Mesothelioma and its Effects - About the Disease and who is to Blame

About the Disease
Mesothelioma or asbestos cancer is an aggressive cancer caused by the inhalation of dangerous asbestos fibers. This disease attacks the mesothelium, a protective, 2-layered membrane which covers the internal organs of the body including the lungs, abdominal organs and heart. The cells produce fluid between these layers, which allows easy movement of the lungs and heart within the chest cavity. The layer that covers the lungs is known as pericardium, which is where pericardial mesothelioma is known to occur. The peritoneum lines the abdominal cavity. Mesothelium also lines the female and male reproductive organs.  Any of these cells can be affected by mesothelioma, but is mostly seen in the peritoneal mesothelium or pleural. Pleural mesothelioma is the most commonly diagnosed form of this cancer. This disease takes anywhere between 20-50 years or more to develop, which is why older individuals are usually the victims.

The Effects of the Disease
The invasion of the mesothelium by cancer cells usually makes it so difficult for the patient to breathe, which results to the need of oxygen, especially as the disease progresses. People with the pleural form of mesothelioma can also suffer from pleural effusions. These effusions prevent the smooth movement of the organs and lungs in the chest. Peritoneal mesothelioma can also affect the abdominal cavity and stomach region which causes loss of appetite, vomiting, or nausea, and can result in dangerous weight loss. In addition to weight loss and breathing difficulties, patients suffering from this disease also complain of too much sleeping difficulties, coughing, pain in the lower back and persistence chest pain.

In summary, malignant mesothelioma is a very painful disease because it is usually not diagnosed until it is in an advanced stage. For this very reason, mesothelioma symptoms are quite serious. If the diagnosis was done late, it is more likely to have spread or metastasized, which makes successful treatment even more difficult.

Who Can Get The Disease?
According to recent statistics which shows that because of their work history, the disease usually affects men between the ages 50-70 who were employed in an asbestos laden environment before the asbestos warning and bans were in place in the 1970s. Although, women still have a minimal frequency of the disease, cases of second hand exposure has incited more diagnosis among women, most especially those whose male family members has worked with asbestos. The jobs mostly associated with mesothelioma are electricians, shipyard workers, construction industry workers, plumbers, boil makers, pipe fitters, and anyone subject to heavy exposure to dangerous asbestos and airborne asbestos fibers.

Several cases have also demonstrated that mesothelioma may develop among people who are living in communities where asbestos mines or factories were located. For example, an entire town was adversely affected by the presence of asbestos fibers found in the air. It was in Libby, Montana - site of former vermiculite asbestos mine, where hundreds have already died of mesothelioma.

This type of cancer is still significantly rarer than other cancers. In the United States, there is an estimate of about 2,000 to 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma have been diagnosed each year. Other countries like Australia and United Kingdom, usually reports a much higher incidence of the disease. Many countries has observed an increase in asbestos caused cancer as men who has worked in shipyards and other asbestos companies in the 1940s and 1950s, at the peak of production, are now being diagnosed with mesothelioma.

Dealing with the Disease
This disease is usually diagnosed in its late stages, and such diagnosis is destructive to the individual and his or her family members. Over the years, there have been researches into the disease and unfortunately, there is no cure for mesothelioma. Some individuals suffering from this disease may be candidates for surgery to remove tumors or even the whole lung, but most times, it is better treated with chemotherapy or radiation. Oftentimes, these treatments are palliative, which lessen the intensity of the symptoms of the disease rather than offering a cure.

Medical professionals and research scientists are constantly examining new methods to fight the disease. For instance, doctors are aware that some combinations of chemotherapy drugs work better than others and tests developed to ascertain earlier diagnosis of the disease or to monitor those most at risk have arrived on the scene.

Who is to Blame?
There is this reason why an individual develops mesothelioma is usually due to the lack of proper protection offered to those who worked with asbestos companies. Although, the harmful properties of asbestos and asbestos products have been evident for decades, several employers fail to take proper care to protect their workers from inhaling asbestos while they are at work. It was not until public awareness of the dangers of the materials were revealed in the 1970s that several employers started offering protective clothing such as gloves, aprons, respirators, etc, to their workers to be used on a daily basis.

Due to lack of proper care of employers, several companies who manufacture asbestos or products that contain asbestos have been subject to thousands of lawsuits filed by those who have been harmed by the material. Many of these lawsuits, with the help of a mesothelioma lawyer are filed by the victims and their family in an effort to guarantee compensation from those guilty for their exposure.