Feed your faith and your fears will starve to death. ~Author Unknown
.
Search This Site
Diagnosing Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is cancer that most often is attributed to prior exposure to
asbestos. Recently there has been a lot of activity around law suits and class
action suits by lawyers.
Often the pleura - outer lining of the lungs and chest cavity are affected.
Symptoms:
Symptoms can occur up to 50 years later and is categorized by shortness of
breath, coughing and chest pain. Other symptoms include weight loss and
abdominal swelling accompanied by pain.
There may also be bowel obstruction, anemia (loss of blood), fever trouble
swallowing and possibly swelling of the face and neck areas.
Pleura Mesothelioma may show the following symptoms:
chest wall pain
pleural effusion, or fluid surrounding the lung
shortness of breath
fatigue or anemia
wheezing, hoarseness, or cough
blood in the sputum (fluid) coughed up
In severe cases, the person may have many tumor masses. The individual may
develop a pneumothorax, or collapse of the lung. The disease may metastasize, or
spread, to other parts of the body.
abdominal cavity tumors may include the following symptoms:
abdominal pain
ascites, or an abnormal build-up of fluid in the abdomen
a mass in the abdomen
problems with bowel function
weight loss
Severe cases of Mesothelioma may include:
blood clots in the veins, which may cause thrombophlebitis
disseminated intravascular coagulation, a disorder causing severe bleeding in
many body organs
jaundice, or yellowing of the eyes and skin
low blood sugar level
pleural effusion
pulmonary emboli, or blood clots in the arteries of the lungs
severe ascites
A mesothelioma does not usually spread to the bone, brain, or adrenal glands.
Pleural tumors are usually found only on one side of the lungs.
Diagnosis:
Diagnosis is difficult because these symptoms usually accompany other diseases.
However a doctor can perform a CT or Cat scan or possibly an MRI. Suspected
tumors can then undergo biopsy to support Mesothelioma.
Treatment:
Treatment depends on many factors but usually is done by combination of:
Surgery
Radiation
Chemotherapy
Immunotherapy, and/or
Heated Intraoperative Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy.
Site Map »
Note: For accurate information related to Windows products please see Microsoft's official website.