some Info about Mesothelioma

Pleural Mesothelioma - Cancer of the Lung Lining

Pleural Mesothelioma, pleura mesothelioma or malignant pleural mesothelioma is mesothelioma cancer in the lining of the lungs. This is different from lung cancer, which refers to any type of malignant tumor that originates in the lungs.
The pleura, is the tissues lining or covering that surrounds the lungs. There are two pleura. These can be called pleural membranes. The gap between them is called the pleural space. The pleura are fibrous sheets. They help to protect the lungs. They produce a lubricating fluid that fills the gap between the 2 pleura. This helps the lungs to move smoothly in the chest when they are inflating and deflating as we breathe.
Pleural mesothelioma is the most common form of mesothelioma accounting for 80-90% of mesothelioma cases.

Mesothelioma Symptoms

In its early stages, mesothelioma does not have many symptoms. When symptoms do develop, they are often caused by the cancer growing and pressing on a nerve or other body organ.
The symptoms of the 2 main types of mesothelioma are different.
Pleural Mesothelioma Symptoms are:
Pain in the lower back or the side of the chest
A persistent cough
Shortness of breath
A hoarse or husky voice
Losing more than 10% of your weight when not dieting
Sweating and fevers
Difficulty swallowing
Peritoneal Mesothelioma Symptoms are:
Pain in the abdomen (stomach)
Swelling in the abdomen
Feeling or being sick
Poor appetite
Losing more than 10% of your weight when not dieting
Diahrea or constipation
These symptoms are all more likely to be caused by some other illness, rather than by mesothelioma. But if you have these symptoms, see your doctor. This is particularly important if you have been exposed to asbestos in the past.

Mesothelioma Diagnosis

The diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma cancer begins with a medical history to document the patient's symptoms and any possible asbestos exposure, followed by a complete physical examination. These steps generally are followed by a chest or abdominal X-ray or an MRI, which allows the doctor to assess the size, location and extent of the tumor in the chest or abdomen.
If fluid is present in the pleura or peritoneum, a thin needle may be used to collect a small sample of the fluid for examination. This procedure, called fine-needle aspiration, also may be used to drain the fluid to relieve symptoms such as chest pain and shortness of breath that can result from an effusion. Occasionally, mesothelioma cancer can be diagnosed with this fluid sample alone, but usually a tissue sample (biopsy) is required. The tissue sample can be obtained via thoracoscopy (for a pleural tumor) or via laparoscopy (for an abdominal tumor). In both procedures, a tube-like instrument inserted through a small incision allows the physician to view the tumor and collect a tissue sample. Patients suspected of having malignant pleural mesothelioma also may need a procedure called bronchoscopy.

Mesothelioma Causes & Risk Jobs

Exposure to asbestos fibers causes mesothelioma cancer. Mesothelioma can result A potentially dangerous exposure can result from very small fibers or dust particles at low exposure levels. Most such exposure would likely have occurred prior to the 1980s, but the latency period can be up to 40 years for most lung cancer to develop.
Many people have come into contact with asbestos fibers via their jobs, or occupational exposure. There is also a risk to the family members of those working in at-risk occupations; this exposure is called paraoccupational exposure. Likewise, people who live near sites likely to have asbestos around the facility are also at risk: refineries, power plants, factories, shipyards, steel mills and building demolition are types of work sites that can release asbestos fibers into the environment and contaminate nearby residential neighborhoods.
At Risk Job Locations:
Asbestos product manufacturing (insulation, roofing, building, materials)
Automotive repair (brakes & clutches)
Construction/contractors
Maritime
Miners
Offshore rust removals
Oil refineries
Power plants
Railroads
Sand or abrasive manufacturers
Shipyards / ships / ship builders
Steel mills
Tile cutters
At Risk Occupations:
Auto Mechanics
Boiler makers
Bricklayers
Building Inspectors
Carpenters
Drywallers
Electricians
Floor Coverings
Furnace Workers
Glazers
Grinders
Hod carriers
Insulators
Iron workers
Laborers
Longshoremen
Maintenance workers
Merchant marines
Millwrights
Operating Engineers
Painters
Plasterers
Plumbers
Roofers
Sand blasters
Sheet metal workers
Steam fitters
Tile setters
Welders
U.S. Navy veterans
Welders
Many occupations have an increased risk for developing lung cancer. For example, asbestos insulation workers have 92 times the risk of developing of lung cancer, and smelter workers have 3-8 times the risk of developing lung cancer. The risk of lung cancer is also increased in people who work in the manufacturing of certain industrial gases, pharmaceuticals, soaps and detergents, paints, inorganic pigments, plastics, and synthetic rubber. The risk of developing lung cancer is related to the amount of exposure to the cancer-causing agent. For example, the risk of lung cancer in humans is proportional to the number of cigarettes smoked. The risk of developing lung cancer is 8-20 times greater in smokers compared to people who have never smoked. A smaller, but real risk exists for cigar and pipe smokers. Some cancer causing agents react together to significantly worsen the risk of developing cancer. The combined exposure to asbestos and tobacco smoke clearly multiplies the risk of developing lung cancer. The risk of lung cancer is greater for those living in urban areas. This risk is approximately 1.2 to 2.3 times that of people living in rural areas. There is also an increased risk of lung cancer in smokers whose close relatives have had lung cancer. Scarring in the lungs from previous infections or injury can be associated with and increased risk of cancer.