Posts Tagged ‘Persistent Dry Cough’

Asbestos is found to be a deadly material and exposure to it for long durations of time results in asbestos cancer mesothelioma. The material was held in high regard due to its multifarious qualities like resistance to heat and shock, low weight etc. It was put to use in various commercial and consumer products on a large scale. Companies manufacturing cement, insulation, roofing shingles, along with industrial applications such as automobile brake pads, hair driers etc make extensive use of asbestos.

Most of the victims of mesothelioma cancer have been exposed to the cancerous particles at workplaces. There is a possibility of asbestos exposure in household atmosphere also. At the same time you will be amazed to know that many who have worked with asbestos for less than two months have also become victims of the dangerous disease. The treatment procedure is complicated and made less effective due to the fact that there is a wide time gap between asbestos exposure and diagnosis of the disease.

Many are the symptoms of asbestos cancer mesothelioma which include shortness of breath, persistent dry cough etc. Other symptoms include night sweats, fever, fatigue, weight loss, abdominal lumps, pain under the rib cage etc. Mesothelioma treatment becomes difficult due to the fact that the symptoms can be common for all three types of the cancer.

The doctors go according to an individualized treatment plan for each patient. The plan depends on the stage and type of the cancer, along with the patient’s overall health. The popular conventional treatment methods include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, though a combination of these is used by doctors in some cases. The recent years have seen a surge in the development of new treatment options for mesothelioma. There have been improvements in methods of surgery, the care provided after the operation, radiotherapy and chemotherapy techniques etc.

Diagnosis of asbestos cancer mesothelioma comes as a shock not only to the victims, but also to the relatives. These days, websites are available for providing required information to families dealing with the disease. The information includes advice and referrals to other people coping with cancer and support groups. Through their endeavors, people are better equipped to deal with the disease in a creative manner.

Our vital organs are sheathed in a single layer of compacted cuboidal cells. This layer, called mesothelium lines the serous cavities of our body. The cells of this covering become cancerous when particles of mesothelioma asbestos get deposited in it. The infection slowly retards the normal functioning of nearby organs thereby resulting in death. Statistics prove that almost ninety percent of all mesothelioma cases occur due to asbestos exposure only.

Immense industrial use is there for asbestos, which is a naturally occurring mineral. Being flexible and strong it is used in making roof shingles, cement, insulation, textiles etc. The problem with asbestos is that in the manufacturing process, thin fibers float in the air. This is inhaled or swallowed by the workers and the particles reach the mesothelium. Functions of macrophages are changed by the fibers of this material resulting in the development of suitable conditions for mesothelioma development. Mesothelioma asbestos has the capacity to retard the proper functioning of our immune system by activating oncogenes, proto-oncogenes, error prone DNA repair enzymes and deactivating tumor suppressor genes.

Mesothelioma risks are greater among people residing near asbestos mines. The most risk prone category is the workers working in the factories where asbestos is used as raw material. The risk factor can be reduced greatly by wearing protective gear while dealing with asbestos.

Family members of people who work in asbestos filled atmosphere may also contract the cancer through the particles carried by the worker’s clothes and hair. Showering and changing cloths after work are essential to counter this. Some building materials, especially those used for insulation contain asbestos, which may endanger the lives of the inhabitants.

Mesothelioma symptoms are visible only many years after the exposure to asbestos particles. By that time it will be too late. An early diagnosis along with proper treatment has increased the lifespan of many affected people. Traditional methods like surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and new methods of treatment like gene therapy are used to fight against this malady. But it is always better to use preventive measures than going for a cure. Using protective gadgets will help while handling mesothelioma asbestos.

Of the three types of mesothelioma, a cancer affecting the mesothelium, malignant pleural mesothelioma is the most widespread. The cancer is rare and only fewer than 3000 mesothelioma cases are reported yearly in the United States. The pleural type, which we are discussing here, accounts for three-fourths of it. The cancer affects the pleura, a protective sac that guards the lungs. This sac, which shores up the lungs and shields the lung cavity, is built of two layers. The inner lining or the visceral lining sheaths the lungs while the outer one guards the chest cavity and diaphragm. Pleural mesothelioma occurs initially in any one of these layers and may spread into the other one after a period of time. This cancerous growth is caused by asbestos fibers ensnared in the open spaces between mesothelium cells.

The trapped asbestos particles trigger some chemical reactions resulting in the mesothelium cells to divide in an abnormal manner. This results in the pleural layers thickening and cause a certain fluid build up, called the pleural effusion. The excess fluid compresses the lungs and hinders easy breathing. Persistent dry cough, blood emission while coughing, difficulties with swallowing, breath shortness, unnatural weight loss, fatigue, lump formation around the chest etc are the most visible symptoms of mesothelioma attack.

Diagnosing pleural mesothelioma is fraught with dangers because these symptoms can be the result of other diseases like pneumonia and influenza too. It requires proper examination of the medical history of the patient, imaging tests like CT scan, MRI, X-ray and biopsy to establish the type and class of the cancer.

Conventional treatments for malignant pleural mesothelioma are surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. If the problem is so acute, doctors may combine two or all of these for pull off better effects. But mesothelioma prognosis is not always desirably bright because most cases are detected only at highly progressed stages. If diagnosed at the initial stage itself, the patient has more chances of survival.

The disease is caused by asbestos exposure at mostly workplaces and as such, the malignant pleural mesothelioma patient has the lawful rights to claim for damages from the company or individual who are responsible directly. The compensation amount awarded in such cases can sometimes be as big as several million dollars.