| Article Portal Home |
Mesothelioma - the FactsBy: Jennefer PoultsonMesothelioma and Asbestos By the year 2030 there are estimates that asbestos will have caused 60,000 instances of mesothelioma and around 250,000 other cancers that result in death. Over half a million asbestos and mesothelioma injury claims have been filed to date. Over 50,000 were filed in 1998 alone. Mesothelioma is usually caused by asbestos exposure. Asbestos mesothelioma is a fibrous mineral known to be carcinogenic. People who are exposed to asbestos fibers for just a short period of time (few weeks) or even to a small amount may be at risk. In particular, people working with asbestos and their family members or those who live with them develop mesothelioma. There is a long latency period between initial exposure to asbestos and the development of malignant tumors. On average, 35-40 years elapse before the onset of disease. Mesothelioma is a cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos particles in the air. Family members of laborers who are exposed to asbestos can contact mesothelioma if exposed to a worker's clothing. Workers most at risk are those who come into contact with asbestos, such as ship fitters, asbestos fabrication plants workers, insulation installers and home renovators. Mesothelioma victims can put in a claim against both the asbestos manufacturer and workman's compensation. Mesothelioma cancer Mesothelioma cancer involving mesothelial cells of an organ of the body, usually the lungs or stomach and other abdominal organs. Survival Time: 4 to 24 months for pleural mesothelioma, however, some victims have survived for several years with proper care. Cause: Exposure to asbestos. Care Seek out the best medical care. Taking advantage of respite care: Respite care is a service that provides temporary care for an older person. Respite care may mean help with a specific task or having health care providers care for your relative at home or in an extended care facility while you go on vacation. To make the most of appointments, have written questions ready for the health care provider. Ask health care providers to suggest the best time to call, when they might be free to answer questions. When calling, have important health information and records available. Cancer Treatment for mesothelioma cancer can be surgery to remove the tumors, chemotherapy, radiation, or a combination of the three. After the initial diagnosis patients usually succumb to the disease within two years. This depends on the overall health of the individual and the stage the cancer is in when it is diagnosed. Other factors are also involved, but these are the most predominant. Surgery is a common treatment for mesothelioma. The doctor may remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it. For cancer of the pleura (pleural mesothelioma), a lung may be removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy. Sometimes part of the diaphragm, the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing, is also removed. Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, involves the use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy affects the cancer cells only in the treated area. The radiation may come from a machine (external radiation) or from putting materials that produce radiation through thin plastic tubes into the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy). Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Most drugs used to treat mesothelioma are given by injection into a vein (intravenous, or IV). Doctors are also studying the effectiveness of putting chemotherapy directly into the chest or abdomen (intracavitary chemotherapy). |
|