Mesothelioma, also known as malignant mesothelioma, is a form of cancer that affects the protective lining of your internal organs – the mesothelium. In most cases, mesothelioma occurs in the lining of the lungs, but it can also happen in the lining of the testes, abdomen, and other internal organs. In most cases, mesothelioma develops due to inhaling asbestos dust.
Although rare, mesothelioma is aggressive and deadly when someone develops it. In most cases, while treatment can help, mesothelioma is incurable and becomes terminal within one to two years of contracting it. Mesothelioma is so dangerous because of how aggressive and widespread it is.
Because mesothelioma can happen in different parts of the body, your symptoms may vary depending on the cancer’s point of origin. In most cases, however, here are the most common symptoms:
Because of how aggressive and fast mesothelioma spreads, it’s important to note symptoms immediately and seek treatment. However, some of the signs and symptoms are unknown because of how many different types of mesothelioma there are.
There’s a lot that the medical community doesn’t know about mesothelioma. While it’s believed that other things can cause mesothelioma, asbestos exposure is the only known cause. Asbestos is a natural mineral that isn’t harmful in its natural state. However, when asbestos is broken apart, it results in asbestos dust, which can easily be inhaled.
When you inhale asbestos dust, it settles in your lungs and causes irritation and scarring. Unfortunately, the exact process that happens isn’t known, and it can take up to 60 years for asbestos dust to turn cancerous in your lungs. Additionally, because not everyone who inhales asbestos dust will develop mesothelioma, other factors may play a role.
Here are some risk factors that increase your chances of developing mesothelioma.
There are three phases involved with diagnosing mesothelioma if you suspect that you have the disease. The first of these phases is for your doctor to administer a physical examination. This will determine your symptoms and history to determine if you’ve had asbestos exposure. However, because the signs and symptoms of mesothelioma are similar to other conditions, additional testing may be necessary.
Imaging tests, including chest x-rays, PET scans, MRIs, and CT scans, will help your doctor see if there’s visible cancer and damage inside the body.
Biopsies are more painful than imaging tests but are always necessary when diagnosing mesothelioma. A biopsy is when your doctor inserts a needle into your body and extracts a small tissue sample. This sample is then sent to a lab and tested for cancer.
If it’s determined that you have mesothelioma, additional testing is necessary to determine how far cancer has spread.
Unfortunately, mesothelioma is often too aggressive and widespread to stop. While treatment can sometimes reduce the painful symptoms of mesothelioma and increase your life expectancy, it’s almost always terminal in the end. Chemotherapy and radiation can help slow the spread of cancer as long as it hasn’t spread too far. Surgery is also a good option in the early stages of mesothelioma. However, if it’s too widespread, surgery won’t be enough to eradicate the cancer.
In the end, palliative treatment to reduce symptoms of pain and discomfort is usually the only treatment option available. For that reason, diagnosing mesothelioma as early as possible is important to maximize your chances of recovery.