Unusual Facts about Mesothelioma

I am sharing some very unusual facts about that how this cancer can assist in contributing to destruction upon the patient.

• Mesothelioma cancer is almost always linked with the exposure of asbestos. Asbestos is a fire- resistant material that can be integrated into consumer and industrial products. It is made up of tiny fibers that can enter into the body and implant themselves in mesothelium tissues. When the fibers are there, they will trouble the nearby cells, making them to duplicate hysterically and randomly to develop into tumor. Basically the first fact I want to tell about this disease that more or less 70-80% cases have been drew to the exposure of asbestos. While in the rest of cases the exposure of asbestos is suspected but they are not confirmed. The use of asbestos in Unites States has been strongly regulated ever since 80’s.But the asbestos still present in earlier constructed buildings, ships and factories that still causing a problem for the people who are working there.

• Mesothelioma has an exceptionally long latency period. Let me explain what actually is latency period – it is the time between patient’s first asbestos exposure and his/her diagnose. Mesothelioma develop very silently without any noticeable symptoms while other cancers usually develop quickly and make them visible with pain or symptoms, other cancers can easily diagnosed by usual screening or tests. Mesothelioma cancer takes almost 10-20 years to be diagnosed. It is very rare in case of this cancer to be diagnosed at early stages. If truth be told the majority patients of mesothelioma are diagnosed in third or fourth stage when options of treatment are limited. After the diagnosis of the mesothelioma patient, the average life expectancy is 4-18 months.

•  The signs and symptoms of Mesothelioma are vague that is why it is usually linked up with different health problems. Symptoms include breathlessness, persistent cough, weight loss, back pain, chest pain or fatigue. As all these symptoms can be associated with pneumonia, bronchitis emphysema, influenza and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) so a doctor can misdiagnose it.  In fact most of the patients don’t even care to go to the doctor because they think they are just having a simple cold. That is why mesothelioma diagnosed in the later stages.

• Mesothelioma is a very rare type of cancer. In United States every year about 3,000 people are diagnosed by this disease and the cause is asbestos. On the other hand the use of asbestos in recent years has been faded so we are expecting that consensus may be drop in later years.

• In contrast with other cancers, mesothelioma has an exceptionally bleak diagnosis. Most of the patients died within eighteen months after been diagnosed by this disease. Some lives about 2 years after learning that they are suffering by mesothelioma. A number of people live only few months or even few weeks. Moreover mesothelioma is very less responsive to the treatment unlike other cancers because it is being diagnosed at very advanced stage. At Stage I remedial surgery is possible but it depends on the location of tumor in lungs. Some patients opt for chemotherapy and radiation. At this stage, pain medication is given to the patient, some of them also pursue for alternative treatments like acupuncture and massage to make them relief from the pain.