Mesothelioma is an unusual type of lung cancer, in which cancer cells are found on the sac lining of the chest medically termed as pleura, the lining of the abdominal cavity called the peritoneum or in the lining around the heart referred to as pericardium. When the cancerous cells begin to occupy the body and mass out the healthy cells, then many symptoms of mesothelioma begin to appear in an early stage. But because of the long period of time between the asbestos exposures and the development of its symptoms, it can be very complicated for a physician to diagnose mesothelioma, since early mesothelioma symptoms are not specific that may lead to a delay in diagnosis and that it could be ascribed to various common diseases.

Signs Symptoms of Mesothelioma

• Chronic chest pain
• Fever
• Breathing shortage
• Fluid build up that surround the heart
• Palpitations
• Bowel obstruction
• Anemia
• Hoarseness and swelling of the face

You should know that mesothelioma symptoms tend to develop gradually, and earlier indications are often confused for illnesses that are more agreeable to treatment. Like for instance, coughing, breathing difficulties and chest pain are often seen in lung infection such as pneumonia. In general, once symptoms are more evident, the cancer is quite complex and treatment becomes less effective already. Surgery or radiotherapy may reduce, if not all, some of the obstructive symptoms, and pain may be reduced as well. Look for a competent physician, the one who will pay attention to your history.

Symptoms of mesothelioma or other signs that you are sick are to be taken seriously because these are the body’s way of telling you that something bad is going on and you should already act immediately.

Medical providers begin the diagnostic process for mesothelioma with a review of your medical history and family medical history including any record of asbestos exposure. It is important to remember that there are accounts of family members of asbestos workers who have been diagnoses with malignant mesothelioma. It is thought that the family members contracted mesothelioma through the handling of clothing contaminated with harmful asbestos fibers.

Diagnosis of Mesothelioma

Once your physician has ruled out other diagnosis and has confirmed a history of asbestos exposure then additional mesothelioma tests will be ordered to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma. The first stage of diagnosis is a chest or abdominal x-ray. These simple tests can help your physician to see any abnormal masses and can also show a buildup of fluid in the lining surrounding the lungs and the heart. For further testing a CT or CAT scan (computed axial tomography) or an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) may also be ordered.

Once these mesothelioma tests have been completed your physician can evaluate any abnormal findings, and the size, location and level of any swelling or lump in the chest or abdomen. Once the initial mesothelioma tests are completed and if anything appears to be abnormal, a biopsy is then ordered to confirm the stage of mesothelioma. To view the inside of the abdomen the medical provider will order a test known as peritonescopy.

During a peritoneoscopy an incision is made into the abdomen and a small sample of tissue is taken to confirm the diagnosis of mesothelioma. This test is more invasive and routinely requires the test to be done in the hospital under local anesthesia. The tissue removed during the exam is examined by a pathologist for abnormalities.

Also, thoracoscopy is another diagnostic test that is ordered to look at the chest cavity to determine if the mesothelioma is in the chest wall or cavity. During this mesothelioma test, your physician will make a tiny incision into the chest wall. Through this incision, he will insert an endoscope, which is a small narrow tube which holds a camera or in some cases a small mirror and he will inspect the lungs and entire chest cavity looking for abnormalities.

The thoracoscopy also allows your physician to take a biopsy of any abnormal tissue found and send it to the lab for further study. This test is similar to the peritonescopy and tissue sample is taking to confirm the diagnosis of mesothelioma. It is important to remember that there is no one test that can confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma. It takes a battery of mesothelioma tests to rule out other diseases and to confirm a final diagnosis of mesothelioma.

Asbestos exposure can result in mesothelioma decades after the initial exposure to the harmful fibers of asbestos. Mesothelioma is known to be a rare yet aggressive cancer and requires expert treatment for a positive mesothelioma prognosis and to prolong life. If you are experiencing mesothelioma symptoms, then seek medical attention right away. Talk with your physician. He is the best resource for scheduling mesothelioma tests and is the best resource to design a treatment plan for your best outcome.

Mesothelioma is malignant, extremely aggressive and an incurable cancer that invades the membrane, or mesothelium, that surrounds most of the internal organs.

Mesothelioma Diagnosis

A mesothelioma diagnosis is a frightening one and requires immediate intervention.If you have a known previous exposure to asbestos you should alert doctor immediately to discuss your medical history. It is also beneficial to discuss any prior asbestos exposure with your doctor so that your physician knows what to look for and what test should be ordered.

Mesothelioma cancer cells lie dormant for many years and it is not uncommon for mesothelioma symptoms to appear as much as 15 to 30 years after the initial asbestos exposure. People who worked in industries such as manufacturing or construction are the ones who are at particular risk of contracting mesothelioma. With a known asbestos exposure, you should be vigilant about watching for and being familiar with mesothelioma symptoms. Routine physical exams must include a review of your medical history and a mesothelioma diagnosis must be ruled out each year that you are further removed from the asbestos exposure.

After a thorough physical exam your physician may order a procedure called thoracoscopy in order to confirm or rule out a diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma. With a thoracoscopy the physician makes a small incision into the chest and takes a small sample of lung tissue for biopsy. This tissue is then sent to the lab where it is studied to determine whether or not it is cancerous. Also, the doctor may use a device called peritoneoscope which looks inside the abdomen and can also be used to collect tissue samples for additional study. If these tests prove to be inconclusive, more tests will be ordered to determine if the mesothelioma symptoms are actually mesothelioma or another disease.

Mesothelioma symptoms are often ignored and can be confused with symptoms for the common cold or allergies. By the time mesothelioma symptoms manifest themselves, it is often too late; therefore if mesothelioma symptoms persist it is imperative that you seek medical treatment immediately. Mesothelioma is a deadly aggressive disease…without a current cure. It is for this reason that mesothelioma symptoms must be taken seriously.

Mesothelioma Symptoms

Another challenge with a mesothelioma diagnosis is the time between the actual exposure to asbestos and the manifestation of mesothelioma can unbelievably take decades. Many symptoms of mesothelioma are common to a number of common conditions, ranging from allergies to a seasonal cold. This single fact makes a mesothelioma diagnosis all the more challenging, and often is one of the last ones that a physician looks for when performing a patient work-up.

Mesothelioma can continue to worsen even after exposure to asbestos has ended. The misdiagnosis and the delay in making a mesothelioma diagnosis are just two of the reasons mesothelioma is one of the deadliest cancers. It is an aggressive cancer to begin with and any delay in diagnosing and treatment simply gives it more time to invade and overtake healthy cells.

To determine the correct mesothelioma diagnosis doctors will order, x-rays, a magnetic resonance imagery (MRI), and computed axial tomography (CAT) scan to view the various internal organs. If the scans prove to be inconclusive then the doctor will order more elaborate tests to rule out the possibility of other diseases. The most invasive procedure requires local anesthetic and is called thoracoscopy or a peritoneoscopy.

These tests consist of a small camera being inserted through a small incision in the abdomen or chest to view potential damage to the heart and lungs. With these tests the physician can also take a small tissue sample for a biopsy. The malignancy period of mesothelioma is so prolonged that by the time symptoms are exhibited, treatment may be ineffective.

Currently following a mesothelioma diagnosis survival is four to eighteen months and most treatments focus on palliative rather than curative treatment. A mesothelioma diagnosis is not easy and many patients enter a counseling program to help deal with the sudden stress of an aggressive condition.

Even the strongest individuals are often faced with an overwhelming panic at the rapid pace that mesothelioma spreads. Emotional support is imperative for individuals facing a positive mesothelioma diagnosis.

It is the inhalation of asbestos fibers that ultimately settle in the body and cause chronic inflammation that leads to one of the primary reasons of mesothelioma. The risk of mesothelioma increases with age and is most often seen in adult males.

Mesothelioma primarily impacts three areas of the body. The most common type of mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma where the lining of the lung is affected. The second most common type of mesothelioma is peritoneal mesothelioma. With this type of mesothelioma, the cancer invades the peritoneum, or the lining of the abdomen. The rarest type of mesothelioma is known as pericardial mesothelioma, in which the cancer invades the sac lining the heart.

It is possible that you might contract malignant mesothelioma without direct exposure to asbestos fibers. Yes, most people are exposed to asbestos fibers at their work place. Workers in such fields as air conditioning, mining, ship building, auto mechanics, insulation, steel mills, and many other factories are most susceptible.

However, family members of these workers can also be at risk due to the asbestos fibers on the clothing of workers. If there are asbestos particles on the clothing of a worker and then a family member handles that worker’s clothing repeatedly for purposes such as doing the laundry, then those particles can certainly be inhaled or swallowed once airborne and asbestos exposure, as we have already discussed, is one of the leading reasons of mesothelioma.

Currently there is no cure for mesothelioma, but there are options available for both treatment and compensation. It is important to seek the advice of a mesothelioma attorney who is qualified through education and experience to act on your behalf.

Asbestos exposure is one of the major causes of mesothelioma. If you believe you have been exposed to asbestos and have begun to develop symptoms of mesothelioma it is critical that you seek treatment. A leading causes of mesothelioma, asbestos exposure deserves medical attention.

The lining of the chest, the abdominal cavity and the heart is called the mesothelium which is where the name “mesothelioma” comes from.

Malignant mesothelioma is also known as “asbestos cancer” because approximately 75% of all mesothelioma patients have a known exposure to asbestos. Because tumors of the mesothelium are rarely benign or non-cancerous, malignant or cancerous mesothelioma is usually referred to by the shorter name of “mesothelioma”.

Even with all of the recent history of mesothelioma and its proliferation throughout the news media and the spawning of numerous legal issues, mesothelioma is still a relatively rare cancer; even though new cases have certainly increased in the past 20 years.

Every year in the United States approximately 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed. Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and the risk of occurrence increases with age, but this disease can certainly appear at any age and can appear in either men or women.

Because so many of the symptoms of mesothelioma are very similar to those of other conditions, including lung cancer, it can be quite challenging to diagnosis mesothelioma. Also, once malignant mesothelioma takes hold it can be a very aggressive disease and so early diagnosis and treatment of is critical.

Although a small number of people who of have contracted mesothelioma have never been found to have been exposed to asbestos, approximately 75% of mesothelioma cases have actually been linked to some level of asbestos exposure. Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for eventually being diagnosed with mesothelioma.

Most incidence of mesothelioma stems from people who have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in other ways, such as by washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos, or by home renovation using asbestos cement products.

One of the biggest challenges with this rare disease is that this cancer may not even begin to demonstrate symptoms until 20, 30, 40 or even 50 or years after the first exposure to asbestos.

Although malignant mesothelioma is rare, it is a serious, deadly disease. But with the ever emerging new treatments for cancer, there is hope for patients diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma.

According to The National Cancer Institute malignant mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer, in which cancer cells are found in the pleura, the sac lining the chest, in the peritoneum, the lining of the abdominal cavity, or in the pericardium, the lining around the heart.

In this section, we will discuss pleural mesothelioma. Both peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma will be discussed in subsequent articles.

Pleural mesothelioma, like peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma, can be quite difficult to diagnose. The symptoms of mesothelioma mimic other diseases, including lung cancer. So it is critical to let your physician know if you have had a historical exposure to asbestos so that your physician can review your case history and can correctly identify any mesothelioma symptoms.

Over two-thirds of all cases of mesothelioma cancer have been identified as malignant pleural mesothelioma, making it the most common of all types of mesothelioma. This cancer attacks the area called the pleura or simply put…the lining of the lungs and the chest cavity. Pleural mesothelioma invades those cells that make up the lining inside the rib cage and the lining outside of the lungs.

Pleural mesothelioma can either be diffuse or wide spread and cancerous or it could also be localized and benign. Usually not related to asbestos exposure, benign mesothelioma is generally not life-threatening and can often be removed surgically. However, malignant mesothelioma is quite serious and requires immediate and aggressive treatment.

With asbestos exposure being the primary culprit in the later development of particular types of mesothelioma, it is important to know your prior exposure history. Years ago, many factories and industrial plants exposed their workers to asbestos particles that the employees either inhaled or swallowed while working.

Because of the employers’ failure to provide their employees with a safe work environment, many of these employees are now seeking legal compensation and are working with mesothelioma lawyers to make certain they are financially provided for as they battle the diagnosis of mesothelioma.

Once the workers inhaled or swallowed the asbestos dust, small particles of asbestos worked their way into the passages of the lungs and ultimately into the lining of the lungs. Once in the small passages of the lungs, these particles eventually developed into cancerous cells.

With the presence of cancerous cells, the lining of the lung or the pleura begins to thicken and excess fluid begins to gather as the cancerous cells continue to proliferate. As the pleura continues to thicken it gradually contracts the lungs resulting in shortness of breath.

This can often be the first symptom of pleural mesothelioma. But as you are well aware, shortness of breath could also indicate many other types of diseases, such as pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma or even lung cancer. As the pleural thickening continues and as the excess fluid, pleural effusion, continues to build shortness of breath can continue to worsen.

Pleural mesothelioma is the most common of all types of mesothelioma. It is usually malignant and requires aggressive treatment. So know your history…if you have a known prior exposure to asbestos, please see your physician today and ask to be screened for mesothelioma.

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer, in which cancer cells are found in the pleura, the sac lining the chest, in the peritoneum, the lining of the abdominal cavity, or in the pericardium, the lining around the heart. Once the cancerous cells begin to invade the body and crowd out the healthy cells, then many of the early symptoms of mesothelioma begin to appear.

Because of the long period of time between the exposure to asbestos and the development of symptoms of mesothelioma it can be very difficult for even the most experienced physician to diagnose mesothelioma. The challenge for your physician is that the early symptoms of mesothelioma are generally non-specific and this may lead to a delay in diagnosis. The early symptoms are so general and non-specific that they could be attributed to numerous common diseases, such as pneumonia.

Some patients with pleural mesothelioma, the most common type of mesothelioma, may present to their personal physician with a persistent cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, weight loss, difficulty swallowing, swelling of the neck or face, a change in the voice, such as the development of a raspy voice, fever, night sweats or perhaps something as simple as just not feeling well. Initial work up by a physician might include a chest x-ray as well as a complete physical exam. However, it is equally as important to remember that some patients may show no symptoms of mesothelioma at all.

Peritoneal mesothelioma, one of the less common types of mesothelioma, may present with early symptoms such as loss of appetite, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, bloating or abdominal pain. This type of mesothelioma begins in the abdomen and can progress from the abdomen to other parts of the body. If the mesothelioma cancer has invade other areas outside of the abdomen, the patient can also present with difficulty breathing or chest pain demonstrating that the chest region may already be involved. Peritoneal mesothelioma patients like those with pleural mesothelioma can be very difficult to diagnose.

The least common type of mesothelioma is pericardial mesothelioma. In this type of mesothelioma cancerous cells invade the sac lining the outside of the heart and can metastasize, or spread, from there. The earliest symptoms of mesothelioma involving the pericardium include chest pain, palpitations or what is commonly described as feeling like the heart is racing, shortness of breath, and a persistent cough.

Since we know that most patients diagnosed with mesothelioma do not begin to show symptoms until decades after exposure, it is critical that a diagnosis be made as quickly as possible after symptoms appear. Tell your physician if you suspect that you were ever exposed to asbestos. This would include either working directly in an area where you might have been exposed to asbestos dust or even if you were the person handling the clothing or laundry of a family member that might have been exposed. This knowledge will allow your physician to have a more complete picture when evaluating your situation.

Symptoms of mesothelioma are symptoms that can easily be mistaken for symptoms of a less-threatening disease. Seek out a competent physician, one who will listen closely to your history and will complete a physical exam and screening based on your symptoms and your history. Listen to your body…symptoms of mesothelioma are ones that deserve to be taken seriously and deserve to be checked out completely.

In 1960 the first article was written that actually established mesothelioma as a disease related to the exposure of asbestos. This article highlighted more than 30 patients in South Africa who had been diagnosed with mesothelioma. Of these 30 patients some worked in the mines and others did not. But the important discovery was that someone had finally put the big picture together and discovered that this disease was showed a pattern… exposure to asbestos could eventually result in a malignant mesothelioma.

It was only two years later that the first case of malignant mesothelioma was diagnosed in an asbestos worker in Australia. The medical history of the patient indicated he had worked at an asbestos mine for two years, beginning fourteen years earlier. The fourteen year difference between the beginning of asbestos exposure and the development of malignant mesothelioma is a perfect indicator of the latency of this cancer.

The news became even more disturbing in 1965. An article published in the British Journal of Industrial Medicine that year established that people who lived in the neighborhoods of asbestos factories and mines, but did not actually work in them, had contracted mesothelioma. Tragically, in the town of Wittenoom, asbestos-containing mine waste was used to cover schoolyards and playgrounds, exposing countless numbers of children.

Despite the well documented proof that the dust associated with asbestos mining and milling caused asbestos related disease, mining continued to be an increasingly booming industry. Even with the knowledge that asbestos mining and milling was causing disease, no one stepped up to demand that the workers be protected with safer work conditions. No one intervened and the incidences of malignant mesothelioma continued to rise. It is simply inconceivable that the mine and milling conditions continued unchecked and the workers continued to be exposed to the asbestos that could ultimately take their lives.

It wasn’t until 1974 in Australia’s Bulletin magazine that the first public warnings of the dangers of asbestos were published in a cover story called “Is this Killer in Your Home?” But it wasn’t for another four years, in 1978, that the Australian Government actually decided to phase out the town of Wittenoom where you will remember that asbestos-containing mine waste was used to cover schoolyards and playgrounds, exposing countless numbers of children. In no time at all, the once booming town of Wittenoom became a ghost town…a town lost because of the failure of leaders to act on the knowledge that exposure to asbestos was for many leading to the development of a cancer called, malignant mesothelioma.

The former residents of the ghost town were gone but who would help them to fight the vicious disease many were left to face? Just one year after the Australian Government decided to shut down the town, the first lawsuits were filed for negligence related to the town of Wittenoom and the Asbestos Diseases Society was formed to represent the Wittenoom victims. This group is still in existence today and provides counseling, support services, economic assistance, advocacy, fund-raising for medical research, and community education.

Could it have been prevented? Could the loss of life have been less? Could a town have been saved? If changes had been made in the mining and milling industries when the early research began to show a direct correlation between the exposure to asbestos and the development of malignant mesothelioma then, yes, perhaps lives could have been spared and perhaps a town saved. We must learn from history…and work diligently so that another tragedy like Wittenoom never occurs again.

According to The National Cancer Institute malignant mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which malignant cells are found in the sac lining the chest called the pleura, in the lining of the abdominal cavity called the peritoneum or in the lining around the heart, called the pericardium. The lining of the chest, the abdominal cavity and the heart is called the mesothelium which is where the name “mesothelioma” comes from.

What is asbestos cancer?

Malignant mesothelioma is also known as “asbestos cancer” because approximately 75% of all mesothelioma patients have a known exposure to asbestos. Because tumors of the mesothelium are rarely benign or non-cancerous, malignant or cancerous mesothelioma is usually referred to by the shorter name of “mesothelioma”.

What is the correlation between asbestos and malignant mesothelioma?

Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for eventually being diagnosed with mesothelioma. Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in other ways, such as by washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos, or by home renovation using asbestos cement products.

Can you develop mesothelioma if you’ve never worked around asbestos?

Yes. Mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos. In areas where asbestos producing factories are located, people in the area may have been exposed by inhaling or swallowing particles of asbestos simply floating in the air.

Even families at home may have been exposed to asbestos particles by handling the clothes of a family member who was working with asbestos and came home with microscopic particles of it on their clothing. However, it is important to remember that mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos.

What are some of the types of mesothelioma?

There are three main types of mesothelioma, pleural mesothelioma, the most common, peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma.

What are some of the symptoms of malignant mesothelioma?

The early symptoms of mesothelioma can be varied and can mimic many other diseases. Some patients with pleural mesothelioma, the most common type of mesothelioma, may present to their personal physician with a persistent cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, weight loss, difficulty swallowing, swelling of the neck or face, a change in the voice, such as the development of a raspy voice, fever, night sweats or perhaps something as simple as just not feeling well.

Peritoneal mesothelioma, one of the less common types of mesothelioma, may present with early symptoms such as loss of appetite, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, bloating or abdominal pain. The earliest symptoms of mesothelioma involving the pericardium include chest pain, palpitations or what is commonly described as feeling like the heart is racing, shortness of breath, and a persistent cough.

If I develop malignant mesothelioma, do I have any resources for compensation because of exposure to asbestos at my workplace?

Because of the direct link between the exposure to asbestos and the risk of developing malignant mesothelioma, a mesothelioma attorney may be a good place to start to learn about compensation options for those exposed to asbestos through their place of employment.