Thursday, March 17, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
What are Symptoms of Mesothelioma
in Health / Diseases and Conditions (submitted 2011-01-14)
What is Symptoms of Mesothelioma. About 15% of Mesothelioma cases are found in the early stages, before the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes or elsewhere. The 5 year survival rate for people with Mesothelioma is 50% if there is no evidence of cancer in lymph nodes at the time of surgery. Unfortunately, in most cases, the spread of cancer has already occurred even if not detected by current medical tests.
When all Mesothelioma stages are considered together, the 5 year survival rate is only about 14%. Many early Mesothelioma are diagnosed incidentally - they are found as a result of tests that are done for an unrelated medical condition. Although Mesothelioma does not cause any symptoms until it has spread too far to be cured, symptoms do occur in some patients with early Mesothelioma .
Prompt attention to symptoms, leading to early diagnosis and treatment can result in a cure for some patients. For others, prompt attention to symptoms can improve the likelihood that treatment can extend their life and relieve many of their symptoms.
Common signs and symptoms of Mesothelioma include:
A cough that does not go away
Chest pain, often aggravated by deep breathing
Hoarseness
Weight loss and loss of appetite
Bloody or rust-colored sputum (spit or phlegm)
Shortness of breath
Fever without a known reason
Recurring infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia
New onset of wheezing
When Mesothelioma spreads to distant organs, it may cause:
Bone pain
Neurologic changes (such as weakness or numbness of a limb, dizziness)
Jaundice (yellow coloring of the skin and eyes)
Masses near the surface of the body, due to cancer spreading to the skin or to lymph nodes (collection of immune system cells) in the neck or above the collarbone.
A. Pleural Mesothelioma Symptoms
Some of the symptoms of pleural mesothelioma (mesothelioma cancer of the lung lining) include:
pain in the lower back or the side of the chest
shortness of breath
a persistent cough
difficulty swallowing food
fever and sweating
fatigue
weight loss.
These symptoms are also common to many minor ailments and, therefore, may not cause a doctor to suspect mesothelioma.
Pleural Effusion-fluid in the Lungs
One of the most common and specific symptoms of pleural mesothelioma is the accumulation of fluid between the lungs and chest cavity. This generally causes shortness of breath, and requires a doctor to drain the fluid, called fine-needle aspiration, to make breathing easier and relieve chest pain. This symptom is more unique to mesothelioma, making it more likely that you may have the disease.
B. Peritoneal Mesothelioma Symptoms
Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma (abdominal mesothelioma - mesothelioma of the lining of the stomach) include:
stomach pain
nausea and vomiting
weight loss.
Like pleural mesothelioma, these symptoms are also common to many minor ailments and, therefore, may not cause a doctor to suspect mesothelioma.
visit my blog http://speechmagazine.blogspot.com/2011/01/what-is-symptoms-of-mesothelioma.html
About the Author
ocim is just man behind speechmagazine.blogspot.com
Monday, January 3, 2011
Mesothelioma Cancer and Asbestos
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer which occurs in thin membranes (called the mesothelium) lining the chest, lungs, abdomen and sometimes the heart. Although quite rare, mesothelioma symptoms strike more than 200 people each year in the United States. The majority of mesothelioma cases are directly linked to asbestos exposure.
Because of the long latency period of mesothelioma, the average age of patients is between 50 and 70 years. Mesothelioma affects men most due to the high exposure of asbestos in industrial typed jobs. Mesothelioma symptoms include respiratory problems, shortness of breath, continual cough and pneumonia. Other mesothelioma symptoms include weight loss, abdominal problems and swelling. In some mesothelioma patients, the mesothelioma symptoms are quite muted, making it hard for mesothelioma doctors to diagnose.
Mesothelioma doctors specialize in the study, research, and treatments of Mesothelioma cancers.
Mesothelioma (or the cancer of the mesothelium) is a disease in which cells become abnormal and replicate without control. During Mesothelioma, these cells will invade and damage tissues and organs. Mesothelioma cancer cells can spread throughout the body causing death.
Mesothelioma treatments and Mesothelioma clinical trials and tests
There are many mesothelioma treatment options available. Treatments include surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy and the mesothelioma treatment depends on the patient's age, general health and stage of the cancer. There has been much mesothelioma research conducted throughout the past two years to find new treatment methods. Click here to read more about mesothelioma treatment techniques.
Through mesothelioma research, The National Cancer Institute has sponsored mesothelioma tests and clinical trials that are designed to find new treatment methods. Because of the increase in number of mesothelioma cases in the United States, both governments have increased funding for mesothelioma research. Mesothelioma research and clinical trials have been successful in developing new techniques to fight this cancer and the outlook for more advanced mesothelioma treatments is promising.
Surgery is the most common treatment method for malignant mesothelioma. Tissues and linings affected by mesothelioma are removed by the doctor and may include the lung or even diaphragm.
A second mesothelioma treatment method is radiation therapy through the use of high energy x-rays that kill the cancer cells. Radiation therapy can be outside or inside the body.
A third mesothelioma treatment method is chemotherapy. Through pills or drugs through needles, chemotherapy drugs are used to kill cancer cells.
A new mesothelioma treatment method is called intraoperative photodynamic therapy. In this treatment, light and drugs are used to kill cancer cells during surgery for early stages of mesothelioma in the chest. Although there are numerous treatments and drugs for mesothelioma, doctors are loosing the battle against this deadly disease. Most mesothelioma treatments involve old techniques combined with different drug cocktails. However, in most cases, these mesothelioma treatments have many side effects including organ damage, nausea, increase in heart failure etc. The rush to find a more effective mesothelioma treatment or even cure is ongoing at numerous clinical labs across the nation. Let's hope that the mesothelioma treatments will one day erradicate mesothelioma cancer and asbestosis.
With an abundance of information on the Internet, Mesothelioma Cancer and Asbestos ([http://www.mesothelioma-cancer-and-asbestos.com]) has consolidated the most important issues surrounding Mesothelioma, Mesothelioma doctors and symptoms, Mesothelioma treatment, Mesothelioma research and tests.
At [http://www.mesothelioma-cancer-and-asbestos.com], the website contains useful resources on Mesothelioma lawyers and attorneys, as well as causes by asbestos exposure, asbestos removal, asbestos attorneys and lawsuits, and asbestos cancer. Patients stricken by Mesothelioma and their families require support and current information. Mesothelioma Online Resources hopes to educate and give hope to survivors and victims.
Mesothelioma is such a harsh disease. Not only does it take years for symptoms to appear, but there are limited treatements and drugs that will prolong the lives of workers stricken with mesothelioma. In many cases, the death rate of mesothelioma is unfortunately very high. However, with increased funding in mesothelioma research through the government and private grants, the outlook for a mesothelioma cure is quite possible. In the meantime, mesothelioma support groups and local discussions provide the ongoing support for mesothelioma patients
http://biggestwebshop.com/mesothelioma
About the Author: