Mesothelioma and Asbestosis
Most mesothelioma patients experience shortness of breath. This is due to cancer causing the cells to expand out of control, creating an abnormality that puts pressure on the organs nearby.
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is caused by asbestos exposure is a rare type of cancer. It can develop in the linings (pleura) of the lungs and other organs such as the abdomen, heart and testicles.
Symptoms
Patients suffering from asbestosis or mesothelioma may have similar symptoms. However both conditions are distinct. Mesothelioma, a cancerous condition is different from asbestosis (pulmonary fibrosis), a non-cancerous disease.
Asbestos exposure can trigger a wide range of symptoms. These symptoms vary based on the location and manner of exposure. For example, people diagnosed with pleural melanoma commonly experience back or chest pain, difficulty breathing and constant coughing. There are also swelling of the arms and face, abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss or anemia (iron deficiency).
Asbestosis is not the cause of these symptoms. However it can affect the quality of life due to the formation of scar tissue to build up in the lungs. These breathing issues can cause health issues such as lung failure, heart disease and other respiratory ailments.
Due to the severity of symptoms, many patients with mesothelioma can't work. This can cause financial problems and emotional stress. It is essential that people receive the appropriate treatment to improve their life quality.
A doctor can diagnose mesothelioma through an examination that is physical and taking a thorough background of the patient's health condition and obtaining a chest X radiograph or CT scan. If a patient is diagnosed with mesothelioma their doctor can offer palliative treatments that can relieve pain and symptoms and help prolong the life of the patient.
For example, if the tumor is located in the pleura, doctors can remove excess fluid using the use of a needle or a tube to allow the patient to breathe easily. Pleurodesis is yet another procedure that is performed for patients with mesothelioma pleural. This involves sealing together the two layers of pleura to prevent fluid buildup.
The treatment for mesothelioma is aimed at destroying cancerous cells as well as slowing the growth rate. Asbestosis treatment on the contrary, focuses more on relieving symptoms and improving the quality of life of patients.
Diagnosis
Mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer, affects mesothelium (the membrane that line the chest cavity and lungs), the membrane that runs along the abdomen (peritoneum) and other organs. Most mesothelioma victims have been exposed to asbestos and the condition can take years to develop.
Because the disease has such an extended latency time, it can be difficult to identify. Early symptoms are often nonspecific and resemble other health conditions. The most common symptoms are chest pain, breathing problems and unexplained loss of weight.
If a patient begins experiencing these symptoms The doctor will request imaging scans. They can refer them to a specialist. The most effective test to determine mesothelioma is to take a biopsy. A small sample of tissue is removed and analyzed by the laboratory. There are a variety of biopsies. The most popular are the bronchoscopy or needle biopsy.
A bronchoscopy is done by inserting a tube in the mouth or throat. This permits the doctor to view lung tissue and take a biopsy. The doctor utilizes the thoracic needle for removal of the small amount of tissue or fluid around the affected area, which is usually the lung lining. The needle is introduced into the patient's thoracic duct, from where the fluid originates, or in the affected pulmonary lobe, to extract a tissue sample to test.
Asbestosis is not a cancer, but it does cause permanent scarring of the lungs that makes breathing difficult. Asbestosis is a progressive condition that can lead to respiratory distress. Asbestosis symptoms are similar to mesothelioma symptoms. However, they are milder and are more apparent in the development of the disease.
Both mesothelioma as well as asbestosis are caused by exposure to asbestos. Those who are most at risk of developing mesothelioma include asbestos contractors, miners and workers in other industries that are at risk. Insulation workers and veterans of the military are also at risk of developing asbestosis. Asbestosis can be difficult to diagnose, as it typically presents with mild or moderate symptoms that resemble those of mesothelioma and can be mistaken for other health issues. It may take years for the condition to progress and can be difficult to detect before it reaches an advanced stage.
Treatment
Both asbestosis and mesothelioma cause a buildup of lungs-related fluid which can cause breathing problems. Surgeons can mesothelioma asbestos cancer remove the tumors and cancerous cells causing these symptoms. They may also employ chemo to destroy any remaining cancerous cells to stop them from spreading.
Like all cancers, mesothelioma tumors are caused by the result of a series (mutations) of changes in the DNA within the cell. This causes the cells to receive faulty instructions and multiply out of control. The cells that multiply in excess form a tumour when they accumulate.
Mesothelioma, a cancerous tumor, can be treated differently than other cancers due to its position in the chest and abdomen. Mesothelioma is not curable, but it can be treated to lessen pain and other symptoms and improve quality of life.
Treatments for mesothelioma include chemotherapy, surgery and radiation therapy. As a mesothelioma option, a vaccine similar to the influenza vaccine which will instruct your immune system to attack virus is currently being tested.
Asbestosis patients often experience shortness of breath and may require lifestyle adjustments, such as using oxygen therapy and attending pulmonary rehabilitation. They may have to quit smoking cigarettes, or take pain-reducing medications such as bronchodilators or opioids.
In the case of mesothelioma, the doctors will look at the type of cancer, whether it's malignant or benign, and what stage it's at. They will discuss the patient's prognosis, which is the likelihood that the disease will improve or get worse.
Mesothelioma is curable by certain surgical procedures, especially when the cancer is detected at an early stage. The surgeon will use a scalpel to cut off the affected tissue. They may also remove a portion of the lungs to relieve pain and pressure caused by an enormous tumor.
Other treatment options include chemotherapy and radiation which can be used to remove mesothelioma tumors that the surgeon wasn't able to eliminate. In mesothelioma cases a surgeon may use 3D CRT (or Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT)) to give greater doses of radiation while causing less harm to nearby tissues.
Some mesothelioma sufferers have found the treatment to be successful using photodynamics, which uses drugs that are photosensitive and react with specific light to kill cancerous cells. A new approach combines immunotherapy and photodynamic therapy to boost the body's natural defenses against mesothelioma malignancy.
Prognosis
In some cases, people diagnosed with mesothelioma could be told their prognosis is grim. Patients and their families are encouraged to keep their hope alive by seeking a second opinion from another mesothelioma expert. It is crucial to remember that a majority of patients can enter partial or complete recovery, which can greatly improve their chances of survival.
Mesothelioma can develop in several regions of the body but it is most often affecting the tissues that surround the lung (pleura). The tumors are more likely to cause pleural swelling as well as an effusion of the pleura. The prognosis of each type of mesothelioma differs based on the type and amount of cells that create the cancerous tumors.
Asbestosis is a chronic illness that shares many of the symptoms with mesothelioma. Asbestosis occurs from inhalation of asbestos fibers, and can cause inflammation of the lungs and chest cavity. It can lead to breath shortness. As with mesothelioma it usually takes years for asbestosis symptoms to manifest, so some victims do not receive a diagnosis until they are already suffering with serious symptoms.
Blood tests can be used to determine if someone has mesothelioma. However, other types of testing are needed to confirm the diagnosis. A lung CT scan or MRI can be requested to detect evidence of tumors within the lungs or other organs. A needle biopsy is also able to detect mesothelioma. With this procedure, a doctor inserts a thin needle into the lungs in order to retrieve liquid containing samples of cells for the purpose of pathological identification.
A bronchoscopy or thoracoscopy could also be used to look at the inside of the lung. A doctor will insert a small camera inside a tube to the lungs to observe tissue and collect a sample. Thoracoscopic surgery is a more invasive approach, but it offers surgeons the most effective method for mesothelioma cell identification.
Both melanoma and asbestosis are incurable diseases, but treatments are improving. Doctors can treat asbestosis with prescription pain medication and breathing therapies, whereas mesothelioma requires more intensive treatment. Patients with early-stage mesothelioma may be eligible for surgery and chemotherapy and improve their prognosis overall.