What is Mesothelioma

Definition of mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is debilitating and dangerous form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. While mesothelioma is still a relatively rare form of cancer, the number of those affected has increased substantially in the past decade.

While researchers and physicians are still searching for a cure for mesothelioma, science has allowed us to expand our knowledge of the disease and how it changes the lives of those afflicted. Treatment options are becoming more available for those affected with mesothelioma, and alternative therapies are helping countless patients ease the pain from this terrible disease. Similarly, physicians and surgeons alike have put forth a commanding effort in the search for a cure for mesothelioma, making it one of today�s most researched illnesses.

Brief summary

In basic terms, mesothelioma is a rare cancer of the mesothelial lining which is caused only by exposure to asbestos. When asbestos fibers, which are highly carcinogenic, become air-born they are either inhaled into the lungs or swallowed and ingested. Typically, when asbestos fibers are inhaled into the lungs the small splinter-like fibers become embedded in the lining of the lungs, which can lead to chronic inflammation and the development of scar tissue, which impairs the ability of the lung to expand and contract. When the lungs become scarred from asbestos fibers but the scarring is not cancerous, it is a disease known as asbestosis. However, this scar tissue can become cancerous decades after exposure, leading to the mesothelioma. Likewise, when the fibers are ingested they become lodged in the lining of the abdomen and chest cavity, which also leads to the development of mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma attacks the mesothelium, a double-layered protective membrane that surrounds the internal organs of the body like the heart, lungs and abdomen. The two layers are filled with fluid which allows the smooth movement of the organs within the chest cavity. The layer surrounding the lungs is known as the pleura, the layer covering the heart is known as the pericardium and the layer surrounding the abdominal cavity is known as the peritoneum. While mesothelioma can affect any of the mesothelial tissue in the body, it is most commonly seen in the pleural or peritoneal mesothelium. Sadly, many patients are not diagnosed with mesothelioma until symptoms are present, and symptoms are not usually present until the cancer is in its advanced stages. Patients diagnosed with mesothelioma typically survive for only one year.

Mesothelioma has an unusually long latency period, which means it can take anywhere from 20 to 50 years to fully develop. Unfortunately, the early symptoms of mesothelioma are similar to other pulmonary and heart conditions. First signs of the cancer usually include coughing, difficulty breathing and stomach pain. Today most patients with mesothelioma are typically older men who were once employed in industries that used asbestos for economical reasons.

After the disease has been diagnosed, there are several treatment options available for patients, depending upon the location of the cancer, the size of the tumor, the general health of the patient, if the cancer has metastasized, and obviously the wishes of the patient. The three most common methods of treatment are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Alternative therapy is also currently being studied and has shown great success in clinical trials. More information regarding clinical trials, current studies and treatment options are available upon request. Oftentimes treatment for mesothelioma is simply to ease the pain of the cancer, and is not administered with the hope to cure the cancer. It is usually the goal of physicians to keep the quality of the patients life as high as possible and to keep the patient comfortable.

Mesothelioma Attorneys Lewis & Scholnick

Mesothelioma attorneys Lewis & Scholnick specialize in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits based on asbestos exposure.

Each year over 3,000 people will suffer and die from asbestos exposure. Asbestos, a known toxin since the 1930's, is an inexpensive fibrous material that is extremely durable and heat resistant. Because of these properties it was heavily used in industry throughout the United States. After its carcinogenic (cancer-causing) properties were discovered many industries irresponsibly continued to use asbestos, putting the public, their workers and families at risk.

Even today asbestos-containing products still remain in buildings, ships, industrial facilities and other environments and continue to expose the public to this extremely dangerous material. The EPA has stated that asbestos "presents an unreasonable risk of injury to human health;" even low levels of asbestos exposure can trigger mesothelioma, asbestosis, pleural disease and lung cancer, diseases that are almost exclusively caused by asbestos.

Ascites and Peritoneal Cavity Fluid

Ascites build up inside the abdomen in a membrane called the peritoneum. This membrane consists of two layers, one that lines the abdominal wall and one that encloses the organs of the abdomen. The peritoneum produces a fluid that serves as a lubricant allowing the organs of the abdomen to glide easily over one another. Usually this fluid is present in a very small quantity. Ascites is the build up, or overabundance of this fluid and is often the first tangible indication that mesothelioma is present in the body, it the most common early sign of peritoneal mesothelioma.

The symptoms of ascites are unpleasant. Usually the stomach becomes bloated and sometimes pain, and nausea accompanies this bloating. Its not uncommon for patients to experience a loss of appetite, or for sitting, standing, and walking to become restricted and uncomfortable. Fatigue, lethargy and breathlessness are also possible symptoms.

When ascites is first detected, the treating doctor will drain the fluid in a procedure known as a Paracentesis. By draining the fluid doctor's can reduce symptoms caused by the build up as well as gather a sample to learn the reason for its occurrence. A paracentesis is a relatively easy procedure that can take place in the hospital bed or in the outpatient clinic. Occasionally doctors will perform the procedure in the ultra sound department so that they can more easily locate the fluid build up. Ultra sounds are particularly useful when fluid has collected in multiple pockets, as will sometimes occur when the ascitic build up is smaller.

After the doctor injects the patient with a local anesthesia he will make a small incision in the abdomen wall in order to pass a cannula into the abdomen. The cannula is a thin tube that is attached to drainage bag for the paracentesis. Using gentle suction the doctor will draw the ascitic fluid from the abdomen into the drainage bag. If there is only a small amount of ascitic fluid the procedure can usually be accomplished in an outpatient setting, if there is a larger amount, however, the drain may remain in place for two to three days.

At the beginning of the paracentesis up to a liter of fluid may be drained quickly and safely. After this initial amount, however, the drain must be performed slowly because a sudden release of abdominal pressure may cause blood pressure to drop as well. During the procedure doctors will monitor the heart rate of the patient to make sure this doesn't occur. Sometimes during the procedure the drain will become blocked, but often the solution is just a matter of the patient repositioning him or herself (sitting up, lying back etc.). Occasionally the cannula can be a source of infection (a variation in blood pressure will tell doctors if this is the case).

Mesothelioma Symptoms

Mesothelioma is a very difficult cancer to detect early on. The biggest reason for this is that early mesothelioma symptoms tend to be generic and in some cases non existent until much later on. When symptoms do occur chest pain and shortness of breath are the most common. These respiratory symptoms occur because of a fluid build up in the pleura (the layers of the membrane that lines the lungs and chest cavity). This build up is called pleural effusion.

Patients who have peritoneal mesothelioma (a less common form of mesothelioma that affect the peritoneal membrane lining of the abdomen) generally experience abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea and abdominal swelling, often in addition to the symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. These symptoms are the result of tumors that press against the abdominal wall. In advanced cases of peritoneal mesothelioma, a patient may also develop bowel obstruction or further breathing obstruction due to tumor expansion.

Eventually, in both types of mesothelioma, the symptoms become more acute, breathing becomes more restricted and severe chest pain develops. In the case of peritoneal mesothelioma, the patients appetite often diminishes radically, and nausea intensifies.

When symptoms do become much more acute and mesothelioma is suspected the treating doctor will usually order a MRI, CT scan or X-ray to determine if there is any pleural build up in the chest cavity. If it turns out that the peritoneum or pleura are congested with pleural fluid the physician will generally perform a "fine needle aspiration".

The "fine needle aspiration" is conducted by inserting a needle into the chest cavity in order to gather the extra pleural effusion. This is done for two reasons: 1) to clear the chest and/or abdominal cavity of pleural build up so that symptoms are reduced and 2) to gather a fluid sample in order to determine if in fact the build up is a result of mesothelioma.

Usually doctors need more than a fluid sample to make a definitive diagnosis and if the fluid sample suggests that mesothelioma is present, doctors will attempt to obtain a tissue sample (or a biopsy). For pleural mesothelioma this procedure is called a thoracoscopy, for peritoneal mesothelioma this procedure is called a laparoscopy. If pleural mesothelioma is suspected but not confirmed by the biopsy, an accurate diagnosis may also require an additional procedure called a bronchoscopy. Sometimes a larger sample of tissue is required than can be gathered by either a thoracoscopy or laparoscopy. In these instances a surgeon may open the chest or abdominal cavity. The procedure for the chest cavity is known as thoracotomy and the procedure for the abdominal cavity is known as a laparotomy.

What You Need to Know about a Mesothelioma Law Suit, Mesothelioma Law and a Mesothelioma Law Firm

By Peter Lenkefi

There is some important information you should be aware of if you are considering pursuing a Mesothelioma Law Suit. Prior to pursuing a Mesothelioma Law Suit you should seek advice from a reputable Mesothelioma Law Firm and gain an understanding of Mesothelioma Law.

A Mesothelioma Law suit can be costly, but it can also provide you with adequate compensation that will help cover your legal, medical and ongoing expenses, related to your Mesothelioma Cancer.

Previously, there have been cases in which the Mesothelioma Cancer sufferers have received thousands of dollars in compensation for their diagnosis of Mesothelioma Cancer, due to exposure to an Asbestos related substance.

Currently, Mesothelioma Law is favorable towards Mesothelioma Cancer sufferers, who have been exposed to an Asbestos related substance through their work environment and companies are required to compensate their present, or previous employees for non-disclosure of the risks involved with handling an Asbestos related substance.

Mesothelioma Law works on the premise that this exposure to an asbestos related substance without prior knowledge has lead to the injury, or sometimes death of the Mesothelioma sufferer.

In almost all cases, whether indicated as injury, or death, the sufferer of Mesothelioma Cancer has had their life span considerable shortened, due to this exposure to an asbestos related substance.

Due to the legal processes of conducting a Mesothelioma Law suit, anyone who has been diagnosed with Mesothelioma Cancer and suspect, or know, that they were exposed to an asbestos related substance in the past, during their working life, should seek legal advice immediately.

Beginning your Mesothelioma Law suit early will ensure that you acquire adequate compensation in time to help with your medical expenses and ongoing support and treatment.

In order to begin a Mesothelioma Law suit you will need to find an experienced Mesothelioma Attorney, or Lawyer, that can usually be found at a reputable Mesothelioma Law Firm.

It is important that you disclose all information surrounding your Mesothelioma Cancer, including your diagnosis and prognosis, to your Mesothelioma Attorney, or Lawyer, as this will help them to form a solid Mesothelioma Law suit for your case.

You should also try to provide your Mesothelioma Attorney, or Lawyer with details pertaining to the period in which your exposure occurred, who you where working for at the time and any details regarding whether you had prior knowledge of your exposure.

All information surrounding your Mesothelioma Cancer is important and will ensure that your Mesothelioma Attorney, or Lawyer, will be successful in your Mesothelioma Law suit. So, if you, or someone you know, have been diagnosed with Mesothelioma Cancer, seek appropriate legal advice.


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