Raising Awareness About Mesothelioma & Asbestos The Silent Killers
Evidence has been made to prove that asbestos can form a silent killer disease called mesothelioma. Mesothelioma has a deadly effect on those who breathe asbestos fibers. Mesothelioma settles in the single biggest place killer; the lung and multiply in decades to come to be so aggressive and lethal.
Asbestos was once an industry wonder, now it is banned from its widespread use as the greatest building material available to a Silent Killer to those who work in construction industries. Working with the material when exposed to it causes serious high health risk from developing mesothelioma. The extremely long development period has resulted in delay of diagnoses. As a result researches and studies began to be carried out on asbestos worker’s communities.
How likely is asbestos to cause cancer?
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the World Health Organization (WHO), the EPA and the US National Toxicology Program (NTP) have determined that Asbestos has been determined as the only known cause for mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the thin lining surrounding the lung, abdominal cavity and genetic organs. The danger comes from its tendency to stay in the lungs for a longer period of time which range from 20-30 years before any symptoms appear. Individual risk factors, such as smoking, pre-existing lung disease and general fitness increases the chance of being affected. Therefore, if you have been exposed to asbestos; early identification is a must. If there is any significance of having mesothelioma really treatment is the first action to be done to increase an individual’s quality of life and survival.
Types of Mesothelioma;
Cancer comes in many types and degrees of severity and is generally found in four different forms: pleural, peritoneal, pericardial, and testicular. Mesothelioma develops in the membranous linings of our lungs, stomach and abdominal cavity when asbestos fibers become trapped in the spaces between mesothelium cells. There are three main types of mesothelioma each type refers to the point of origin of the cancer:
• Pleural – primarily affecting lining of the lung and chest regions, pleural mesothelioma is the most common type for the majority of cases representing about 75% of the cases of the disease.
• Peritoneal – thickening of the thin layer of tissue that lines the abdominal cavity, affecting the abdominal region and internal organs around 20% of mesothelioma cases.
• Pericardial – attacks the heart affecting the pericardial sac the lining of the heart, this type of mesothelioma is by far the rarest form of the disease, it causes a thickening of the lining of the pericardium and fluid buildup inside the sac.
Asbestos-Exposure and the Related Mesothelioma;
You should be concerned about Mesothelioma if you have experienced chronic occupational exposure to asbestos. Because the disease from asbestos fibers exposure remains in the lung tissue for a long time to develop, doctors recommend that such people should get regular checkup such as CT scans or chest x-rays and lung function tests. If any problems are detected, and you are diagnosed as an asbestos related diseases patient you should obtain a professional Mesothelioma diagnosis. Being diagnosed with Mesothelioma, a Mesothelioma law suit can help to be able to claim compensation, have the grounds for filing a lawsuit or give a legal advice about how to do this.
Upcoming Treatments and Growing Awareness;
Mesothelioma is an aggressive disease that requires an equally aggressive treatment strategy. Doctors offer three primary types of treatment to mesothelioma patients; surgery, chemotherapy and radiation which are the common treatment options for mesothelioma, the types of treatment you receive depend on your diagnosis, the stage and type of your mesothelioma and your overall health. Because Mesothelioma is resistant to many standard cancer treatments there is always research going on in the area of mesothelioma, therapies are constantly evolving and improving the experimental cancer drug and types of treatments through various ongoing clinical trials at research centers worldwide.
The National Institutes of Health are looking for better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat mesothelioma by running a clinical trial involving immune suppressors, an experimental cancer drug, a protein found in normal mesothelium cells and newer types of treatment that may give patients and their doctors even more options. The most important approach beside these upcoming treatments is growing awareness of the disease through individuals, organizations and lawmakers in taking steps to restrict asbestos and its destructive effects. Raising awareness is the key in protecting ourselves against its invasions… the more people come to understand its devastating effects the less affected individuals.
Remember there are many individuals affected by mesothelioma so you are not alone, many support groups that help patients and caregivers cope with the disease.