Mesothelioma is a rare and deadly cancer that attacks three vital components of the human body. Mesothelioma damages the lining of the chest, abdominal cavity, and the heart. Unfortunately many cases of mesothelioma are not diagnosed in the early stages of the disease because symptoms may remain latent for decades.
Many cases of mesothelioma are caused by asbestos, a mineral fiber that was used in the construction of buildings because of its highly effective insulation and flame resistant properties. The inhalation of these fibers is directly related to the diagnosis of mesothelioma.
Over a period of decades mesothelioma destroys healthy cells by assaulting them with three main avenues of attack:
1. Epithelioid. Epithelioid mesothelioma cells are the most common and relatively easiest to treat of all types of mesothelioma. This type of cell appears to be a papillary or tubular growth that usually affects the outer membranes and linings of the internal organs and other bodily surfaces. Somewhere between 50 and 70% of all mesothelioma cases belong to this category, and although this cancer is usually extremely difficult to treat, epithelioid mesothelioma is the most likely to respond to treatment.
2. Sarcomatoid. Sarcomatoid mesothelioma is the most serious form of mesothelioma, as it is the least likely to respond to treatment. These spindle-shaped patterns of cells that appear to overlap each other are also fortunately the rarest type of the cancer, with approximately 10 and 20% of all mesothelioma cases falling into this type. Sarcomatoid mesothelioma is so dangerous because it attacks and arises from the support tissues of the body, such as bone, cartilage, fat, and muscle, and cancers in these areas are notoriously difficult and painful to treat. Patients with this form of cancer rarely live longer than six months after diagnosis.
3. Biphasic cells is the final condition. Biphasic mesothelioma is not an independent type of mesothelioma, but rather a combination of sarcomatoid and epithelioid. It is also a mixed bag of conditions in that it can take the good and bad aspects of the other two types, and almost 20-35% of all mesothelioma cases fall into either mixed or biphasic areas.
Is the Cure Finally Here?
Typically, treatment for mesothelioma depends on where the cancer actually is developed, the stage of the disease, and how old and healthy the patient is. But generally, like many other cancers, treatment for mesothelioma cancer includes surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or a mixture of all three.
Treatment may ease the pain, and prolong the life of some patients. But unfortunately there is no cure for mesothelioma other than hope, and a strong fight. Although most mesothelioma patients do not live much longer than 12 months after diagnosis, some have lived upwards of 18 months.
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Studies show that there is an increase of lung cancer instances among workers exposed to asbestos. In lieu to this, asbestos lung cancer has become one of the most dreaded types of lung cancer. The causes of lung cancer vary. Aside from exposure to asbestos, smoking and air pollution can trigger the onset of the disease. Therefore, avoiding these possible cancer-causing agents is essential for healthy lungs.
If you are in the construction business or employed by an industry that uses products containing asbestos, you may wonder "Are asbestos fibers visible to the eye"? Generally asbestos fibers are too small to be seen by the naked eye. Asbestos becomes dangerous when it has broken down into small fibers and is inhaled. It is nearly impossible to detect the presence of asbestos without taking the material to a lab for testing. A lab technician will put the material under a microscope to search for asbestos fibers. Asbestos does not cause an immediate reaction. It will not cause you to cough, sneeze, or your eyes to water. You cannot see, smell, or taste asbestos.
Cigarette smoking is probably the most closely related link to developing lung cancer. A person who smokes two packs or more of cigarettes per day has a one in seven chance of developing lung cancer. Those that smoke one pack of cigarettes per day have a twenty-five times greater chance of developing lung cancer than a non-smoker. In addition, those people that smoke a pipe or cigar have a five times greater chance of developing lung cancer than a non-smoker.
Asbestos is a problem in homes that a lot of people have heard about, but few understand. It is a mineral fiber capable of standing up to intense temperatures, added to a variety of products before people realized it was dangerous. It is now considered toxic waste, but previously was used in a some building equipment due to its low cost and heat resistance. In the 1970s, the Environmental Protection Agency instituted a decade-long phase out of its use, but many older homes still contain the material. Asbestos is now considered a liability, and is sometimes the determining factor in whether a buyer will purchase a home or whether a mortgage company will provide a loan. If you suspect asbestos
It would almost seem like a given in this day and age that people would know and understand that smoking greatly increases the risk of lung cancer. Secondhand smoke has even been linked with increased lung cancer risks. Even were a person to never smoke a cigarette or be subjected to secondhand smoke, the possibility of lung cancer remains very real. But smoking cigarettes is nothing short of adding more bullets to a gun being used to play Russian Roulette-eventually, the odds of getting lung cancer will become impossible to ignore.
Covering our internal organs, the mesothelium is a protective tissue that lubricates and protects our internal organs thus allowing our lungs to breathe and our heart to contract or expand without any discomfort for us.This fine tissue, the mesothelium enables breathing and heart beating therefore being essential to our survival.
Among the various type of cancer deaths, lung cancer is responsible for 29 percent of that. Hence, you can begin protecting yourself now by arming yourself with the general facts on lung cancer before it's too late.
