Mesothelioma Treatment and Prevention

Mesothelioma is a type of lung cancer which is associated with the exposure of asbestos. Asbestos is a mineral fiber thas has been used in a variety of construction materials for insulating and as a fire-retardant. Asbestos is frequently found in old houses. Elevated concentrations of airbone asbestos can occur after asbestos-containing materials are movilized because of remodeling activities. Improper manage of asbestos when removing these materials can release asbestos fibers into the air homes, increasing asbestos levels and putting persons living in those houses at high risk of mesothelioma.

Mesotelioma Prevention

The best way of preventing mesothelioma is to avoid exposure. To reduce exposure it is best to leave asbestos alone, while it is not damaged. If asbestos has to be removed, this operation will be done by qualified contractors. Keep in mind that materials in good conditions do not release asbestos fibers.

There is no danger unless fibers are released and inhaled into the lungs.

Before you have your house remodeled, find out whether asbestos materials are present.

Consider the option of sealing off the materials instead of removing them.

Mesothelioma Treatment

There are treatments for all patients with malignant mesothelioma. There are three kinds of treatment: chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. It may be taken by pill, or it may be put into the body by a needle in the vein or muscle. It is called a systemic treatment because the drug enters the bloodstream, travels through the body, and can kill cancer cells throughout the body.

Surgery is a common treatment in cases of malignant mesothelioma. Depending on how far the cancer has spread, a lung can be removed. Sometimes part of the diaphragm is also removed. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body (external radiation therapy) or from putting materials that produce radiation (radioisotopes) through thin plastic tubes in the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy). If fluid has collected in the chest or abdomen, the fluid can be drained out of the body by putting a needle into the chest or abdomen and using gentle suction to remove the fluid.

Symptoms of Mesothelioma

The reason mesothelioma is so hard to diagnose is that it has a long incubation period. Once exposed to asbestos particles a person may have no symptoms of the disease from between 30 to 50 years. Even if there are some signs like a cold, cough and chest pain the symptoms are so similar to pneumonia that they are often misdiagnosed.

This causes a delay in diagnosis and when more symptoms develop like that of weight loss, abdominal pain and fever they are so similar to other general diseases that physicians may not even consider mesothelioma. The symptoms are confusing as they vary according to the part of the body the disease has affected.

Doctors Diagnosis

To get the correct diagnosis it is essential that you apprise your physician of any exposure you may have had to Asbestos. If you or anyone with whom you have come into contact with has been exposed to Asbestos it is essential that you get a complete physical examination. This should include a chest x-ray, lung function tests and blood tests.

While most tests may not locate the presence of asbestos in the body they will be able to pinpoint any abnormal behavior in the body organs that may be due to the presence of asbestos. Asbestos exposure can be diagnosed through tests of:

• Urine
• Feces
• Mucus and
• Material rinsed out of the lungs

The most common early symptoms of asbestos-related diseases are:

• Blood in the sputum (fluid)
• A cough or a change in cough pattern
• Difficulty in swallowing
• Hoarseness
• Shortness of breath
• Pain in the chest or abdomen
• Weight loss.

A number of people put off seeing a doctor because they think they are just having normal illness. But if you've been exposed to asbestos in your younger years, you should see a doctor immediately.

If you have any of these symptoms and have been exposed to asbestos in any way you need a medical examination and may have the option of considering legal action for monetary compensation.