Symptoms Of Mesothelioma Cancer

Friday, September 3, 2010

Because the symptoms of mesothelioma are so difficult to detect, mesothelioma cancer is one of the rarest types of cancer with only about 2,000 new cases diagnosed each year.

In this type of cancer, the mesothelium (a lining that protects the internal organs of the body) becomes cancerous. Mesothelioma is described as either localized or advanced. Localized mesothelioma means the cancer has not spread beyond your protective lining. Advanced mesothelioma means the cancer has spread to your internal organs, lymph nodes, or other parts of your body.

The primary cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos, a substance that has been widely used in construction because of its insulating and fire retarding properties. Many uses of asbestos have been banned or severely limited because of its cancer causing nature. However, many older homes have a great deal of asbestos remaining in the insulation. Problems occur with asbestos when the micro fibers are inhaled into the lungs.

This type of cancer can be hard to diagnose because symptoms of mesothelioma cancer can mimic those of other diseases. The most commom symptoms include pain in the chest wall, shortness of breath, fatigue, anemia, wheezing, and coughing. You may also suffer abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, and you might even spit up blood.

Unfortunately, the prognosis for mesothelioma is not very favorable. The disease generally does not present itself with clear symptoms in the early stages which means that patients are generally not diagnosed until the disease has become advanced.

At this point survival rates after symptoms of mesothelioma lead to a positive diagnosis are generally less than about five years depending on what type treatment to which your cancer responds. Treatments for mesothelioma typically include surgery to remove cancerous cells and tumors, radiation, immunotherapy and chemotherapy.

→ 8 Comments Tags: Symptoms Of Mesothelioma Cancer · Mesothelioma

Symptoms Of Mesothelioma Include Anxiety

Patients, caregivers, and family should recognize that anxiety is one of the symptoms of mesothelioma. And everyone must realize that anxiety breeds anxiety. If the patient is afraid that he or she is going to die at the moment of experiencing breathing difficulty, the body will respond by producing more anxiety, and more breathlessness. This is physical as well as an emotional response to anxiety. Oxygen is typically prescribed for mesothelioma symptom relief. It has been reported by physicians that some patients become unnecessarily dependent on oxygen. For some patients, oxygen is their lifeline ... ...

Mesothelioma Patient

A mesothelioma patient suffers from a rare form of cancer known as mesothelioma. A mesothelioma patient has generally been exposed (either directly or indirectly) to asbestos. While smoking cigarettes cannot cause mesothelioma, a combination of smoking and asbestos exposure can increase the likelihood of mesothelioma in the lung area. Symptoms of mesothelioma generally include breathing difficulties and coughing, chest pain and other symptoms such as fever, weight loss and pain in abdomen, neck or head. The symptoms generally occur years after the exposure to asbestos. The amount of exposure is ... ...

Symptoms Of Mesothelioma

The earliest symptoms of mesothelioma are often mistaken for the symptoms of cold, virus or flu. Many times, mesothelioma is not diagnosed until it has progressed beyond the treatable stage. Even when symptoms of mesothelioma do not develop to a recognizable stage, asbestosis and other asbestos-related conditions can cause pain, restricted breathing and other difficulties. When exposure to asbestos is combined with smoking, the risk of developing lung cancer increases. People can be exposed to asbestos in many ways. The most common method of asbestos exposure is occupational or work-related. Asbestos ... ...