Prognosis, Symptoms and Treatment of Malignant Mesothelioma

Malignant mesothelioma is an asbestos cancer form that has an impact on the thin tissue layer that is there in the internal organs of the body, commonly known as mesothelium. The main reason responsible for malignant mesothelioma is asbestos exposure.

Health care providers have divided malignant mesothelioma into various kinds on the basis of mesothelium area. It includes pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma, pericardial mesothelioma and testicular mesothelioma.

Pleural Mesothelioma: is the most common cancer form that has an impact on the lungs lining, commonly known as pleura.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma: is the second most common cancer form that makes its presence felt in the abdomen lining, commonly known as peritoneum.

Pericardial Mesothelioma: makes its presence felt in the membrane that is there around the heart, commonly known as pericardium.

Testicular Mesothelioma: is the rarest cancer form that makes its presence felt in the membranous lining surrounding the testicles, commonly known as tunica vaginalis.

Malignant Mesothelioma Symptoms

People suffering from malignant mesothelioma normally do not show any symptoms until 15 to 30 years after asbestos exposure. This happens because of the long latency period that is associated with mesothelioma. The mesothelioma symptoms are quite general and often do not cause any serious condition, which make the whole diagnosis process lot tougher.

You will find quite a bit of variation in the malignant mesothelioma symptoms on the basis of mesothelioma type. Some of the common symptoms associated with malignant mesothelioma are breath shortness, persistent cough and chest pain. People suffering from peritoneal mesothelioma may show symptoms like development of lumps, abdominal swelling and modifications in bowel movement. People suffering from pericardial mesothelioma may experience chest pain, fever and heart palpitations. People suffering from testicular mesothelioma may experience testicular lumps.

Malignant Mesothelioma Treatments

Irrespective of the kind of malignant mesothelioma you are suffering from, there are plenty of treatment options available. However, how you are going to react with different treatment options will depend entirely on your overall health condition. Your health care provider will set treatment on the basis of your disease stage and past medical record.

To cure mesothelioma and get rid of cancer cells, health care providers normally employ surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. The main objective of radiation and chemotherapy treatments is to get rid of the cancerous cells and stop the growth of cell division. During treatment, main emphasis is on harmful cells but there is a strong possibility that it can also have an impact on the healthy cells. After treatment, you mat experience various side effects. Palliative treatments which give people suffering from malignant mesothelioma comfort can also be used by your health care provider.

Malignant Mesothelioma Causes

Mesothelioma makes its presence felt when asbestos fibers are ingested and make a mark in the body organs. With the passage of time, fibers cause inflammation and scarring, which often results in malignant mesothelioma development. The asbestos fibers also have ability to damage cellular cells.

My Jobless Boyfriend has Mesothelioma, What Can I Do?

After 3 happy years together, my jobless boyfriend has been diagnosed with Pericardial Mesothelioma. His health had been great until recently when he started having trouble breathing and shooting abdominal pain. Initially I was shattered and I was not sure how to deal with the news. Then I realized that it is important to consider what to do next to help improve his health condition. I had heard that some courses of treatment would make it possible for him to get over the disease and he might get completely cured if the disease is in its initial stages. I was also sure that he would not consider treatment unless he was fully aware of the disease and knew that the treatment would not cost him money and he has been jobless for over a year.

We later took a trip to visit a lawyer who deals with this disease diagnosis because the cause is usually employer negligence. He said we need to be prepared mentally about the lawsuit and I have to make him sure that I can be there to support my boyfriend in any situation because this lawsuit can be a long, tough road. While the lawyer said there is little I can do as a non-official family member, being there to support him is the most important thing I can do.

Fortunately, his finances don’t play a role in the lawsuit against his former employer because the lawyer only gets paid if we win. In preparing for the case, we have to look for a capable healthcare provider who can testify on his behalf. The healthcare provider must deal with this form of Mesothelioma so my boyfriend will be completely comfortable and able to express himself freely.

Learning about Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer by excessive exposure to asbestos and directly affects the Mesothelium. The Mesothelium is a protective lining which covers the internal organs and in this disease malignant cells are formed on this lining. In most cases, the Pleura (the outer lining of lungs and chest cavity) are affected. However, Mesothelioma on the Peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity) or the Pericardium (the sac surrounding the heart) also occurs. Thus, malignant Mesothelioma has three main categories based on the area of the mesothelium attacked: Peritoneal Mesothelioma, Pleural Mesothelioma and Pericardial Mesothelioma.

Symptoms of Mesothelioma

Symptoms of Mesothelioma can occur many years, even as many as 50 years, after being exposed to asbestos. The most common symptoms are Mesothelioma pain due to fluid collection in pleural area, coughing and breathlessness. In the case of Peritoneal Mesothelioma, there can even be abdominal swelling, weight loss and accumulation of fluid in abdominal cavity. Apart from these, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia and fever are also found commonly. In the case of pleural Mesothelioma, blood in the sputum, chest wall pain, anemia, fatigue and pleural effusion are also common. In severe cases, the person may develop many tumor masses or pneumothorax (collapse of the lung).

Diagnosis of Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma does not affect the bone, brain or adrenal glands. Pleural tumors affect only one side of the lungs. The first process of diagnosis is to check the patient’s history for any asbestos exposure. Various tests like CT scan, chest x-ray, lung function tests, MRI scan needs to undertaken to diagnoses the disease. Treatment of Mesothelioma using conventional therapies like radiation, surgery hasn’t been very successful and new treatments are being developed. Unfortunately, the survival rate beyond one year after diagnosis is incredibly low.

Aftermath of 9/11 toxins – Mesothelioma Alert

On September 11, 2001, when the World Trade Center towers crashed down, around 3017 persons were reported dead officially. However, the aftermath of 9/11 is still continuing and not many know about it.

Know about Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a deadly form of lung cancer that affects anyone who comes in contact with asbestos. Asbestos dust, when inhaled through the nose or mouth enters the lungs/abdomen and starts corroding the same leading to uncontrollable cellular reproduction. This in turn, leads to mesothelioma. Asbestos is used in building and construction industries as it has high level of fire-retarding qualities. Mesothelioma has no known cure and results in the worst possible form of painful death. The worst part is you don’t need to be exposed to asbestos over a period of time. Even a single exposure can lead to mesothelioma.

The 9/11 Aftermath

During 9/11, the buildings shattered, plastic melted, metals burned and all this has released loads of asbestos dust and asbestos fibers into the atmosphere. However, proper clean-up was not done immediately. While the governments were tending to the dead and injured, the potential dangers to the living was overlooked. People started going to offices and looked around in dismay at the layers of white dust that surrounded them. They just swept it off and carried on with their work unsuspectingly, without realizing the huge amount of asbestos that is bound to exist in that dust. Asbestos clean-up operations by the government were definitely lax.

City Heroes face Mesothelioma risk

The dedicated Ground Zero workers like the firefighters and policemen were not given adequate protection from the toxic substances circulating in the air. These heroes took in all those harmful substances through their nose and mouth. Now, they are facing persistent lung problems. Mesothelioma has a very long latency period, around 20-30 years. That means, it may take around 20-30 years for mesothelioma to be detected after the initial exposure to the asbestos fibers/ dust. So, it may take another 15-20 years before the effect of the asbestos exposure on the city’s heroes is known. Till then, they are at potential risk for contracting mesothelioma and various other diseases.

Mesothelioma Fundraiser – Walk a Cause

Miles for Meso is a program conducted for cancer awareness and research. It is a 5k race with attractive cash prizes. This walk/run will be not only fun but also educational. Whatever be your age or athletic capacity, you can participate in this event as it is targeted towards creating mesothelioma awareness in society and whatever little you do is sure to impact the cause.

Miles for Meso – More Info

Who?

The ‘Miles for Meso’ race is being presented by the Simmons Law firm and 100% of the registration fees and donations will benefit the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation. This non-profit organization is deeply involved in research to discover and invent better treatment options for this terrible cancer. It has vowed to end the saga of mesothelioma as a life-ending disease. The Simmons Law firm is well known for their determination and passion towards the mesothelioma eradication cause. They have handled innumerable mesothelioma cases and have seen the victims suffering closely. Moved by their plight, the firm has vowed to raise $15 million towards cancer research.

When & Where?

Two races will be conducted –

• The Race at Alton, Illinois on September 26 and
• The Race at St. Louis, Missouri on October 11.

How?

If you are wondering in which to participate, then my best advice would be both. Just think of all the following goodies and I am sure you are going to do just that!

• The first day in Alton you can get a high-tech full sleeved running t-shirt.
• Then, you register at a reduced fee in Alton for the St. Louis race and get a branded water-bottle.
• Next, on the race day at St. Louis, get a branded gear bag.

The registration fee is $15 till September 16 and $20 after that. If you decide to register on the day of the event, the fee would be $25. Already 200 people have registered for the race. So, hurry! You can register yourself online at http://www.milesformesothelioma.org/. Remember, all the collected funds go towards Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation.

Why to participate?

If you are still wondering whether you should participate, then I would like to remind you again about mesothelioma. This terrible form of lung cancer has no cure and results only in death. While people can protect and prevent its onslaught, there is no way they can get themselves cured of it. So, lots of awareness about this disease needs to be created and funds are necessary for the same. So, be huge-hearted and contribute to the ‘miles for meso’ run even if you are not planning to participate in the same. It is all for a good cause.

Life Expectancy of Mesothelioma Patients

In evaluating the life expectancy of mesothelioma patient, you need to take into consideration number of factors as every patient has a completely different case. Because scientists are working overtime to come up with a new treatment routine, there is no surprise that life expectancy of mesothelioma patients are increasing. For mesothelioma patients, the average life expectancy is in the range of five to eighteen months.

Factors you need to take into Consideration

• Disease stage
• The diagnosis point
• Kind of mesothelioma you are suffering from. It includes localized mesothelioma and advanced mesothelioma.
• Your age
• Your overall health
• Kinds of treatment feasible for you

Stage of Mesothelioma Cancer

The mesothelioma cancer stage can give you a clear sign of how long you are going to live. As the mesothelioma symptoms in an initial stage are quite identical to other common ailments, there is always a possibility of mesothelioma patients not getting proper diagnosis. By the time disease is discovered, it has already entered the advanced stage which is not easy to treat and therefore much less life expectancy.

At this moment of time, there is no real cure available for mesothelioma cancer but with the help of various mesothelioma treatment routines, mesothelioma patients can increase their life expectancy especially if diagnosed early on in the piece. Contact mesothelioma centers immediately if you think that you have been exposed to asbestos. In these centers, you will get all the necessary details regarding testing for initial mesothelioma stages.

Early Detection and Aggressive Treatment

Recent study has come to the conclusion that two of the most important factors in increasing the life expectancy of mesothelioma patient are early detection and aggressive treatment. With aggressive treatment, life expectancy of mesothelioma patients can be increased by more than two years. For early detection of mesothelioma, it is quite important that you do not wait for symptoms to start making its presence felt.

Latency period and Mesothelioma

Unlike other forms of cancers in which symptoms surface quickly, mesothelioma symptoms can lay dormant in the body for more than thirty years. This long latency period quite a number of times result in a delayed diagnosis. In lots of cases, the diagnosis is made when the disease has reached advanced stage. This makes the whole mesothelioma treatment exercise ineffective. Patients diagnosed in advanced stages are going to get palliative treatments which are much more comfortable in nature but are not that effective in curing the disease.

Smoking

According to latest research, smoking can reduce the life expectancy rate of people diagnosed with mesothelioma. Therefore, it is quite important that you get rid of your smoking habits once you are diagnosed with mesothelioma.

Treatment options for Mesothelioma Patients

With regard to treatment options, you can go for radiation, chemotherapy and surgery. Before taking any decision, it is always better that you interact with your health care provider first.

Mesothelioma Cancer Lawyer Maryland

As asbestos is very effective with respect to heat-resistance and is very strong, it was commonly used around the world in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It has been used for purposes like in insulation, drywall joint compound, gaskets, floor tiles, roofing tiles, ropes and automotive parts such as brake pads, clutch facings, and valve covers. However, around the early 1900s, the association between Mesothelioma and asbestos exposure was found. It was also found that various diseases like asbestosis as well as cancer were caused due to this mineral.

In spite of warnings and regulations, asbestos manufacturers continued to use the material as it was very financially profitable. Owing to the continuous usage of asbestos, it became the cause of Mesothelioma among hundreds of thousands of American workers, their wives and children due to direct and indirect exposure from clothing.

Due to the companies using asbestos knowing the ill effects of the material, victims started going for Mesothelioma lawsuits in the area they lived in or where they were working. These victims started using legal assistance to get compensation for developing the disease due to exposure at the workplace. These people and their family members who were diagnosed with Mesothelioma or asbestos-related illnesses can now contact Mesothelioma cancer lawyers in and around Maryland.

Mesothelioma Cancer Lawyers in Maryland

Maryland has many cases of asbestos exposure due to the presence of many power plants, ship yards and paper mills. These locations have more asbestos content. In spite of Maryland being a smaller state, the number of victims suffering from this disease is much higher than national averages. Baltimore County and Baltimore City County are the areas in the state which have seen maximum number of asbestos-related deaths which amounted to about 559 deaths in the two counties between 1979 and 1999; that is more than half the total number of deaths in the entire state. This is because there are many different industries that are high-risk for asbestos exposure. In most of these industries, asbestos insulation is used in the construction of ships and coverings of pipes as well as in the walls as fireproofing agents. The power plants in Basco and Glen Burnie also used asbestos as it does not conduct electricity. The nuclear power plant in Lusby and the Nuclear Power School in Bainbridge are also considered locations with high asbestos content.

Due to these reasons Mesothelioma cancer lawyers in Maryland are active in getting justice to the victims. Maryland courts have also set up a negligence system to identify the defaulters and for determining liability. The courts also follow the common law doctrine of joint and several liabilities in cases with multiple defendants where each defendant is considered to be responsible for the entire compensation that is determined.

Maryland Asbestos Litigation

Justice and subsequent compensation has been offered to many victims in Maryland under the guidance of capable Mesothelioma cancer lawyers. Some of the lawsuits are:

• A Baltimore County Circuit Court was successful in given a compensation of $3.925 million to the estates of deceased brake workers in the first brake asbestos case in Maryland as per the Copland and Alford v. Sparrows Point Steel Mill
• In the Hunter v. Owens-Corning Fiberglas case, a Baltimore City jury awarded $4.3 million to an electrician who died of Mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos in Kaylo, pipe insulation made by Owens-Corning Fiberglas.
• Ford Motor Co. was made to pay more than $14 million to widows of two brake mechanics who were exposed to asbestos while working on brake linings in Ford Motor vehicles