Mesothelioma
by: John
Moore
What Exactly Is Mesothelioma ?
Mesothelioma the medical name for
cancer of the lung or the abdomen lining, and is usually caused by exposure to
asbestos.
Asbestos is a type of
building material used in thermal insulation products and ceiling tiles.
Asbestos usage peaked during the 1950s - 1970s, but during the late 1960s,
concerns over the health consequences of asbestos exposure began to arise,
thereby decreasing the amount of asbestos manufactured over the following two
decades. But even though new measures where brought in to get
rid of it, many schools and public buildings still contain asbestos.
Small asbestos fibers
that enter the air do not evaporate and can remain suspended in the air for a
long time. These fibers, when breathed into the body, are toxic. The people
most at risk are :-
People working in
factories that manufacture asbestos are likely to have a high exposure to asbestos
and are most at risk of developing asbestosis or mesothelioma.
Family members of
workers exposed to asbestos in the workplace are susceptible to exposure from
asbestos dust brought home by the worker on his clothes or skin.
Those who live in the
vicinity of an asbestos manufacturing plant are also at risk.
Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until between twenty and fifty
years after exposure, which explains why so many new cases of this form of
cancer are coming to light now. Many people who haven't
been in contact with asbestos for decades, are now showing symptoms of this
dreadful desease.
As with many forms of
cancer, mesothelioma can spread rapidly. Symptoms
include shortness of breath, coughing, loss of weight, and chest pains. If it
is diagnosed early enough, the tumor can be surgically removed, and with
chemotherapy and radiation treatment, a full recovery is often possible.
However, in more
advanced cases, cure is usually not possible. In such cases, chemotherapy and
radiation treatment can be used alongside other pain relief treatments, to ease
the symptoms. Where cure is not possible, the average survival time is between
four and eighteen months, depending on the stage of the tumor and the general
health of the patient.
I was prompted to
write about mesothelioma because as a child I lived
near a factory which produced asbestos, and I personally know families who have
suffered due to this terrible desease. You may be interested in the following:
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About The Author John Moore ..I grew up near an asbestos factory, hence my decision
to write this article. You may use this article as long as you use my link http://www.online-mesothelioma-guide.com.
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This article was
posted on September 16, 2005