| Mesothelioma: A Full Spectrum ExaminationReceiving | | | | years for most types of lung cancer to develop.) |
| much press in recent years ~ both because of the | | | | Trades in which aspestos exposure is likely include:~ |
| number of people affected, as well as the | | | | Asbestos product manufacturing (insulation, roofing, |
| sometimes sensational, multi-million-dollar lawsuits that | | | | building, materials)~ Automotive repair (brakes & |
| have been filed, fought, won & lost ~ is a rare form | | | | clutches)~ Construction/contractors~ Maritime~ |
| of cancer known as malignant mesothelioma, whose | | | | Miners~ Offshore rust removals~ Oil refineries~ |
| principle cause is exposure to aspestos | | | | Power plants~ Railroads~ Sand or abrasive |
| fibers.Asbestos, a known toxin since the 1930's, is an | | | | manufacturers~ Shipyards / ships / ship builders~ |
| inexpensive fibrous material that is extremely durable | | | | Steel mills~ Tile cuttersMalignant mesothelioma is the |
| and heat resistant. Because of these properties it | | | | formal medical name for this form of lung cancer. (A |
| was, for many years, heavily used in industry | | | | lay term for the equivalent condition is Aspestos |
| throughout the United States. Even after its | | | | Cancer). Mesothelioma is the term used to describe a |
| carcinogenic (cancer-causing) properties were | | | | cancerous tumor which involves the mesothelial cells |
| discovered, many industries continued to use | | | | of an organ, usually the lungs, heart or abdominal |
| asbestos, putting at risk those who were exposed to | | | | organs. Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma or cancer of |
| it. Asbestos-containing products remain, to this day, in | | | | the lung lining is the most common form of |
| buildings, ships, industrial facilities and other | | | | mesothelioma cancer. Peritoneal Mesothelioma is |
| environments. The EPA has stated that asbestos | | | | cancer of the stomach lining and is the next most |
| "presents an unreasonable risk of injury to human | | | | common form.The onset of mesothelioma asbestos |
| health." Even low levels of asbestos exposure can | | | | lung cancer is usually very slow: the time between |
| trigger not only mesothelioma, but also asbestosis, | | | | aspestos exposure and the onset of symptoms can |
| pleural disease and lung cancer: diseases that are | | | | be many years. The most common mesothelioma |
| caused almost exclusively by asbestos. The statistics | | | | symptoms are chest pain and pain in the lower back. |
| for recent years show an average of 3000 people | | | | Sometimes the pain is accompanied by difficulty |
| per year dying of aspestos-related causes.Because | | | | breathing, coughing, weight loss and fever.Symptoms |
| aspestos products have been used so heavily by | | | | for Pleural Mesothelioma (involving the lung / chest |
| industry, many people have come into contact with | | | | area) are:~ chest pain and pain in the lower back~ |
| asbestos fibers via their jobs (e.g. via occupational | | | | difficulty breathing~ coughing~ weight loss~ fever~ |
| exposure). There is also a risk to the family members | | | | muscle weakness and sensory loss~ swelling of the |
| of those working in at-risk occupations; this exposure | | | | face and arms~ hoarseness~ coughing up |
| is called paraoccupational exposure. People who live | | | | bloodSymptoms of Peritoneal Mesothelioma (involving |
| near sites that have asbestos around the facility are | | | | the abdominal / stomach cavity, liver, spleen or the |
| also at risk. Refineries, power plants, factories, | | | | bowel) are:~ abdominal bloating due to fluid |
| shipyards, steel mills and building demolition are types | | | | accumulation in the abdominal cavity~ nausea & |
| of work sites that can release asbestos fibers into | | | | vomiting~ swelling of the feet~ fever~ impaired |
| the environment and contaminate nearby residential | | | | bowel functionDiagnosing mesothelioma (within the |
| neighborhoods. Mesothelioma can result from very | | | | framework of western medicine) can be challenging, |
| small fibers or dust particles at low exposure levels. | | | | because the symptoms are quite similar to those of |
| (Most such exposure would likely have occurred prior | | | | other illnesses and conditions. |
| to 1973, but the latency period can be up to 40 | | | | |