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Mesothelioma
Cancer |
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Mesothelioma
is a type of cancer involving mesothelial
tissues of body organs usually lungs or abdominal.
It is often caused by exposure to asbestos.
However, there are 30-50% of patients without
any history of asbestos exposure.
People who have received
asbestos exposure of as little as one or two
months to very low doses are at risk of mesothelioma
cancer. Even people who wash clothes of asbestos
exposed people are at risk. A person exposed
to asbestos could develop mesothelioma after
50 years of exposure.
People in the occupations
such as construction jobs in shipyards, insulators,
boilermakers, etc. are at the risk of contracting
asbestos disease.
The 2 common types of mesothelioma
are:
Pleural mesothelioma (lung cancer) and Peritoneal
mesothelioma (abdomen organs). The survival
time for a patient with diffuse malignant
mesothelioma is from 4 to 24 months from the
observance of the symptoms. Mesothelioma is
also difficult to diagnose.
The chance of recovery
for a patient with mesothelioma depends on
size and location of the cancer, age of the
patient and his response to the treatment.
Presently, the treatment options for mesotheliomas
are: Radiation therapy, Chemotherapy, Surgery
and Photodynamic therapy. There is some evidence
that provitamin A or beta-carotene may decrease
the risk of mesothelioma.
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Featured
Links |
Cancer.gov:
Malignant Mesothelioma - consumer
and clinical information about the rare form
of cancer commonly associated with high exposures
to asbestos.
All
About Malignant Mesothelioma
- guide explaining the cancer that aggressively
invades the lining (mesothelium) of the lungs
and abdomen. From the American Cancer Society.
CancerBACUP:
Mesothelioma Information Centre
- provides general information for patients
including causes, diagnosis, treatment, and
support.
MedlinePlus:
Mesothelioma (Benign-Fibrous)
- basic information about the noncancerous
tumor of the lining of the lung and chest
cavity.
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