Mesothelioma
Cancer Caused by Asbestos
One of the most specific dangers of asbestos inhalation is mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is almost always caused by asbestos. It is a form of cancer caused when the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most organs of the body, turn into malignant cancerous cells.
Mesothelioma can also be found in the outer lining of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma), the lining of the abdominal area (peritoneal mesothelioma), the heart, and the surrounding sac (pericardial mesothelioma). Even though mesothelioma causes cancer in the lungs, it is not considered lung cancer. Lung cancer affects the lungs themselves, while mesothelioma affects the sac that lines the lungs and chest cavity.
Even though mesothelioma is most often found in people exposed to asbestos on the job, the families of these workers are also at risk. When a person works around asbestos particles, they can accumulate the carcinogens on their clothing and skin and expose their loved ones to them as well.
Symptoms of mesothelioma
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Diagnosing mesothelioma
Diagnosing mesothelioma can take some time and numerous expensive tests. These symptoms are often signs of numerous disorders. If mesothelioma goes untreated, patients may have under a year left. Without proper care, the prognosis for mesothelioma patients is not good. However, new and improved treatments offer people who are diagnosed with mesothelioma the possibility of a brighter future.
Some of the tests used in diagnosing mesothelioma are:
- X-ray
- CT scan/CAT scan
- MRI
- Biopsy
Treatment for mesothelioma
There are three courses of treatment that are traditionally prescribed for mesothelioma. They are surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. When doctors decide on a course of treatment from these possible choices, they take certain things into consideration. Some of these factors are:
- What type of mesothelioma and the location of the tumor(s)
- Size of tumor(s)
- Degree to which the cancer has spread
- The stage of cancer (beginning, advanced, etc.)
- The age of the patient
- The overall physical health of the patient
Medical professionals believe that time is a key factor in how beneficial treatment for mesothelioma can be. Many cases of the disease are not diagnosed until they are in the later stages and treatment possibilities are limited.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, the law is on your side and the caring staff of Doran & Murphy can utilize the legal system to get you the aid you deserve.
