Mesothelioma - Types and Symptoms
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is most commonly caused by an exposure to asbestos
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is most commonly caused by an
exposure to asbestos. However, mesothelioma symptoms do not show up for
many decades after the asbestos exposure. There are mainly three types
of mesothelioma: Pleural, peritoneal, and pericardial, and all of them
have terrible effects on the victim and their family.
Mesothelioma is not a common form of cancer and it is also the most
deadly of all diseases related to asbestos exposure. Keep in mind that
just because it is uncommon, it is not considered a rare type of
cancer. Because the symptoms mesothelioma exhibits are not very unique
as they also tend to show up in other diseases, it is often difficult
to diagnose. Treatment may no longer be effective by the time a
diagnosis is made. It is one of the least responsive cancers to
treatment.
Pleural mesothelioma affects the chest and lungs of its victim. From
the chest and lungs, it spreads to different organs in the body,
including the brain. Pleural mesothelioma is often not easy to detect.
Survival rates are usually about a year and a half from the onset of
their symptoms. A very small percentage may survive three to five years.
Pleural mesothelioma symptoms include:
* Pain in a specific area of the chest that doesn’t seem to go away.
* Shortness of breath or breathing problems due to fluid buildup in the chest.
* Weight loss
* Fever
* Aneamia{low blood levels}
* Fatigue
* Coughing up blood
* Jaundice
* Low blood sugar
* Blood clots
* Tumor masses
Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the abdomen and many times spreads to
nearby organs, such as the spleen, liver, or bowels. The survival rate
is very low, with most patients surviving about ten months after the
development of symptoms.
Common peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms include:
* Severe abdominal pain
* Excessive fluid in the abdomen area
* Difficult bowel movements
* Nausea and vomiting
* Fever
* Swollen feet
Pericardial mesothelioma affects the heart and is the least common of
the mesothelioma-related cancers. This type of cancer invades the
pericardium, the sac surrounding the heart. When the disease
progresses, the heart is unable to deliver the right amount of oxygen
to the rest of the body. The health of the victim declines very rapidly
during the progression of the disease. The most common symptoms
resemble a heart attack, with nausea, difficulty in breathing, and pain
in the chest.
Mesothelioma treatment is with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation,
though there are some experimental treatments are currently been tried
for the disease is still in their earlier stages. This serious disease
affects more than just the victim; it affects their loved ones as well.
As the effects of the disease is devastating , a lot of effort and hard
work needs to be done to protect the rights of working men and wome
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