Mesothelioma Cancer

by James F. Howell

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Over time, cancerous cells develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most of the body’s internal organs. Only after several decades do symptoms begin to show, and often because of this delay, by the time mesothelioma is diagnosed it is too late for treatment to be effective.

Mesothelioma is rare, with a rate of infection of only 15 per 1,000,000 in the United States in 2004. It is most often found in individuals who encounter asbestos on the job, such as shipyard workers, people who work in asbestos mines and mills, producers of asbestos products, workers in the heating and construction industries, and other tradespeople.

There are three primary areas mesothelioma can develop, the lining of the lungs and chest cavity known as the pleura, the lining of the abdominal cavity called the peritoneum, or the sac surrounding the heart called the pericardium. Each form of mesothelioma cancer has its own specific symptoms, but there are many symptoms that can be found in all of them. Such symptoms include coughing, fever, shortness of breath, chest or abdominal pain, and fatigue.

Because the symptoms of mesothelioma are so general, it can be very difficult to diagnose the disease. This, combined with such a long delay before symptoms begin to develop often means that little can be done to help the patient. The most common forms of treatment are radiation, chemotherapy, and sometimes surgery. Unfortunately however, these treatments have been unable to increase the survival rate of mesothelioma victims beyond a few months.

About the Author
James Howell is a freelance writer and researcher. Find out more about Mesothelioma Cancer.

Tags: abdominal, abdominal cavity, abdominal pain, area, Art, Asbestos, asbestos products, cancer, cancerous cells, cavity, cells, chemotherapy, chest, chest cavity, construction industries, cough, decades, dis, disease, fact, fatigue, fever, form, gene, internal organs, job, Lung, lungs, man, Mesothelioma, Mesothelioma Cancer, mesothelioma victims, organs, patient, People, pericardium, peritoneum, pleura, radiati, radiation, rate, Research, shipyard, shipyard workers, shortness of breath, Surgery, Survival, survival rate, symptoms of mesothelioma, therapy, time, Treatment, united states, US

by Sam Gurgis

A recent study conducted on workers in a US Coast Guard shipyard has found a significantly greater mortality rate associated with lung cancer and mesothelioma compared to the general population. The study also found an increased general mortality rate.

The study followed 4702 (4413 men and 289 women) civilian workers who were employed at the shipyard between January 1950 and December 1964. The study then measured the number of deaths and their causes through 31 December 2001.

The study was conducted by S Krstev, P Stewart, J Rusiecki, A Blair and was published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine. The original study publication is available at http://oem.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/64/10/651.

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is usually associated with exposure to asbestos. The majority of individuals who are diagnosed with mesothelioma have a history of exposure to asbestos particles at work or home. Family members of workers have also been affected. Renovators of homes containing asbestos cement material are accounting for an increasing number of diagnosed sufferers. Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear for decades after the exposure to asbestos. Symptoms include abdominal pain and weight loss. Diagnosis of mesothelioma can be difficult due to the fact that the symptoms are similar to other respiratory diseases.

Since mesothelioma is primarily caused by exposure to asbestos, mesothelioma can be best be prevented by avoiding or limiting exposure to asbestos in homes, public buildings, and at work. Workers that may be at risk include miners, factory workers, insulation manufacturers, railroad workers, ship builders, contractors and construction workers, particularly those involved with insulation. If there is a possibility of exposure (such as when renovating old buildings) protective equipment should be used and safety procedures should be applied. Asbestos was commonly used in building materials due to its durability and fire-resistant properties. In addition to buildings, asbestos was used in the manufacture of cars and ships and many other products.

About the Author
Sam Gurgis is a scientific writer and the webmaster at mesotheliomawise.org and sam-gurgis.com

Tags: abdominal, abdominal pain, account, Art, articl, Asbestos, asbestos particles, building material, building materials, cancer, cement, construction work, death rate, deaths, decades, diagnosis, dis, disease, diseases, fact, factor, family member, family members, form, gene, insulation, Lung, Lung Cancer, man, Mesothelioma, mortality rate, old buildings, part, particles, Prevent, procedure, public buildings, rate, respiratory disease, respiratory diseases, risk, shipyard, shipyard workers, symptoms of mesothelioma, US, web, weight loss

Malignant mesothelioma (cancer of the mesothelium) is a disease in which cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide without control or order. It is a rare form of cancer that most frequently arises from the cells lining the sacs of the chest (the pleura) or the abdomen (the peritoneum). Malignant mesothelioma is closely linked to exposure to asbestos - a natural fiber that was once used in manufacturing a wide variety of industrial and household products. Workers involved in asbestos mining, milling and manufacturing are at the greatest risk for developing malignant mesothelioma. Also at high risk are shipyard workers, workers in the heating and construction industries, and other tradespeople. Family members and others living with asbestos workers have an increased risk of developing malignant mesothelioma, and possibly other asbestos related diseases as well. Cases of malignant mesothelioma have even included people whose only exposure was breathing the air through ventilation systems.

Although reported incidence rates have increased in the past 20 years, malignant mesothelioma is still a relatively rare cancer. Between 1973 and 1984, there has been a threefold increase in the diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma in Caucasian males. From 1980 to the late 1990s, the death rate from malignant mesothelioma in the USA increased from 2,000 per year to 3,000, with men four times more likely to acquire it than women. The actual rates may be even higher however, since it is possible that many cases of malignant mesothelioma are misdiagnosed as adenocarcinoma of the lung, which is difficult to differentiate from mesothelioma.

The average age of diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma is 60. The average survival time varies from 4 to 18 months, and death is usually due to infection or respiratory failure from the progression of the mesothelioma.

Read the rest of article here…

Tags: abdomen, Art, articl, Asbestos, asbestos related diseases, asbestos worker, asbestos workers, cancer, cancer of the mesothelium, case, cells, chest, construction industries, death rate, diagnosis, dis, disease, diseases, ears, ezinearticles, fact, family member, family members, form, high risk, Lung, Malignant Mesothelioma, man, Mesothelioma, milling, nci, People, peritoneum, pleura, pleural, Pleural Mesothelioma, rare cancer, rate, risk, shipyard, shipyard workers, Survival, test, time, US, year

Asbestos exposure is by far one of the most common causes of mesothelioma. Over 50% of the patients have a history of asbestos exposure. This exposure could occur while directly handling the fibrous material, or it could occur through just environmental exposure.
There are numerous documented cases where patients contracted the disease due to living close to the asbestos mines or by coming in contact with asbestos when some of the fibers became airborne. Persons most commonly afflicted include shipyard workers, construction workers, automobile mechanics (particularly those working on brake linings), insulation workers, pipe and heater installation and flooring workers and roofers.

Also, for those who have had asbestos exposure and who smoke, the risk becomes exaggerated. Studies show that asbestos workers who also smoke are 55 times more likely to die of mesothelioma than nonsmokers without asbestos exposure.
Erionite
Erionite is a mineral that has a long, thin rod-like amphiboles structure. Exposure to this mineral has been associated with increased incidence of mesothelioma. Erionite exposure has a high mortality rate due to mesothelioma in Anatolia, Turkey.
Exposure to asbestos is the primary cause for malignant mesothelioma in most patients. If you or a loved one has been exposed to asbestos, then you are at risk. There is no minimum level of exposure that is deemed safe. Insure that during your routine health care, you advise your doctor of previous asbestos exposure, particularly if you experience any chest pressure, shortness of breath, chest pain or coughing. While these symptoms do not indicate the presence of the disease, they are the most common symptoms and should be further investigated if you have had asbestos exposure.

Tags: amphiboles, Art, Asbestos, asbestos exposure, asbestos worker, asbestos workers, brake linings, care, case, chest, chest pain, construction work, cough, dis, disease, experience, fibers, hand, Health, Health care, high mortality rate, insulation, insulation work, love, Malignant Mesothelioma, Mesothelioma, mortality rate, nci, part, patient, presence, rate, risk, shipyard, shipyard workers, shortness of breath, smoker, time, turkey, US

If you work in the construction industry or employee of an industry, products, which contain asbestos, you can ask: “Are asbestos fibers eye”? In general, the asbestos fibers are to small to the naked eye visible. Asbestos is dangerous when it decomposes into small fibers and inhaled. It is almost impossible, the presence of asbestos, without the material to a lab for carrying out the tests. A technician is the material under a microscope in the research of asbestos fibers. Asbestos does not cause an immediate reaction. They cause not by coughing, sneezing, eyes or on the water. Can you not see, smell, taste and asbestos. If the skin is contaminated with asbestos will not burn or itch.

Diseases associated with asbestos have a very long latency period. That is the period from the time when you are the first to asbestos exposure until you get sick. Most people are not sick, at least ten years after the exhibition and some not more than forty years later. Asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma are all diseases associated with asbestos. The amiantose occurs when the asbestos fibers in the lungs. The body is of course an acid to the fibers. But this acid can cause scar tissue in the lungs at an advanced stage, and the breathing is difficult and painful. The amiantose was the first time in the shipyard workers. Asbestos can also lead to lung cancer. If a person smokes and asbestos, they have a lot more opportunities for the development of lung cancer. The Mesothelioma is a cancer that are only associated with exposure to asbestos. It is a cancer of the cells that boggle the peritoneum (area around the abdominal organs) and the pleura (area outside of the lungs and in the ribs).

There is a lot of discussion and controversy, which is the type of asbestos is harmful. Some types of asbestos thought were too dangerous than others, but all types of asbestos exposure should be avoided. Actinolite, amosite, Anthophyllite, crocidolite, chrysotile (white asbestos), and Tremolite, all types of asbestos. That is the kind of chrysotile-asbestos, the most commonly used in the manufacture of products.

The asbestos fibers are not eye. If you suspect that you have asbestos, the most common method used for the tests is a lung X-ray. The X-ray image is not running, but the asbestos fibers, it can detect early signs of lung disease. There is no known cure for the treatment of diseases associated with asbestos.

Tags: abdominal organs, asbestos exposure, asbestos fibers, asbestosis, cancer cells, cancer mesothelioma, chrysotile, construction industry, crocidolite, latency period, Lung Cancer, lungs, Mesothelioma Cancer, more than forty years, naked eye, pleura, scar tissue, shipyard workers, smell taste, white asbestos

The history of the disease asbestos cancer “mesothelioma” is the beginning of the year 1960. The use of asbestos silicate can trace back from the Second World War. However, the risks associated with asbestos were unknown at this time. With the passage of time, studies have shown that the cancer is common in people from South Africa. Most of them were young people. It is the year 1962, that the doctor Mc Nulty is the first diagnosis of the disease associated with cancer.

The malignant mesothelioma is a disease that occurs when the people who are for short or long periods of time, the asbestos dust. Consequently, the disease is a serious disfigurement and impairment of the lung. People suffering from the deadly disease, suffer from respiratory complaints, bleeding disorders unbearable abdominal pain, weight loss and fever.

Today, the dangers of asbestos, a growing concern for the families of the health professions. In order to prevent the protection of minors and the shipyard workers of the transitional period by asbestos, the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration, was designed by the rules and regulations in order to help the race to win, defeat this terrible disease, flew the valuable lives of many Americans.

Minors who are in dangerous environments asbestos are asked to wear protective clothing on their jobs. To prevent their relatives add to the carcinogenic effects of asbestos, OSHA called on the workers, the asbestos into a regular habit of daily shower and to remove all traces of the cancer-silicate as fiber. The families affected workers, the asbestos must be tested for any trace of this material carcinogenic.

Tags: Asbestos Cancer, asbestos dust, cancer mesothelioma, carcinogenic effects, dangerous environments, deadly disease, disfigurement, growing concern, health professions, long periods of time, Malignant Mesothelioma, mc nulty, occupational safety and health, occupational safety and health administration, respiratory complaints, second world war, shipyard workers, silicate, time studies, transitional period