There are many causes for the spread of mesothelioma though the primary one is asbestos inhalation or ingestion. The other causes are also narrowed down to exposure to the radiation of x-rays and exposure to zeolite, a chemical. When a person is exposed to asbestos he or she can also get other diseases like lung cancer and asbestosis.
Causes of Mesothelioma
When a person is exposed to asbestos the fibers that are not visible to the naked eyes enter the body when the person breathes. When this happens, the cells mutate and it causes Mesothelioma after a long period of time. This can cause malignant mesothelioma and also dormant versions. The exposure to asbestos can be direct when people working in mines, construction sites, ship building sites etc work under structural roofs and environments constructed from the hazardous material. The exposure can also be indirect when families of person who is directly exposed to asbestos come in contact with the person. This exposure need not be for a long time; even a little exposure can have some lethal and unhealthy results.
Mesothelioma life expectancy
Mesothelioma is of three types and once the disease has been diagnosed the average mesothelioma life expectancy is only two years or less. There are many people who are diagnosed with malignant Mesothelioma on an annual basis and this number is increasing. The worst thing is that this disease manifests symptoms only after 50 years of being exposed to asbestos initially. Some of the symptoms include breathlessness, cough that is repetitive and pain in the chest and the abdomen. At times there is also severe pain in the areas around the abdomen and the chest.
How is Mesothelioma diagnosed and treated?
X-ray of the chest and complete blood count are the two ways in which the condition is diagnosed. At times a biopsy and Thoracotomy are also conducted. The first phase of treatment involves removal of as much of the infected area as possible. There is a surgery called the Palliative surgery which is done when the stage of the cancer is slightly more advanced. This is usually done when there is fluid retention in the lungs or when the tumor presses against the wall of the lung. Another treatment is to radiate the cancer cells and shrink the tumor. The side effects of this treatment is nausea, vomiting and also general feeling of fatigue. Another treatment is chemotherapy; however in this kind of cancer chemotherapy cannot do much.
The first thing to do is to understand that mesothelioma cancer can be treated and legal help is also at hand. If you are positive in approach then your body reacts to the medicine and treatments positively and this increases the mesothelioma life expectancy. If you give up then no amount of medicines and treatment or even the compensation can help. All you need to do is to contact your doctor and he will help you to get in touch with the many groups that exist to help and encourage people who are suffering the onslaught of mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects the lining of the lung called Mesothelium and thus the name. The main cause of mesothelioma life expectancy form a cancer is asbestos but when it becomes malignant mesothelioma then the causes could vary according to extent of exposure.
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