Is Mesothelioma Only Caused by Asbestos?
Mesothelioma is a fatal cancer is a disease that affects the thin layer of skin that lines various organs. It is most common in the lungs (pleural sarcoidosis) as well as the intestines and the heart. People who are exposed to asbestos are at higher risk.
Asbestos is a group of minerals that make long, thin fibers. how much asbestos can cause mesothelioma was used in military, commercial and residential products throughout the 20th century even though manufacturers were aware of the risks, but concealed them to maximize profits.
Causes
Asbestos is an organic mineral that is impervious to chemical wear and heat. It was used to manufacture various commercial and household items in the past, including insulation, floor tiles, and brake linings. Asbestos is a risk but it is so because it breaks down into tiny needle-like fibers, which can irritate organs and tissues and lead to cancerous cell growth.
Mesothelioma is more frequent in people who work with asbestos or are exposed to it on the job or at home. Between 70% and 80% of those diagnosed mesothelioma suffer from a history of exposure to asbestos. Symptoms usually appear between 20 and 50 years after the initial asbestos exposure. People with mesothelioma-related relatives also have a higher risk of developing it.
If exposed to asbestos, the fibers are able to be inhaled into the lungs. The fibers then travel into the pleura, or lining that surrounds the lungs and may cause irritation to it. In time, this may cause pleural disease that can lead to the lungs to build up fluid and cause pleural effusion. This can make it difficult to breathe.
Mesothelioma may also occur in tissues that line the abdomen, heart or the intestines. In the majority of instances, a person suffering from mesothelioma has had exposure to asbestos at the workplace. This kind of asbestos exposure is different from that of a person who is exposed at home to asbestos, for example when family members remove asbestos containing insulation from their ceilings and walls.
Scientists are investigating whether certain genes may increase the chances of developing mesothelioma. Even with these asbestos-related genes, exposure is still necessary to develop mesothelioma. A few rare cases of mesothelioma have been linked to other minerals like silica and Erionite, both of which are related to asbestos. It is also possible that certain people are more susceptible to developing mesothelioma owing to the way their bodies breakdown asbestos. This is not a known factor, and it isn't able to explain the difference between a person who gets mesothelioma and another.
Symptoms
Asbestos exposure could cause cancerous mesothelioma in any of the body linings. It can also develop in the lungs (pleural mesothelioma) or in the abdomen, as well as the heart. It can also form in the testicles.
The signs of mesothelioma typically develop slowly over a lengthy time. The first signs of mesothelioma can be misinterpreted as other illnesses. It can take between 20 and 30 years to manifest, meaning a person may have had asbestos exposure for years before mesothelioma developed. It takes a similar amount of time to allow the cancer to spread to other parts of the body once it has formed.
Chest pain, coughing and difficulty breathing are all symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. Other symptoms can include fatigue, weight loss, and abdominal pain. The most common sign is fluid in the lungs (pleural effusion). Pleural mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects the lining in the chest cavity and lungs known as the pleura. The cancer thickens the lining and makes it difficult for the lungs to expand when breathing.
Doctors can diagnose pleural melanoma by taking a tissue sample from the affected area and doing certain tests. A biopsy can identify the type of malignant mesothelioma and the extent to which it has spread and whether it's benign or malignant.
If doctors suspect mesothelioma, they can refer the patient to a specialist for further tests. The specialist may perform the biopsy as an outpatient. The patient is able to leave the hospital on the same day.
Mesothelioma can be rare however it is important to be detected as soon as possible. There is no cure for mesothelioma but treatment can ease symptoms and slow the progression of the disease.
Treatment
Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos, a class of minerals containing thin, malleable fibers. Asbestos is a strong, fire-resistant material and doesn't conduct electricity so it was used in a variety of industrial applications like insulation, building materials ships, brakes, and certain types of flooring. Exposure can occur when these products become dusty and brittle and then break down. Asbestos fibers can cause irritation if consumed or inhaled, which can lead to mesothelioma. The signs of mesothelioma generally don't appear until decades after exposure. It can affect the lung's lining (pleural mesothelioma) as well as the stomach's lining (peritoneal mesothelioma) or the heart's lining (pericardial mesothelioma).
The only way to determine mesothelioma is by medical testing. A patient's doctor will evaluate them and ask questions about their past work history. They may also conduct scans to check the chest or abdomen for any abnormalities. These tests can include X-rays, CT scans, MRI or PET scans.
If mesothelioma diagnoses are possible, doctors will take an in-depth sample of the affected tissue or fluid to conduct further tests. They will look for cancerous cells under a microscope in order to determine what type of mesothelioma patient has. There are three types: epithelioid biphasic, and sarcomatoid. The epithelioid type accounts for 70% of mesothelioma cases. The sarcomatoid type is least common. The biphasic form is a combination of the two types previously mentioned and can be harder to treat than either one separately.
Mesothelioma treatment options vary based on the type of mesothelioma, stage of the disease, and other factors. Certain types of mesothelioma may be more aggressive than others. Patients with advanced stage disease have a lower chance of survival.
Mesothelioma patients might also undergo surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy to help combat the disease. These treatments may be painful for some patients, and can result in side effects such as nausea fatigue, vomiting, and breathing difficulties. These side effects can be managed through medication or other methods. Some patients may also receive radiation after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells that surgeons missed during surgery.
Prognosis
Despite its use in a variety of industries and its reputation as extremely durable and cost-effective material asbestos is known to be the cause of several types of serious medical issues. Mesothelioma is just one of these conditions. It manifests on the tissues and organs like the lungs and heart. The signs of mesothelioma usually take a long time to manifest however treatment can to manage the disease and decrease symptoms.
Asbestos is composed of microscopic fibers which can enter the body and become lodged in the lining of certain tissues. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that has been used for centuries in products ranging from textiles to insulation.
When asbestos is disturbed, it turns airborne and can be inhaled or inhaled. Inhaling the asbestos fibers get deposited in the lungs where they irritate cells until they damage DNA, and become malignant. Asbestos fibers are digested in the stomach and travel to the outer lining (peritoneum) which is where they can cause mesothelioma and inflammation.
The exposure to asbestos from secondhand sources is also possible if you live in a house where someone has worked around asbestos. Workers may expose their family members to asbestos fibers if they bring home stray asbestos fibers from their clothing, skin or hair. The risk of mesothelioma is also increased by having an ancestral history of the illness.
There are two major types of mesothelioma: pleural as well as peritoneal. Pleural mesothelioma is a form of cancer that occurs in the chest lining and the lungs. It is the most prevalent mesothelioma type. Peritoneal Mesothelioma results from asbestos fibers that penetrate the linings on the outside of the abdominal cavity or organs. This type of mesothelioma affects the tummy's lining (abdomen) and is less common than mesothelioma pleural.
Asbestos is a very poisonous mineral that could cause various types of cancers as well as other diseases like mesothelioma lung cancer and asbestosis. The asbestos hazards were not widely understood until the early 1980s, when manufacturers realized asbestos's dangers. Before that asbestos was being employed by blue-collar industries as well as the military in items like flooring, roofs and brake Linings.