What is mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma definition: Mesothelioma (pronounce mez-uh-thee-lee-yoh-muh) is a rare form of cancer of the cells.

Causes of mesothelioma: Mesothelioma, also known as malignant mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer causes by exposure to asbestos, and more specifically in reason of inhalation of asbestos fibers. Asbestos is silicate mineral that got exploited commercially for its physical properties. Until the 1970s, asbestors was used to fireproof roofing and flooring and for heat insulation, among other usages. For that reason, asbestos can be find, still today, in buildings.

The mesothelioma cancer usually attack the chest, abdomen or the stomach area by destroying the protective lining of mesothelial cells that covers many of the body's internal organs, the mesothelium. By destroying the body lining, the cancer transform itself into a malignant tumor of the pleura, the peritoneum, or the pericardium. Actually, there are four malignant types of mesothelioma: pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma, pericardial mesothelioma and testicular mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma symptoms: a person suffering from mesothelioma will experiencing the following mesothelioma symptoms: shortness of breath, chest wall pain, persistent coughing, respiratory illnesses, common cold, fatigue, weight loss, lumps on the chest, under the skin, nausea, irregular heartbeats, palpitations, breathing difficulties, chest pain and night sweats.

Mesothelioma treatment options: if diagnosed with mesothelioma, treatment is available and involve chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery.

Patients usually choose a combination of treatments, depending of the stage of the disease. Experimental treatments such as gene therapy, immunotherapy and photodynamic therapy also exists, but they only being offered under participation in clinical trials.

Despite existing treatment, patients carry a poor prognosis. Because its attack directly the cells, mesothelioma is usually fatal. There's still no cure for mesothelioma, but the success of current mesothelioma treatment options depend of the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, and the person age and general health. Mesothelioma is very hard to control.

Mesothelioma research: Research about screening tests for the early detection of mesothelioma is ongoing. The National Cancer Institute sponsor clinical trials for patients with mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma statistics: According to the National Cancer Institute, 2 000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year. Mesothelioma can appear in either men or women at any age, but mesothelioma symptoms usually appear 20 to 50 years following exposure to asbestos. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) noted that deaths from asbestosis increased from a recorded 77 in 1986 to 1 493 in 2000. And what about mesothelioma statistics in Canada? According to Statistics Canada, patients diagnosed with mesothelioma are also on the rise. In the last 15 years, the number of new mesothelioma cases has risen from 276 to 461, or 67%.

Mesothelioma class action lawsuit: Mesothelioma lawsuits are now commons because the vast majority of people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles. Current mesothelioma victims are impacted by the asbestos legacy of the 1950s, 60s and 70s, mesothelioma victims can seek help of mesothelioma law firm to receive compensation.