Mesothelioma
Asbestos fibers can cause mesothelioma if they irritate or damage the cells that line lungs (pleura) and abdominal cavities (peritoneum). Eventually, these abnormal cells develop into tumors.
Symptoms of mesothelioma take 10 – 50 years to show up and are often confused with other ailments. The only known risk factor is a history of asbestos exposure.
Pleural Mesothelioma
The lungs and chest wall are affected by pleural mesothelioma. Patients diagnosed with this type of mesothelioma typically have symptoms such as chest pain, breathing difficulty and coughing. Some patients also experience an accumulation of fluid between the lung and the wall of the chest, called a the pleural effusion. Pleural mesothelioma is a condition that occurs when asbestos fibers irritate the lining of the lung and chest cavity. In time, the irritated lining forms tumors that expand into the pleura. The tumors can grow to the peritoneum and bones, and to the liver.
It typically takes 20 to 50 years for a person to develop pleural cancer following exposure to asbestos. The people who were exposed in the workplace to asbestos are at the highest risk of developing the disease. Workers in shipyards and on ships and veterans are at risk.
A patient may be afflicted with symptoms for several weeks before a doctor diagnoses pleural mesothelioma. Symptoms can include difficulty breathing or coughing, dry chest pain and fatigue. This condition may also result in a low temperature and unexplained loss of weight. A doctor can determine mesothelioma by taking a patient’s history of asbestos claim exposure and performing an examination. Chest X-rays or CT scans are commonly performed. These tests can reveal fluid in the chest cavity, or a tumor near one of the lungs.
The first step in treating pleural msothelioma involves draining the excess fluid. Doctors can do this through a procedure called thoracentesis, which involves inserting a small tube into the chest cavity between two ribs. This tube provides doctors with to look into the area and collect a sample of pleural liquid. The fluid can be tested by a doctor to determine whether it is cancerous.
The prognosis for pleural tumors depends on a number of factors, including the stage and extent of the cancer. The prognosis can also be affected by the patient’s age as well as whether smoking cigarettes or not. The survival rate of a patient is also affected by their overall health and the speed at which they seek treatment after an diagnosis. asbestos case patients that are treated quickly and with a high degree of urgency have the highest chance of a positive outcome.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma
Peritoneal mesothelioma is a cancer that develops along abdomen’s lining known as the peritoneum. Although this mesothelioma type accounts for fewer cases than the more common type known as pleural mesothelioma is still a fatal disease. Peritoneal mesothelioma can be caused by exposure to asbestos at work. Asbestos fibers that are breathed in or consumed enter the digestive tract, and then travel through the lymphatic system and into the tissue of the peritoneal area. Once inside they cause DNA damage and can irritate the cells. Over time the inflammation that follows creates scar tissue and causes tumours to develop.
Peritoneal mesothelioma, a form of cancer, is that can take years to develop. It is also a difficult cancer to detect because its symptoms are similar to those of other abdominal issues. In the end, patients with peritoneal mesothelioma are often mistakenly diagnosed or delayed treatment.
Patients with peritoneal mesothelioma suffer severe abdominal pain and fever as well as weight loss. They may struggle to digest food due to the fluid buildup in their abdomen. They also are at a higher-risk of developing anemia and low levels of albumin.
As with other forms of mesothelioma. Doctors detect peritoneal mesothelioma by taking a biopsy. The aim of this procedure is to take only a small portion of the affected tissue for examination under an microscope by a mesothelioma specialist. These tests can determine if the tumors are aggressive or not, and the kind of cancerous cells that are present (epithelioid sarcomatoid).
Doctors assign a peritoneal stage for mesothelioma based on the location of the tumor, the extent of growth and the rate of spread to other tissues. The larger the tumors and the more aggressive the cell type and the more advanced mesothelioma’s stage.
Patients with mesothelioma should consult an expert doctor who is specially trained in this rare condition. Patients risk being misdiagnosed as having abdominal pain and receiving treatment that is delayed. This can be a serious issue because mesothelioma has a long time of latency and requires a thorough diagnosis to ensure the proper treatment.
Cardiac Mesothelioma
While peritoneal and pleural mesothelioma are among the most frequent types of asbestos-related cancers patients can also be diagnosed with mesothelioma pericardial. This rare type of cancer is caused by asbestos fibers invade the heart’s lining. It is often difficult to identify the condition because symptoms are similar to those of other diseases. Patients with pericardial msothelioma are advised to tell their doctors about their asbestos legal exposure history as well as any recent signs.
Pericardial mesothelioma is more common in males than females. However, researchers aren’t sure what causes this difference. It could be that different asbestos exposures trigger mesothelioma pericardial, or the likelihood of developing the disease increases with the advancing years.
A patient’s doctor may begin to suspect pericardial mesothelioma after performing a physical exam and asking about their exposure to asbestos. The physician can then request an x-ray chest scan and CT scan to see whether there is evidence of a build-up of fluid around the heart (known as pericardial effusion).
Pericardial mesothelioma is a condition that typically affects the membrane that encases the heart. These symptoms can be extremely severe and may affect the quality of life of the patient. They can include chest pain, difficulty breathing and breath shortness. In some instances, the fluid may build up and put pressure on the heart, which can lead to cardiac tamponade.
Lawyers who specialize in asbestos-related illnesses can assist families and patients receive the financial compensation they need when diagnosed with mesothelioma. Attorneys who specialize in asbestos-related diseases can review a patient’s history of exposure and refer them to a mesothelioma specialist.
Asbestos patients in New York City and across the country should speak with an experienced mesothelioma lawyer discuss their case. The lawyers at Madeksho Law Firm are available to assist patients in making claims for compensation. Contact us for a free consultation. No charge is made in the event that we are unable to recover compensation for you.
Reproductive Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma may affect the lining of organs in the abdomen, chest, or heart. It may also affect the lining of eyes (periocular) and testicles. In rare cases, mesothelioma can occur in other parts of the body, such as the kidneys, stomach or heart valves. Mesothelioma is most common in the chest wall or lungs. However, mesothelioma may also be found in the abdominal cavity and the interior of the heart (pericardium).
Mesothelioma is primarily caused by asbestos exposure. People working in blue-collar industries as well as the military were exposed to massive amounts of asbestos law in the United States. asbestos litigation producers knew asbestos was dangerous, but they didn’t warn their employees or make clear the dangers. Asbestos was widely used in construction, shipbuilding power plants and the military during the 1930s and into the 1980s. Exposure to asbestos could cause the development of mesothelioma, lung cancer and other asbestos-related ailments.
Most cases of mesothelioma don’t manifest until several years after exposure. Most often, the disease is not properly diagnosed. Symptoms can appear between 20 and 60 year after exposure to asbestos.
A shortness of breath or chest discomfort, or persistent cough or fluids in the lungs are symptoms of mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is often difficult to identify because the disease is so uncommon and its symptoms are similar to those of many other ailments, including lung cancer and pneumonia.
A doctor will look over your medical history in order to detect mesothelioma and other health problems. He or she will ask about your work history and whether you’ve been exposed asbestos. Mesothelioma is more prevalent in people who worked in industries which handled or shipped asbestos.
The treatment options for mesothelioma rely on the type of cancer and its stage. In most instances, chemotherapy and surgery are the most commonly used treatment options. In some cases radiation therapy is also used. Immunotherapy is another option for treating mesothelioma. However the research is in its early stages.