Friday, January 1, 2010

Mesothelioma - A Rare And Deadly Cancer

By Shan Durai

Exposure to asbestos is the primary cause of this kind of cancer called mesothelioma. Jobs that deals with or takes place in the vicinity of asbestos is always suspect. Studies have exposed that the vast majority of those that have mesothelioma had exposure to asbestos over period of time. Mesothelioma is also a exceptionally uncommon type of cancer with merely about 4000 cases each year. There are 3 main types of mesothelioma cancer that vary depending on the region of the body that has been affected. The three main varieties of mesothelioma cancer are Peritoneal Mesothelioma, Pericardial Mesothelioma and Pleural Mesothelioma.

It is called mesothelioma because of the area it affects, the mesothelium. The cavities that we are interested in are the Pleura, Pericardium and Peritoneum cavities.

The symptoms of mesothelioma are numerous and diverse depending on the kind the area affected. Symptoms frequently develop years in the future (20-50 years). Symptoms for peritoneal mesothelioma include Abdominal pain, lumps in the abdomen, erratic bowel movements and weight loss. Pleural Mesothelioma - Shortness of breath, cough (dry), lumps in the chest region, chest pain, painful breathing and coughing. Pericardial Mesothelioma - Chest pain, fever, heart palpitations, difficulty breathing, murmurs, Orthopnea.

In uncommon cases, if the cancer is found exceedingly early, the cancer may be sent into remission. Patients with this cancer have tragic survival rates. Those suffering from advanced stages of mesothelioma mostly have a year or so to live. For those that have an early phase of mesothelioma, life expectancy rates are normally favorable with many going on to live up to 5 years or more.

Because of its rarity, widespread research is not being done. The most actively researched area would pleural mesothelioma, spearheaded by the recognized Dr.David Sugarbaker as well as other noteworthy doctors specializing in mesothelioma. The primary areas of research tend to target pleural mesothelioma and new, aggressive techniques have been found to lengthen live expectancy by years.

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