The literal meaning of the word “asbestos” comes from Greek and means “indelible”. With the right name, this long fibrous mineral was widely used for thousands of years because of its refractory properties. In fact, the ancient Greeks used asbestos for burial clothes of kings, which are incinerated. Both the Greeks and Romans used asbestos fiber napkins that they be purified by the fire.

In today’s time, asbestos was used much the same reason. Asbestos has been used for isolation purposes in a variety of objects and structures, including the ceilings, walls, toasters and hair dryers. Unfortunately, it is now known that exposure to asbestos are major health risks. Pleural plaques, asbestosis, mesothelioma and cancer are just some of the diseases that are caused by asbestos, especially when it comes to long-term and / or repeated. Read the rest of this entry »

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Malignant mesothelioma is a rare cancer in which malignant or cancerous cells in the thin layers of tissue along the human chest, heart or stomach. If the cancer in the breast, but affects the pleura or tissue lining the lungs and is called malignant pleural mesothelioma. This is the most common form of mesothelioma. In the abdomen, a cancer of the peritoneum or tissue along the abdominal cavity and the various facilities malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. The least common form of mesothelioma of the pericardium, or outer lining of the heart. The term mesothelioma literally means a growth of mesothelium, a layer of tissue from which the pleura, peritoneum and pericardium all develop. Read the rest of this entry »

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Pleural mesothelioma is a deadly cancer that initially affects the thin membrane enveloping the lungs. This condition is usually caused by asbestos. Currently about 3000 cases were reported in the United States per year. But according to reliable estimates, nearly 8 million people exposed to asbestos over the past fifty years and about 3 million new cases in 2030 continues. Higher incidence is in the Pacific and the Mid-Atlantic states.

The disease is almost always fatal. If detected early, surgery may be useful. But the problem is that the pleural mesothelioma has a long latency period from 20 to 40 years or more and the time of diagnosis of cancer is usually at an advanced stage. Read the rest of this entry »

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The diagnosis of peritoneal mesothelioma begins with a thorough review of the history of the patient to determine symptoms and previous exposure to asbestos, and a complete physical. Moreover, some doctors may be used for MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan or an X-ray of the chest or abdominal region to determine the location and size of the tumor. In an MRI, a powerful magnet in conjunction with a computer is used for detailed pictures of areas inside the body. These images are displayed on a monitor and can also be clearly presented to the affected areas with the tumor.

In the case of pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma, fluid (effusion) the opportunity to settle in the chest or abdominal region. In such cases, doctors use a procedure known as fine needle aspiration for the sample of this fluid for further testing. Read the rest of this entry »

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Let’s take the scenario of a seventy years old man, a non-smoking and otherwise fairly healthy, with the local doctor with complaints of persistent cough, chest congestion and weight loss. Other symptoms may include difficulty swallowing and loss of appetite. The doctor has several options for diagnosis, but pleural mesothelioma, a deadly cancer of the lining around the lungs, can not be considered.

Recognition of pleural mesothelioma as a separate disease started in the 1960s. Currently, only about 3000 cases per year in the United States. It is also known that the main cause of pleural mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. Read the rest of this entry »

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