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Asbestos was one of the most common industrial materials put to use in the twentieth century. It has also proven to be one of the most lethal, as inhaling asbestos fibers can lead to a wide range of pulmonary problems such as asthma and asbestosis and can also be the direct cause of Mesothelioma.
What is mesothelioma? It is a lethal cancer that attacks the membranes around the lungs, the heart and the abdominal cavity. Mesothelioma cancer of the lungs is by far the most common form. Perhaps its most unusual characteristic is that mesothelioma diagnosis usually occurs decades after the initial exposure to asbestos.
It takes years for the asbestos fibers to work their way into those membranes; after an extended presence they begin to cause fluid accumulation and tumor development. However the first mesothelioma symptoms are such afflictions as a persistent cough or shortness of breath - symptoms that are often mistaken for evidence of more common lung problems, which delays the mesothelioma diagnosis even further.
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Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma has become a widely known and publicized disease despite its relative infrequency because of the fact that the only proven cause for its development is asbestos exposure – specifically, inhalation or ingestion of tiny, microscopic asbestos fibers that eventually cause the development of mesothelioma lung cancer, also known as small cell lung cancer. Asbestos related diseases are among the primary industrial medical afflictions of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Types of Mesothelioma
There are three principal variations of mesothelioma, based on where in the human body it develops. There are also three categories of malignant mesothelioma cells associated with the disease: cell type dictates the type of chemotherapy that is appropriate for treatment. In this section we'll review the basic medical facts that define a case of mesothelioma.
Pleural Mesothelioma develops in the section of the mesothelium that provides the outer lining of the lungs and that lines the chest cavity wall.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma is located in the membrane that lines the wall of the abdominal cavity, also known as abdominal mesothelioma.
Pericardial Mesothelioma is the most unusual diagnosis, occurring in five percent or less of all malignant mesothelioma cases.
Epithelioid mesothelioma is caused by epithelial cells; about 50% to 60% of mesothelioma cancers are of this type.
The third possibility is biphasic mesothelioma, which includes both types of cells. They make up about 30% to 40% of all cases.
Epithelial mesothelioma, defined by its malignant epithelioid cells, occurs in up to sixty percent of all cases of the disease.
Pleural effusion, a condition that causes the accumulation of fluid in the pleural space, is seen in a majority of pleural mesothelioma cases.
Mesothelioma Treatment Options
Mesothelioma is a complicated disease, an aggressive and lethal form of cancer caused by human exposure to asbestos. Specifically, mesothelioma is caused by tiny asbestos fibers that can be inadvertently inhaled or ingested. These tough fibers lodge in the mesothelium, a membrane of thin tissue that protects various organs and surfaces within the body. Eventually they will cause the generation of malignant cells which reproduce quickly and uncontrollably, launching the development of malignant mesothelioma. Because seventy percent of all mesothelioma cases are pleural mesothelioma, most of the efforts at improving treatment are focused on the chest cavity. However there have been some impressive treatments developed for peritoneal mesothelioma in recent years that are worth noting as well.
Asbestos Exposure
Asbestos was one of the most common industrial materials put to use in the twentieth century. It has also proven to be one of the most lethal, as inhaling asbestos fibers can lead to a wide range of pulmonary problems such as asthma and asbestosis – and can also be the direct cause of mesothelioma.
Veterans & Mesothelioma
The veterans of the United States military branches, including the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and others have served their country in times of war and peace, giving their time, effort, and sometimes their lives as part of their service. They have the same right to the best in medical care that is afforded to all in our country. Mesothelioma, a disease with no known cure, has felled many U.S. veterans, and the rights of these veterans to receive compensation for this work-related disease should be upheld. Read more about Asbestos navy ships and other workplace related sources.
Mesothelioma Lawsuit
A mesothelioma lawsuit is filed by a victim of mesothelioma in order to recover damages associated with their development of this asbestos related cancer. A mesothelioma case, processed by an asbestos lawyer can help a victim seek reparations for medical expenses, lost income and pain and suffering. Mesothelioma develops almost exclusively as a result of toxic exposure to asbestos. This disease can remain latent in a victim for up to forty years; therefore people who were exposed to asbestos in the environment in the 1950s may still be at risk for developing this disease.
