Mesothelioma - Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment and Care

Mesothelioma is a rare and deadly form of cancer that affects the lining of the lung, lining of the abdominal cavity or the lining around the heart. It is caused by the exposure to asbestos and occurs in those who have breathed in asbestos fibres. Mesothelioma may not show until 20 to 50 years after the contact with asbestos which is why it was widely used in various industries for many years without anyone realising the damage it was doing to the health of the people working with it. It is estimated that by 2029, 250,000 workers in Western Europe alone will have died from Mesothelioma.
Asbestos is the name given to a group of minerals that occurs naturally in the environment, these bundles of fibres can be separated into thin durable threads which are resistant to heat, fire and chemicals and do not conduct electricity. These properties mean that asbestos was widely used in many industries including building and construction, roofing, fireproofing, shipbuilding and the automotive industry. Asbestos was also used to make ceiling and floor tiles, paint, adhesives and plastics. In the late 1970s the dangers of asbestos were first recognized and it was banned in certain industries. Nowadays asbestos is rarely used at all and any found in domestic or industrial building is carefully removed or encased by experts.
The primary symptom of Mesothelioma is shortness of breath; sufferers may also be affected by a persistent and productive cough, chest tightness, chest pain, loss of appetite and a crackling sound in the lungs when inhaling. Chest X-rays are the most common method of detecting this disease but other techniques can be used such as pulmonary function tests, Biopsy/Bronchoscopy and CT scans. The treatment for Mesothelioma depends on the location of the cancer, how developed it is and the patient's age and general health. Treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
Everyone is exposed to asbestos at some time as low levels of the mineral are present in the air, water and soil. However it is generally only people who have been exposed to larger quantities on a regular basis who become ill. The main factors which determine how an individual is affected by asbestos exposure are dose, duration, size, shape and chemical makeup of asbestos fibres, source and individual health factors such as smoking and lung condition. Since the 1940s millions of American workers have been exposed to asbestos, some of the most hazardous trades being shipbuilding, asbestos mining and milling and construction and building.
Workers involved in the rescue, recovery and cleanup at the site of the September 11 attacks on the world trade centre are another group at risk of developing Mesothelioma or other asbestos related disease. Asbestos was used in the construction of the North Tower of the WTC and hundreds of tons were released into the atmosphere when the building collapsed. The firefighters, police, paramedics, construction workers and volunteers are most at risk, but also nearby residents and school children will need to be followed to determine the long term consequences of their exposure.