Mesothelioma and heart

• Pleural: Pleural mesothelioma affects the pleura - the lining of the lungs. It is the most common type of mesothelioma.
  
• Peritoneal: Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the peritoneum - the lining of the abdomen.
  
• Pericardia: Pericardial mesothelioma affects the pericardium, the membrane that surrounds the heart. It is the least common type, affecting about 5 percent of people with the disease.

Mesothelioma incidence rates

increased in the past 20 years, the incidence is still low. Currently, incidence of malignant mesothelioma can range from 7 to 40 per 1,000,000 in developed Western countries. In comparison, populations with high levels of smoking can have a lung cancer frequency of 1,000 per 1,000,000. The incidence of mesothelioma depends on the asbestos exposure of that area over the past few decades.

Mesothelioma

The pericardium (a sac that surrounds the heart). Most people who develop mesothelioma worked on jobs where they are exposed to asbestos, or have gotten exposed to asbestos in some other way. A history of exposure to asbestos exists in almost all cases.Mesothelioma may not appear till 30-50 years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath and a pain in the chest may be symptoms of pleural mesothelioma.

peritoneal mesothelioma

Abdominal pain and bowel restrictions are common peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms. If peritoneal mesothelioma is suspected after the traditional CT, MRI and PET scans, a peritoneoscopy or paracentesis is likely. Peritoneoscopy is done in the hospital with a camera-like instrument called a peritoneoscope. Peritoneal mesothelioma has also been incidentally discovered while performing similar procedures involving infertility examinations on women. A fluid sample is obtained in a process called paracentesis. This involves a needle going into your abdomen to get a sample of the fluid.

Mesothelioma Diagnosis Guide

Any individual that has ever had a clutch replaced on a car knows that it is possible for the clutch to wear out with time and miles. Any item that is subjected to friction will become worn out. The clutch on a car is not an exception. When the friction starts causing the item to break down, dust commonly forms in the area around the clutch. This dust contains asbestos fibers. When the clutch area is opened up for repairs or to check everything out if there's any sort of problem, the dust can be stirred up and released into the surrounding area. Once released, the fibers can be inhaled or swallowed and can contaminate the entire car garage

Mesothelioma with Surgery

Pleurectomy/Decortation

In this operation, the surgeon treats the disease by performing a pleurectomy - removing all of the visible tumor in order to free the lung. It is usually attempted in patients whose disease is at Stage I or Stage II.

Pleurodesis

Often, after the pleural effusion (fluid buildup in the chest) has been drained during thoracentesis, the fluid comes back. In this case, talc or other materials are placed in the chest to close the pleural space and prevent the buildup. This can be done in combination with chest tube drainage or with thoracoscopy and video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS).

Conditions Like Mesothelioma

It is important that individuals who may have been exposed to asbestos to contact a medical professional immediately to assess and potentially diagnose their condition. If mesothelioma cancer is diagnosed early on a mesothelioma victim has a better chance of decreasing the risks of fatality commonly associated with the cancer.

In addition to contacting a medical professional it may also be important to contact an experienced mesothelioma attorney to learn about developing a mesothelioma lawsuit, which may result in receiving monetary compensation to pay for expensive mesothelioma medical bills.

By:Katie Kelley

Mesothelioma Cancer Researchers Eye

Biomarkers are a type of "biochemically expressed substance" similar to a protein, according to a news report on the study. An effort is being collaborated on by the International Cancer Biomarker Consortium (ICBC) to better address biomarkers as indicators of cancer types such as mesothelioma.

The large-scale effort is similar, according to the ICBC, to the Human Genome Project and uses an array of researchers from around the world to assist in studying the use of the the biomarkers. The Polytechnic study followed 119 individuals who had been previously exposed to asbestos; of these individuals, all exhibited increased numbers of biomarkers compared to individuals who were not exposed to asbestos.