© 2005 Mesothelioma-Charter.org. All rights reserved. Disclaimer
A background discussion of the disease.
Detailed descriptions of the three types of mesothelioma.
The most common risk factors & diagnosis.
Several treatment options and clinical trials are presented.
Legal implications associated with mesothelioma.
A causal connection between asbestos and mesothelioma.
Diagnosis
Mesothelioma diagnosis is very difficult. One reason is because mesothelioma symptoms are very similar to several related diseases that are more common. A patient, therefore may have malignant mesothelioma, but remain untreated because of the failure to accurately perform a mesothelioma diagnosis.
The latency period also affects the diagnosis (or failure to diagnose) of malignant mesothelioma. Patients may have contracted mesothelioma several years before the actual symptoms present themselves.
Malignant mesothelioma is almost always related to prolonged work exposure to asbestos. Therefore, physicians treating patients with mesothelioma symptoms must question the patient about his or her work experience and exposure to asbestos products.
There are several mesothelioma tests available for a physician. Malignant mesothelioma is usually first diagnosed through x-ray. The mesothelioma doctor may also use a thoracoscope for diagnosis. This involves making an incision in the chest wall. A biopsy is removed and studied under a microscope. A peritoneoscopy (incision through the abdomen) may also help determine the existence of peritoneal mesothelioma.
Are you at risk?
Men over fifty who have worked with asbestos related products for a prolonged period of time are at greatest risk for developing malignant mesothelioma. Most cases of malignant mesothelioma are related to occupational exposure to asbestos.
Patients exhibit mesothelioma symptoms including shortness of breath, a pain in the lungs or chest, pain in the back, and a pain or swelling in the abdominal area. Weight loss, fever, coughing can also indicate the onset of mesothelioma asbestos lung cancer. Peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms can also include nausea, vomiting and bowel obstruction.
Several occupations are at a greater risk for developing malignant mesothelioma. People who work in the construction or building trades, the military, and those involved in the production or removal of asbestos products are at a higher risk level for contracting the disease.
Common products that contain asbestos include insulation, asbestos-cement products, construction supplies, brake linings, and chemical filtering products.
