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All Pericardial Mesothelioma Information FAQ
What is pericardial mesothelioma?
Pericardial mesothelioma is a serious heart condition which
consists of cancerous cells building up on the lining of the
heart. Similarly to pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma, this is
a terminal illness...
Asbestosis' true
Asbestosis is an asbetos-related disease and may be considered as an occupational disease too since the most cases occur among people who worked with asbestos or their families, but there are cases of people who developed it, without have been in...
Coping strategies found useful by mesothelioma victims
Mesothelioma is such a disease that affects not only the
person diagnosed with the disease, but his or her loved
ones, too. The intention to write this article is to offer
some resource for patients and their families who are living
with this...
Gene Therapy for Mesothelioma
Gene Therapy for Mesothelioma An exciting new treatment that has given hope to mesothelioma victims is called gene therapy. Gene therapy attempts to decipher why proteins within certain cells cause them to be resilient to cancer while some cells do...
WSIB: The importance of knowing your rights if you have an asbestos-related disease
Asbestos-related diseases are increasing in the United States
and in some other countries, because asbestos workers were
exposed to this mineral, which is the main risk factor for
developing the disease. The Workplace Safety and Insurance...
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Who is at risk from mesothelioma cancer?
Mesothelioma is a deadly cancer which is fairly rare although in
the last few decades the number of people who have died from it
have dramatically increased. Mesothelioma is caused by exposure
to asbestos without sufficient protection. When a person is
exposed to asbestos, he or she inhales tiny asbestos fibres
which are suspended in the air. These fibres pass into the
respiratory system and end up becoming lodged in the lungs. An
accumulation of asbestos fibres in the lining of the lungs like
this can cause nearby cells to deform and eventually leads to
what is known as pleural mesothelioma. Accumulation of asbestos
fibres in the peritoneum (lining of the abdomen) can lead to
peritoneal mesothelioma and build up of fibres around the tissue
of the heart can cause pericardial mesothelioma. Asbestos fibres
reach these places over time or because they have been
transported there by the lymphatic system.
Mesothelioma has a very large latency period (time between
getting the cancer and feeling the symptoms of it). This period
is usually between 30 - 50 years and so a person who bears
mesothelioma is unlikely to know that they have got it. This is
why mesothelioma is so hard to diagnose in its early stages
because it shows no symptoms and the few symptoms
that it does
show such as wheezing and shortness of breath are typical of far
more common diseases such as pneumonia. The likelihood of being
cured depends largely on how early and how aggressively the
cancer is treated. If it is treated when it has fully developed
and matured then it is extremely difficult to cure.
In this way, those at risk are those who have worked amongst
asbestos. Construction workers, asbestos manufacturers or those
who have lived within a mile of an asbestos factory are the
people who have the largest contact with asbestos. Those who are
in contact with these people are also at risk because asbestos
fibres can stick to clothes and hair. The majority of people who
are discovering that they have mesothelioma are elderly men of
about 60 - 70. This was the generation which worked with
asbestos a lot without sufficient protection. Many of these men
are now lodging multi million dollar lawsuits against the
companies who exposed them to the dangers of asbestos.
About the author:
For more information on pericardial mesothelioma such as the
risks, causes, symptoms and treatments go to:
http://www.pericardialmesothelioma.co.uk,
http://www.pericardial-mesothelioma.co.uk and
http://www.asbestos-resource.co.uk
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