A rare but dangerous form of cancer that can affect both men and women, mesothelioma is the type of cancer that can come from asbestos exposure. If you suspect that you or a loved one has this cancer, you need to seek medical attention immediately. While there is no cure for mesothelioma, it can be managed, and early diagnosis can help reduce the seriousness of the condition.
Common symptoms include weight loss, fatigue, weight gain, fever, nausea, and abdominal pain. Often times, patients will also notice that they are experiencing shortness of breath. This can also be a sign of lung cancer, which usually does not have symptoms of their own. This can cause further confusion to a doctor, as they may believe that mesothelioma is the same thing as lung cancer, when in fact they are not the same thing at all.
For more definitive results, a complete mesothelioma diagnosis should be made. It is then followed by a thorough physical examination and a CAT scan, as well as X-rays, to be sure that there is no damage to the affected area.
Once the doctor determines that there is definitely something wrong with the patient, they will be able to give the patient recommendations for treatment, as well as advising the patient’s family members about possible treatments and research. Since mesothelioma can be hereditary, if a family member or friend has the disease, there is an increased chance that the disease will spread.
As more is learned about mesothelioma, there are more treatment options available for the patients. There are two types of treatment: Chemical and Biological. Chemical treatments are the most commonly used, as they have a good track record, while the biological treatments involve the use of radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and other experimental treatments.
Chemotherapy is often administered through the use of high doses of radiation, meaning that there is a very large amount of harmful toxins released into the body through the entire procedure. In the past, this type of treatment had serious side effects such as fever, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite. With these side effects, the success rate for treating mesothelioma has been significantly reduced.
While this is the most effective treatments, there are some cases where patients need the use of radiation therapy as well. This is usually the case when the patient has only limited degrees of mesothelioma. When the amount of mesothelioma is severe, it may be necessary to utilize radiation therapy with other types of treatments to reach a full recovery.
Mesothelioma can be prevented by keeping yourself safe. Be careful when handling asbestos, and don’t let your children touch it, because of the damage that it can do to their lungs.
