Archive for January 4, 2012

Asbestos and Mesothelioma

For a long time mesothelioma has been considered a mysterious and incurable disease. However, in the last twenty years, medical technology, scientists and researchers have come to learn more about the disease and its causes.

Fortunately, with more awareness about the disease, physicians have become more able to detect the cancer during the earlier stages so they can provide more forms of treatment.

This form of cancer occurs within the thin layer of tissue that covers the majority of the body’s internal organs (mesothelium). In the medical world, there are two different types and they are based on what part of the mesothelium is affected. In the majority of cases, mesothelioma affects the tissue that surrounds the lungs. Other rarer forms affect the tissue in the abdomen, the heart and around the testicles.

Sadly, this is an aggressive and deadly form of cancer, where a cure is not usually achievable. There are treatments available, but in most cases the goal of the treatments is to keep the patient as comfortable as possible.

The most common form (pleural mesothelioma) affects the tissue surrounding the lungs. It causes specific signs and symptoms including: chest pain under the rib cage, shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing, painful coughing, lumps of tissue underneath the skin on the chest, and weight loss. Unfortunately, fluid in the chest can compress on the lung, making breathing exceptionally difficult for the patient.

Cancer begins with a series of genetic mutations within a cell, which causes the cell to grow and multiply at an unchecked pace. Risk factors for developing mesothelioma are directly linked to asbestos exposure. Direct exposure to asbestos fibers at someone’s work, or in their home greatly increases the risk. Even living with someone who works with asbestos or washing a spouse’s clothes that has the fibers on them can lead to mesothelioma. In fact, it is suggested that people who work with asbestos should shower and change clothes before leaving work and heading home.

These dangers have been nationally recognized. If a person handles asbestos in an unsafe manner that endangers those around them, or if they cause an asbestos injury as a result of recklessness or negligence, then the victim may have legal grounds to file a personal injury lawsuit. If you lost a loved one to mesothelioma, you may have cause for a wrongful death lawsuit against the legally liable party. An experienced attorney will be absolutely critical in pursuing just compensation in this matter. Do not speak with an insurance company without first discussing your case with an attorney, because if you do, they will likely offer you a settlement that is far below the true value of your claim. Contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your case today!

The Mesothelioma Treatment Options

Pain is one of the most significant factors associated with mesothelioma. In the beginning the patient will only feel discomfort in the chest or pelvic area (depending where the condition develops), but then unfortunately the pain will get more and more severe.

Mesothelioma treatment is prescribed by the doctor, depending on the severity of the condition. The quality of the life of the patient is changed drastically when chronic pain sets in. He/ she is not able anymore to tend to everyday tasks, and many times the patient has to be under constant surveillance in a nursing home or hospital.

At the beginning of the condition, when there is only a discomfort present, the patient will be administered mild analgesics (such as Ibuprophen for instance). These types of analgesics are called non-opioids, which mean that they can be procured over the counter. When the pain gets chronic, the doctor will generally choose to put the patient on opioids medication, which is the strongest medication.

In the opioids class there is listed the morphine, the fentany, the hydromorphone or the oxcodone. These types of medications have quite a few side effects; so much attention is needed not to take anything more than the daily recommended dosage. Immunity to these types of medications can set in easily, and then the patient needs more of the same substance in order for it to have effects.

In such cases, it is always necessary to talk to the doctor to see if the dosage can be elevated. Treatment for mesothelioma, as you can note, may contain more strong drugs, so the patient needs to be extremely careful.

In many cases, the doctor will also recommend the adjuvant analgesics. These are meant to help the patient fight off depressive states. The mood of the patient is extremely low, and he/she may develop apathy, and then these adjutants are needed to keep him/her on the floating line on an everyday basis.

The next group of drugs in the treatment options for mesothelioma is the epidural implant. These implants basically contain pain killing substances that are administered through a thin catheter that is right beneath the skin. These substances are delivered right into the spinal canal, and the pain signals are blocked. The patient will not feel pain, and his quality of life is made better, and he doesn’t need to be constantly hospitalized. The epidural implants are administered only in the case the oral or intravenous pain killers are not effective anymore.

Physical Symptoms of Someone With Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma destroys its victim and his family emotionally and physically. Losing someone you love is a traumatic experience. When you see someone dying of cancer in front of your own eyes, it drains you off any soft feelings that you have about life in general. Slow death by cancer is something that one would not even like to think about.

This particular cancerous Mesothelioma disease does not appear suddenly like some wound on the outer covering of the body. People who have been diagnosed with this cancer are usually elderly people who have been inhaling Asbestos laden air for years. The incurable disease slowly starts growing up in the body. There are many aspects to this rare form of cancer, which are still shrouded in mystery.

Symptoms of Mesothelioma are dubious in nature. There are many common ailments and their symptoms which can misguide us into thinking that the symptoms that we are seeing in the patient are not those of a Mesothelioma patient. Flimsy fibers that a person takes in while inhaling, deeply embed themselves in the lining that is found around the internal organs of the body. Not all fibers contain cancer tissues at the earlier stage. It takes years to get scarred within the body through the abrasive effect of these fibers, scars worsen and inflammation is caused in them. Final result of this inflammation is cancer.

In its initial stage Mesothelioma brings with it shortened breaths and a heavy feeling in the region of chest. Lungs are the first organ to be effected by Asbestos. Accumulation of fluid in this area causes difficulty in breathing. People having these symptoms are said to be having Pleural Mesothelioma. At times victims might undergo through painful periods of pain in the chest, back or sides of the body. Pleural Mesothelioma patients might find it difficult to swallow. Cough spasms can rake the bodies of these patients. Unreasonable fatigue and undue loss of weight is generally apparent in such cases.

Person having Peritoneal Mesothelioma generally has a tumor in his abdominal region. Nausea, vomiting, pain in the abdomen, pain in the back, bowel obstructions and anemia may all be indications of Mesothelioma of the abdomen.

Palpitations of heart, irregularity in heartbeats, and breathing difficulties are symptom of Pericardial Mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma in the body means visits to the doctor, and expenses incurred due to innumerable tests, medicines and various other issues related to it. State Laws have made provisions for those undergoing difficult times due to Asbestos inhalation. Victims and their families can file court case against their employers etc. to get compensation for contracting disease at the place of work etc.