Mesothelioma - An Overview

Mesothelioma is an incurable form of cancer, which is rather uncommon. It is caused by previous exposure to asbestos. If we go through 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 pierce the delicate internal organs like the lungs, intestine and even the heart. It also destroys mesothelium, the protective sack which produces fluid facilitating the proper movement of organs. Apart from this, it can develop cancerous tumors which spread all over the body.

There are different forms of Mesothelioma. Pleural Mesothelioma is the most common form. Peritoneal Mesothelioma stands second which affects the stomach and intestines. Another rarest form of Mesothelioma, called Pericardial Mesothelioma attacks the membrane lubricates in the heart during circulation. During the initial stages, people tend to mistake mesothelioma for pneumonia. How ever, the common symptoms are persistent cough, shortness of breath, chest pains, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, swelling up of face and neck, coughing up blood, weight loss etc. Even though it is not compulsory that everyone who comes into contact with asbestos will develop the disease, keeping the risk factor in mind, it is better to consult the doctor on time which helps in early detection of the disease.

Normally mesothelioma is diagnosed in the later stages and it can be a serious blow to the family. Though research work continues incessantly there is no cure for the disease now. Mostly, the treatment is provided to lessen the severity of the symptoms of the disease. Doctors depend on some combinations of chemotherapy drugs and research scientists concentrate on finding ways and means for an early diagnosis of the fatal disease. In some cases surgery is performed on patients to remove tumors or an entire lung. Still most of them are treated with radiation or chemotherapy.

The reason someone develops the condition can be attributed to the negligence of the employers. The harmful impacts of asbestos and asbestos products are quite evident. Still, most of the employers pay scant respect regarding the health of the employees and do not offer adequate protection. It was in the 1970s that the public became aware of the dangers of the asbestos dust and fibers. Since then many employers have started giving protective clothing such as respirators, aprons, gloves and other necessary items to the hapless victims working in the field on a daily basis. But, these efforts are not at all sufficient and lot more has to be done to ensure the safety of the workers. The companies dealing with the production of asbestos or products containing asbestos have been subjected to numerous law suites owing to the irresponsible behavior of the employers. Most of these cases are filed by the unfortunate victims of the disease.

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