Asbestos has been used for centuries. Named by ancient Greek civilaizations, it has been used throughout history for its flame retardant properties in many different applications. Among the the many uses for asbestos throughout history, the most common uses were for insulation, especially in high heat areas such as boilers, pipes, ovens, and heating ducts.
The detrimental health effects of asbestos have also been documented for an extensive period of time. Many early reports of sickness caused by asbestos exposure reported the same symptoms as mesothelioma. Some called it a "sickness of the lungs," but it was not until the early 1900s when medical professionals began to agree that asbestos was the cause of a specific cancer in the lungs.
Seemingly oblivious to the linkage between asbestos and lung cancer, asbestos was used in construction for many more years. Residential, commercial and industrial construction all relied heavily on asbestos up until around the 1970s. Records indicate that asbestos was used extensively in the construction of U.S. Navy ships, which affected a large percentage of men and women serving on those vessels. These materials were widely used in the engine and boiler rooms, as well as other areas below deck for fire safety purposes.
Because of this high exposure rate, veterans make up a large percentage of mesothelioma vicitms. Statistically, 30 percent of mesothelioma victims are veterans and Navy veterans account for 16 percent of asbestos-related lung cancer.
Another group affected by asbestos exposure has been those who have worked in asbestos mines or mines contaminated with asbestos. This trend has also been noted historically; many researchers found that people working in asbestos mines led unnaturally short lives comparably speaking. Despite the research and knowlege of many scientists and companies, many workers were continually exploited in the manufacturing and mining processes up to and past the time when laws were put in place to protect workers.
Mesothelioma is a rare but deadly form of lung cancer that is almost always caused by prolonged exposure to asbestos. No known treatment can currently completely cure the effects of mesothelioma, which is why it is imperative that a patient recently diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer locate an experienced mesothelioma lawyer who can provide a free legal consultation as to the development of a possible mesothelioma lawsuit. Developing litigation of this nature may result in monetary funds being dispersed to a victim, who can then use such compensation to pay for costly medical treatments and increase quality of life during their cancer.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Mesothelioma and the Challenge that it poses
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer which is posing a difficult challenge to the medical scientists as well as humanity. The more information that is gleaned about this cancer leads to just one fact that the only way this disease can be fought is by diagnosing it earlier so that effective treatment could be carried out. And that is where the challenge lies.
Mesothelioma is caused by the exposure to the mineral called asbestos. Once this mineral finds its way into the mesothelial cells it leads to the development of this dreaded cancer. Mesothelium is a membrane that forms a protective sac around the internal organs of the human body. It has different names depending upon which organ it is covering. Generally there are five types of mesothelioma which are pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma, pericardial mesothelioma, mesothelioma of the tunica serosa uteri, and the mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis. A majority of the reported cases are those of the pleural and the peritoneal mesothelioma.
Once these asbestos particles find their way into the mesothelium, they lead to the cancerous development of the mesothelial cells. The challenge that mesothelioma poses to the medical scientists is that these asbestos particles remain dormant within the mesothelium for a very long time. Sometimes up to 50 years. As a result by the time the patient is diagnosed with mesothelioma, the cancer has already reached its later stages. At that stage the best that the doctor can do is make the remaining years of the patient as pain free as possible. Mesothelioma is one cancer that needs to be tackled with utmost attention
Mesothelioma is caused by the exposure to the mineral called asbestos. Once this mineral finds its way into the mesothelial cells it leads to the development of this dreaded cancer. Mesothelium is a membrane that forms a protective sac around the internal organs of the human body. It has different names depending upon which organ it is covering. Generally there are five types of mesothelioma which are pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma, pericardial mesothelioma, mesothelioma of the tunica serosa uteri, and the mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis. A majority of the reported cases are those of the pleural and the peritoneal mesothelioma.
Once these asbestos particles find their way into the mesothelium, they lead to the cancerous development of the mesothelial cells. The challenge that mesothelioma poses to the medical scientists is that these asbestos particles remain dormant within the mesothelium for a very long time. Sometimes up to 50 years. As a result by the time the patient is diagnosed with mesothelioma, the cancer has already reached its later stages. At that stage the best that the doctor can do is make the remaining years of the patient as pain free as possible. Mesothelioma is one cancer that needs to be tackled with utmost attention
Mesothelioma Traditional Treatment
Mesothelioma is rare kind of cancer and person dies within year or two after diagnosis. The explore of asbestos would during the work place and military services. It shows symptoms like chest pain,coughing, breathing difficulty which is mis leaded to some common problems and not detected at early stages.
Traditional treatment of mesothelioma If the mesothelioma is diagnosed at the early stage then doctors prefer to go by the traditional way of treatment of mesothelioma rather than surgery. These include radiation and chemotherapy which are used to kill the cancerous cell responsible for the cancer without harming the patient. The side effect of this therapy is that it kills most of the healthy cells along with the cancerous cell and patient lose their hair, having the feeling of weakness and sickness, problem in eating. Doctored generally go with the chemotherapy to nullify these effects.
The chemotherapy is the treatment which works on the logic of killing the cancerous cells by giving chemical medication. This drug is given on the regular basics may weekly or monthly through blood stream or swallowing the drugs. The patients can stay at the home but may visit the doctor regularly.
Radiation treatment works on killing the cancerous cell with the help of high energy radiation like x-rays and stop them from growing. These are external beam radiation the patients are directed towards directly on the affected parts of the body. This treatment takes 30 days and has to done in same way for some weeks. In the internal radiation therapy doctors put the container of radiative mixture next to affected area either by using surgery or body cavity. Some of them were left in the body and rest are removed. Radiation treatments can be done with the help of radio pharmaceuticals drugs can be given through the ingestion or injected in the body. To find out more information please visit Mesothelioma Blog.
Traditional treatment of mesothelioma If the mesothelioma is diagnosed at the early stage then doctors prefer to go by the traditional way of treatment of mesothelioma rather than surgery. These include radiation and chemotherapy which are used to kill the cancerous cell responsible for the cancer without harming the patient. The side effect of this therapy is that it kills most of the healthy cells along with the cancerous cell and patient lose their hair, having the feeling of weakness and sickness, problem in eating. Doctored generally go with the chemotherapy to nullify these effects.
The chemotherapy is the treatment which works on the logic of killing the cancerous cells by giving chemical medication. This drug is given on the regular basics may weekly or monthly through blood stream or swallowing the drugs. The patients can stay at the home but may visit the doctor regularly.
Radiation treatment works on killing the cancerous cell with the help of high energy radiation like x-rays and stop them from growing. These are external beam radiation the patients are directed towards directly on the affected parts of the body. This treatment takes 30 days and has to done in same way for some weeks. In the internal radiation therapy doctors put the container of radiative mixture next to affected area either by using surgery or body cavity. Some of them were left in the body and rest are removed. Radiation treatments can be done with the help of radio pharmaceuticals drugs can be given through the ingestion or injected in the body. To find out more information please visit Mesothelioma Blog.
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