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