Mesothelioma ranks high among the most potent illnesses having an effect on humankind today. The tumor, generally called mesothelioma disease, is due to inhaled asbestos fibers. Most patients don't survive more than two years after diagnosis. The illness is very unusual in that it takes a few decades to develop and show its first symptoms. This very reason hurts timely detection and proper treatment.
Asbestos, which is a naturally occurring mineral, is widely used in industries for many purposes. Once inhaled the fibers settle in the mesothelium, which is a protective membrane that covers the important internal organs. This makes the cells to divide unnaturally resulting in the production of excess fluid. The side walls get thickened due to this extra fluid as a result of which the proper functioning of the organs is hampered.
Mesothelioma disease is categorized into three based on the areas of our body where they occur. The lung cavities are affected by the pleural mesothelioma, whereas the abdominal cavities are infected by the peritoneal type. The most malicious form, the pericardial, affects the cavities of the heart.
There is no full cure for a fully developed mesothelioma cancer case, as of now. Traditional therapies like surgery, chemotherapy and radiation can at best increase the life span by several years. The treatment procedures are hindered due to late detection resulting from the long gestation period required for the disease to show its first symptoms. In most cases, symptoms show up only after the cancer reaches advanced stages. However, if detected early and treated quickly, there is a fair chance that the disease can be removed totally thereby assuring the patient a prolonged healthy life.
It's therefore critical that everybody, who had worked in asbestos-based factories, asbestos pits and family members of such workers to go through periodical checkups. The common symptoms are respiring issues and related sicknesses like cough, fever etc . Being uncommon, all cancer centers aren't manned or prepared to diagnose and cure mesothelioma disease. The patient should approach only those physicians who solely deal with the illness, which would considerably help in timely and correct diagnose, which would be followed by aggressive treatment to root out the tumor.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
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