Mesothelioma Cancer Mesothelioma which is a cancerous tumor that is caused by asbestos exposure is a serious illness Inhaling asbestos fibers cause mesothelioma pleural and swallowing asbestos can cause mesothelioma of the peritoneal region The symptoms can manifest 10 to 50 years after the initial diagnosis The symptoms can include abdominal pain, chest pain and breathlessness Risk Factors Asbestos fibers can cause mesothelioma Pleural mesothelioma is a form of cancer that develops in linings of the chest cavity or the lungs Mesothelioma may also grow in the peritoneum the membrane that surrounds the heart or the pericardium It can take between 20 and 50 years for the cancer to form and to show signs, which can often be mistaken for flu-like illnesses Mesothelioma is most prevalent in people over the age of 50 and is more common in males than females The main risk factor for mesothelioma is exposure asbestos Asbestos, a natural mineral that is made up of tiny fibres, was employed in the construction of buildings, for example, in walls and ceilings https//vimeocom/704915692 is impervious to heat and fire It was also widely utilized in the manufacturing of goods such as pipes, insulations shingles, and cement People who worked in industries where asbestos was common, such as construction, mining or shipbuilding, are at high risk of developing mesothelioma Even those who only had a second exposure to asbestos like family members who brought home asbestos-covered clothing or skin are at risk A small percentage less than 5percent of mesothelioma is due to an alteration in the gene BAP1 This genetic change increases the risk of developing mesothelioma among people who have been exposed asbestos Age is another significant risk factor for mesothelioma Mesothelioma most commonly affects those over 45 and two-thirds of those diagnosed are 65 or older This is due to the long time between exposure to asbestos However it is also possible that older people are more likely to develop the disease due to the long exposure to asbestos White males are more likely to develop mesothelioma more than any other race or gender This is due to the fact that historically, more white men have been employed in jobs that put them at a higher risk of asbestos than other groups In addition, mesothelioma is typically seen in people who were exposed to asbestos prior to when better regulations were put into place in the 1980s Symptoms Mesothelioma, a cancer caused by asbestos, is found in the linings that protect various organs The cancerous tumors that form within the tissue may cause damage and severe pain The malignancy could spread to other parts of the body via the bloodstream or lymphatic system Mesothelioma symptoms are similar to those of other illnesses, such as pneumonia or the flu They typically take between 10 and 50 years to appear after exposure to asbestos This time of latency makes it difficult to recognize mesothelioma early Additionally, the symptoms may be mistaken for other conditions Most malignant tumors begin in the chest cavity, or lungs pleura Mesothelioma is also able to form in the linings surrounding the abdomen and heart In rare instances, it can affect the lining around the heart or the testes Asbestos is one of the minerals that make long, thin fibers These fibers are so tough that they are unable to be broken down by chemical or water, or even bacteria They were extensively used in many construction and household products for a long time before researchers realized how harmful they were to health The majority of patients with mesothelioma were exposed to the material in the workplace or at home, and the majority of those who were exposed were employed in the US Navy and air force, construction or shipbuilding industries It is more common in women than men and veterans account for around 30 of mesothelioma cases If mesothelioma begins to develop doctors can detect it by performing imaging scans and medical tests This includes X-rays, CT scans, MRIs and PET scans The doctor could also collect a small sample of the tissue and send it to a lab for testing The results will allow doctors to determine the type of mesothelioma and stage of the disease, which can affect the prognosis as well as treatment options The majority of mesothelioma types are epithelioid and sarcomatoid Between 10 and 15 of cases are biphasic or mixed Epithelioid cancers are less aggressive and usually has the highest rate of survival Sarcomatoid mesothelioma has a worse prognosis and is more difficult to treat Diagnosis Mesothelioma is difficult to diagnose, especially in its early stages Patients should first consult their primary care physician when they are experiencing any symptoms like chest pain or coughing The doctor will listen to the patient's breathing through a stethoscope and take down their work and health history This includes any asbestos exposure background, which is essential in determining mesothelioma's diagnosis Doctors must rule out any other diseases before they can confirm the diagnosis since mesothelioma symptoms are similar to those of other diseases Cancer can infect the lung of a patient from other organs like the chest or abdomen Asbestos sufferers are at risk of lung issues, such as pneumonia, and pleural mesothelioma symptoms can be confused with other respiratory illnesses Imaging tests, blood tests and biopsy can all be used to diagnose mesothelioma These tests can aid doctors in identifying the cancerous site that is typically located in the lungs, but could also be found in the stomach or testicles The tests will help doctors determine the extent to which the cancer has spread in the body A CT scan or MRI may reveal mesothelioma signs, such as calcium deposits in the pleura known as plaque and an accumulation of fluid between the lungs and the chest wall These tests can also reveal whether the lungs of a person are more pronounced on one side or the other In many cases, a biopsied is necessary to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma This involves removing small portions of tissue and analyzing them in the laboratory for mesothelioma Some patients may require additional tests, for example FDG-positron emission tomography PET, which can help doctors see how the tumor is affecting the blood supply to the lungs mediastinoscopy, which enables doctors to examine and collect lymph nodes that are located in the center of the chest; or endobronchial ultrasound EBUS which makes use of sound waves to look at mesothelium and the lungs Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer, is being treated by doctors In the end those diagnosed with cancer must weigh their options carefully to decide what treatment is best for them Treatment Mesothelioma may affect the lung linings, abdomen peritoneal cancer or the heart pericardial cancer The symptoms usually don't show up for several decades after asbestos exposure This is why it's crucial for those who have worked around asbestos to get checked out when they experience unusual symptoms A doctor will conduct an examination of the medical history to check for mesothelioma risk factors for example, how long and how often an individual was exposed to asbestos The doctor will also perform an examination to detect mesothelioma-related signs, for example, fluid accumulation in the chest cavity The type of cells found in the mesothelium and the locations of those cells are used to categorize mesothelioma The most popular mesothelioma type is epithelioid, and accounts for up to 60 to 80 of mesothelioma cases Other mesothelioma types are sarcomatoid and biphasic mesothelioma which account for approximately 10 to 15 of mesothelioma patients There are a myriad of treatments available to people with mesothelioma The kind of treatment is contingent on the type of mesothelioma as well as the stage of the disease In certain cases, mesothelioma is treatable by radiation or chemotherapy In these treatments doctors inject powerful cancer-fighting drugs or utilize special equipment to kill cancerous tumors and decrease the chance of mesothelioma coming back Other mesothelioma types can be treated with surgery that removes a portion of the tissue lining of the organ affected This can also relieve symptoms such as breathing problems A person with asbestosis pleural can undergo a procedure called VATS This involves inserting a camera into lung and then removing a portion of the pleura and lung This procedure can alleviate breathlessness caused by fluid build-up in the lungs, however it does not cure the disease Other treatment options could include support and pain management It is essential for patients suffering from mesothelioma to obtain as much information as possible about the disease and ways to deal with it The more informed they are more prepared they will be to plan for a future that includes a wide range of wellness and health activities