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, night sweats, and fever.
Between 2,000 to 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the U.S. every year.
Who Is the Average Mesothelioma Patient?
The majority of mesothelioma victims are people who have been in the
armed forces and/or worked in an environment in which they were in daily
contact with asbestos.
A case in point: U.S. Navy ships of all types that were launched and
saw service from the 1930s to the early 1960s contained extremely large
amounts of asbestos. Decks, compartment walls, hulls, electrical
systems, steam pipes, and more contain asbestos fibers in order to add
tensile strength, resistance to fire and heat, and low electrical
conductivity. This made ships safer, particularly in regards to extreme
temperatures and fires. However, these large amounts of asbestos
containing materials present in warships and auxiliary vessels exposed
sailors, Marines, and repair yard workers to carcinogenic asbestos
fibers which trigger the disease.
In the civilian economy, many worksites such as electrical plants, steel
mills, manufacturing facilities, oil refineries, welding businesses,
and more used asbestos extensively prior to its ban. Prior to its ban in
the late 20th Century, asbestos was used in many industrial plants,
port facilities, and other buildings across the world where millions of
workers were regularly exposed to it during their workdays.
Many owners of enterprises where fire and/or high temperatures are used
in the manufacturing process used large amounts of asbestos to make
their production facilities safer and more efficient. Asbestos was added
to many factory components to make them stronger and able to resist
flame and extreme heat. While these measures had positive results in
preventing fires or diminishing the damage from them, they also exposed
many industrial workers to asbestos fibers.
Although anyone exposed to asbestos is at some risk of developing
mesothelioma, the average patients of this asbestos-related malady are
usually males. This is because males were the predominant gender in the
armed forces or in work sites which asbestos was used prior to its ban.
Since it usually takes between 10 and 50 years from the initial exposure
to a definitive diagnosis, mesothelioma patients are commonly older men
in the 60-70 age group.
How Doctors Diagnose Mesothelioma
Unfortunately, as previously stated, it takes sometimes up to 50 years
in order for doctors to diagnose mesothelioma since the symptoms tend
to show up slowly. Even then, the symptoms manifest themselves so subtly
that unless a physician has a patient’s complete medical and work
history, including the fact that he or she was exposed to asbestos,
diagnosis may be delayed.
Once a doctor begins the process of obtaining a diagnosis, several blood
tests, CT scans, chest X-rays and a biopsy are usually performed. A
biopsy allows the doctor to remove bits of lung tissue in order to
search for asbestos fibers or indications of lesions or tumors. If a
patient is diagnosed with mesothelioma, his or her physician will be
also be able to assess what stage of the disease has reached.
The Four Stages of Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma has four stages. The first stage is the earliest of the
disease where the mesothelioma tumor is not fully formed. Patients with
stage Ia and Ib mesothelioma have the best chances of getting the
cancerous cells removed. As the mesothelioma tumors grow and affect more
healthy tissue, the stage number rises, with Stage IV being the final
stage. Stage II of mesothelioma still renders hope for the patient since
the tumor, although it has increased in size, still has not spread to
the point in which surgery is not an option.
Once a patient reaches Stage III, the cancer has moved to adjacent parts
of the body and a patient’s life expectancy is shorter when compared to
that when the cancer is in Stages I and II. However, if the tumor is in
mass, surgery may still be an option for certain patients. However,
once mesothelioma reaches Stage IV, the prognosis is not a good one and
physicians will search for palliative treatments instead of treatments
that promise a cure. Palliative treatments focus on helping mesothelioma
patients manage pain and prolong their lives instead of attempting to
remove the tumors. In the majority of cases, the tumors are far too
widespread during this stage to be surgically removed.
The four stages of mesothelioma are listed and defined below:
- Stage Ia: Tumor is in the outer layer of the pleura (parietal pleura). It is not in the pleura covering the lung (visceral pleura).
Stage Ib: Tumor is in both the parietal and visceral pleura
Stage II: Tumor has spread into the lung or diaphragm.
Stage III: Tumor has spread to
one or more of these organs or areas: the pericardium, part of the chest
wall, or lymph glands inside the chest
Stage IV: Tumor has metastasized
to one or more of the following: across the chest wall or pericardium,
various areas of the chest wall, the heart, liver, windpipe or
esophagus, or the opposite lung.
Unfortunately, many individuals may not even know they have mesothelioma
until they have been diagnosed. Some patients’ mesothelioma tumors are
not found until they’re reached Stage IV since it takes decades from the
initial exposure to asbestos for the first symptoms to manifest
themselves.
Mesothelioma Treatments
Chemotherapy, radiation, or a combination of both are the most effective
forms of mesothelioma treatments currently available. However, if the
disease is detected in Stages Ia or Ib, surgery is almost always
recommended in order to remove the tumor. The caveat, of course, is that
the patient must meet certain health and age requirements. Older
patients and/or patients with less-than-ideal health conditions may not
be able to withstand the physical demands of a surgical procedure.
If the cancer has reached its late stages, especially Stage IV, multimodal
treatment options are
used. Multimodal treatment is a combination of two different types of
treatments, typically chemotherapy and radiation. Surgery is not a
widely-used option for patients with Stages III and IV mesothelioma,
since the poor state of health of the patient, as well as the possible
metastasis of the tumor makes surgery extremely risky.
In addition to standard treatments, many mesothelioma patients have
chosen a wide variety of complementary or alternative treatments. Herbal
therapies which involve the use of herbs and vitamins, acupuncture,
holistic healing, meditation, and yoga are a fraction of the alternative
treatments that can be employed against mesothelioma. Although many
alternative treatments are not recognized in traditional medical
practices, many doctors and healthcare practitioners are more accepting
and open minded of how effective these non-traditional treatments can
be. As a result of their willingness to embrace new ideas, some of these
enterprising doctors have opened up their own alternative medicine
practice.
