Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that affects the mesothelium, which is the tissue that surrounds many internal organs. The disease is rare in the general population. It predominantly affects people who have experienced significant exposure to asbestos, usually through their work. Mesothelioma symptoms are well known, but usually do not present in the patient until long after exposure began, and may more than 50 years to appear. Moreover, many of the symptoms are not unique to the disease, making diagnosis more difficult.
The disease may occur in any of several sites in the mesothelium. Most commonly, it occurs in tissue surrounding the lungs and chest. When it occurs in this area, it is known as pleural mesothelioma. Less commonly, peritoneal mesothelioma develops in the peritoneum, which is the lining of the abdominal category. It also occurs it tissue around the heart and testes.
Pleural mesothelioma symptoms are predominantly associated with the lungs and respiratory tract, but also include symptoms affecting other areas. Primary respiratory symptoms are shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, difficulty swallowing, hoarseness and blood in sputum or coughed-up material. Patients also commonly experience fevers, back pain, weight loss and muscle fatigue. Some patients may develop tumors and, in some cases, the disease may lead to collapse of the lungs. Often, the cancerous tissue spreads to other parts of the body.
Peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms are distinct from those of pleural mesothelioma with the exception of weight loss. Peritoneal mesothelioma patients typically experience abdominal pain, abdominal swelling, nausea and vomiting.
Diagnosis of the disease is complex. Mesothelioma symptoms may take as few as 20 years or more than 50 years to manifest in the patient, and many of the symptoms are common to a variety of other medical conditions. The disease is sometimes misdiagnosed as pneumonia. There is, at present, no proven early detection method, although some work with certain compounds in the blood has been explored. Thus far, blood tests with these compounds are used mostly to monitor progress of the condition in patients that have already been diagnosed.
Most, but not all, cases are associated with inhalation of asbestos fibers. Asbestos has been used in many industrial applications, particularly for insulation, since the Second World War. However, for the most part its use has been discontinued because of the threat it poses to worker safety. Today, workers clearing old buildings and facilities with asbestos insulation wear special clothing to prevent all contact with the fibers. The condition has also rarely resulted from irradiation or the inhalation of other fibrous mineral materials.
Epidemiological studies show that the condition has a relatively high incidence in whites and Hispanics. About 3,000 new cases of the disease occur annually in the United States, and mortality rates from it are generally highest in the northern tier of the country. Though a variety of treatment options are available, the prognosis for mesothelioma patients is poor. Generally, treatment is designed to reduce the impact of the disease and improve the quality of life for the patient. Treatments include surgery and chemotherapy. Though the occurrence of mesothelioma is on the decline in the United States, the severity of the condition requires that both doctors and the general population be aware of mesothelioma symptoms, particular for individuals with a history of exposure to asbestos.
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