Mesothelioma – What it is, Causes and Treatments

Mesothelioma – What it is, Causes and Treatments that many are unaware of. Also, Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that occurs in the thin layer of tissue that covers most of your internal organs (mesothelium). Mesothelioma is an aggressive and lethal form of cancer . Mesothelioma treatments are available, but for many people with Mesothelioma , a cure is not possible. Doctors divide Mesothelioma into different types based on which part of the mesothelium is affected. Mesothelioma most often affects the tissue that surrounds the lungs (pleura). This type is called Mesotheliomapleural. Other, rarer types of mesothelioma affect tissue in the abdomen ( peritoneal mesothelioma ), around the heart and around the testicles. Mesothelioma does include a form of benign (benign) tumor that occurs in the chest and is sometimes called benign mesothelioma or solitary fibrous tumor.

What is Mesothelioma: Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that affects the lining of the lungs, heart, or abdomen . Mainly caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibers, Mesothelioma is most commonly diagnosed in older individuals who have worked with asbestos in an industrial setting. The prognosis for Mesothelioma is poor, but early detection and newer treatment methods have given many patients hope of survival.

Causes of Mesothelioma:  In general, cancer starts when a series of genetic mutations occur within a cell, causing the cell to grow and multiply out of control. It’s not clear what causes the initial genetic mutations that lead to Mesothelioma , although researchers have identified factors that can increase the risk. Cancers are likelyto form due to an interaction between many factors such as inherited conditions, your environment, your health conditions, and your lifestyle choices.

• Zeolites: These minerals are chemically related to asbestos. One of these related minerals, erionite, is common in soil in some areas of Turkey, according to the American Cancer Society. Exposure to erionite is thought to be responsible for high rates of Mesothelioma rates in these areas.
• Radiation: The American Cancer Society notes that there have been some published reports of Mesothelioma that developed after exposure to high doses of radiation to the chest or abdomen or after injections of thorium dioxide (Thorotrast), a material used by doctors in some chest X – until the 1950s.
• SV40 virus: Some studies in laboratory animals have raised the possibility that infection with simian virus 40 (SV40) may increase the risk of developing Mesothelioma , according to the American Cancer Society. Some injectable polio vaccines between 1955 and 1963 were contaminated with SV40, exposing an estimated 30 million people in the US to the virus. So far, the largest studies addressing this issue in humans have not found an increased risk of Mesothelioma or other cancers among people who received the contaminated vaccines as children.
• Genetics: Some experts believe that certain people may be genetically predisposed to Mesothelioma . Disease rates vary among populations.

Mesothelioma Symptoms :  Signs and symptoms of Mesothelioma vary depending on where the cancer occurs.

Pleural mesothelioma, which affects the tissue surrounding the lungs, causes signs and symptoms that may include:

• Chest pain under the rib cage
• painful cough
• Shortness of breathe
• Unusual pieces of tissue under the skin on your chest
• unexplained weight loss

Peritoneal Mesothelioma , which occurs in the tissue of the abdomen , causes signs and symptoms that may include:

• Abdominal pain
• abdominal swelling
• Tissue loin in the abdomen
• unexplained weight loss
• Other forms of Mesothelioma

Signs and symptoms of other types of Mesothelioma are unclear, as these forms of the disease are very rare.

Pericardial Mesothelioma , which affects the tissue surrounding the heart, can cause signs and symptoms such as difficulty breathing and chest pain.

Tunica vaginalis mesothelioma , which affects the tissue surrounding the testicles, may first be detected as a swelling or mass in a testicle.

When to See a Doctor: See your doctor if you have signs and symptoms that could indicate Mesothelioma . The signs and symptoms of Mesothelioma are not specific to this disease and because of the rarity of Mesothelioma , they are more likely to be related to other conditions. If any persistent signs and symptoms seem unusual or bothersome, ask your doctor to evaluate them. Tell your doctor if you have been exposed to asbestos.

Mesothelioma Treatments:  The treatment you get for Mesothelioma depends on your health and certain aspects of your cancer , such as its stage and location.

Unfortunately, Mesothelioma is often an aggressive disease, and for most people, a cure is not possible. Mesothelioma is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage – when the cancer cannot be removed through an operation. Instead, your doctor can work to control your cancer to make you more comfortable.

Discuss treatment goals with your doctor. Some people want to do everything they can to treat their cancer , even if it means lasting side effects for a small chance of an improvement. Others prefer treatments that make them comfortable so they can live the remaining time as symptom-free.

Surgeons work to remove Mesothelioma when it is diagnosed at an early stage. In some cases, this can cure cancer .

Sometimes it is not possible to remove all the cancer . In such cases, surgery can help reduce the signs and symptoms caused by Mesothelioma spreading in your body.

Surgical options for mesothelioma  may include:

Surgery to decrease fluid buildup: Pleural mesothelioma can cause fluid to build up in your chest, causing difficulty breathing. Surgeons insert a tube or catheter into the chest to drain the fluid. Doctors may also inject medicine into your chest to prevent fluid from backing up (pleurodesis).

Surgery to remove tissue around the lungs or abdomen: Surgeons can remove tissue that lines the ribs and lungs (pleurectomy) or tissue that lines the abdominal cavity (peritonectomy). This procedure will not cure Mesothelioma , but it can alleviate the signs and symptoms.

Surgery to remove as much of the cancer as possible (cytoreduction): If all of the cancer cannot be removed, surgeons may try to remove as much as possible. Debulking allows doctors to more accurately target radiation treatments to relieve pain and fluid buildup caused by Mesothelioma .

Surgery to remove a lung and surrounding tissue: Removal of the affected lung and the tissue surrounding it can alleviate the signs and symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma  . If you will be receiving radiation therapy to your chest after surgery, this procedure also allows doctors to use higher doses as you will not have to worry about protecting your lung from harmful radiation.

Pericardium Mesothelioma and Tunica Vaginal Mesothelioma are very rare. Early stage cancer can be removed through surgery. Doctors have not yet been able to determine the best way to treat later-stage cancer, however. Your doctor may recommend other treatments to improve your quality of life.