Mesothelioma - An Overview
Mesothelioma is an incurable form of cancer, which is rather unusual. This phenomenon is caused by previous exposure to asbestos. If we by the history of mesothelioma patients, we can see that either they have worked on jobs where they had inhaled asbestos particles or they must have been exposed to asbestos dust or particles in other ways. These particles penetrate the delicate internal organs like the lungs, intestines and even the heart. It also destroys mesothelium, the protective bag which produces an adequate fluid movement of bodies. Apart from this, can develop cancer tumors that spread throughout the body.
There are several forms of mesothelioma. Pleural Mesothelioma is the most common form. Peritoneal Mesothelioma is the second that affects the stomach and intestines. Another rare form of Mesothelioma, called Pericardial Mesothelioma attacks lubricates the membrane in the heart during the movement. During the initial stages, people tend to mistake mesothelioma for pneumonia. How ever, common symptoms include persistent cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, swelling of face and neck, coughing up blood, weight loss, etc. Even though it is not mandatory that everyone who comes in contact with asbestos will develop the disease, keeping the risk factor in mind, it is better to the doctor to consult about the time needed by the early detection of the disease.
Usually the diagnosis is mesothelioma in later stages and it may be a heavy blow to the family. While the investigation continues incessantly, there is no cure for the disease now. Usually the treatment is to reduce the severity of the symptoms of the disease. Doctors are dependent on certain combinations of chemotherapy drugs and researchers focus on finding ways and means for early diagnosis of the fatal disease. In some cases, surgery is performed in patients with tumors or remove an entire lung. Still, most of them are treated with radiation or chemotherapy.
The reason why someone develops the condition can be attributed to the negligence of the employer. The harmful effects of asbestos and asbestos products are quite evident. Yet the majority of employers pay little respect towards the health of workers and do not provide adequate protection. It was in the 1970s that the public became aware of the dangers of asbestos dust and fiber. Since then, many employers have started providing protective clothing, such as breathing apparatus, aprons, gloves and other necessary items to the unfortunate victims working in the area on a daily basis. But these efforts are not sufficient and much more needs to be done to ensure the safety of workers. The companies that produce asbestos or asbestos-containing products are subject to numerous law suites because of the irresponsible behavior of employers. Most of these cases have been filed by the unfortunate victims of the disease.
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