Monday, September 24, 2012

All about Mesothelioma - Health - Diseases and Conditions

Types of MesotheliomaAn estimated 2,000 to 3,000 peopleare diagnosed with mesotheliomain the United States each year. Themost common form ofmesothelioma is pleuralmesothelioma, which affects thelungs, although there are othertypes of mesothelioma that affectthe heart (pericardialmesothelioma) or abdominal cavity(peritoneal mesothelioma).Asbestos.net also has informationon mesothelioma symptoms, howmesothelioma is diagnosed, thestages of mesothelioma, supportgroups, research, clinical trials, andmuch more risk factorsMesothelioma DiagnosisMesothelioma is almost alwayscaused by exposure to asbestos. Aswith most cancers, early diagnosisgreatly increases the efficacy oftreatment. Unfortunately, due tothe way it forms, mesotheliomamay not manifest until anywherebetween 30 and 40 years after theinitial exposure.Mesothelioma symptoms aregenerally non-specific andresemble the signs of morecommon illness, such as flu,bronchitis, viral pneumonia andheart disease. Some commonsymptoms include shortness ofbreath or difficulty breathing,excessive coughing, chest orabdomen pain, weight loss and lossof appetite, among many others.Usually it is the most commonsymptoms- breathing difficultiesand shortness of breath - whichprompt patients to consult withtheir doctor. It's crucial to discloseany history of exposure toasbestos, even if it occurreddecades before, as this informationcan aid doctors in their diagnosis.Such disclosure can also preventuncomfortable and expensive testsas well as making treatment moreeffective.Mesothelioma TreatmentTypically, there are three maincategories for treatment ofmesothelioma: establishedtherapies, experimentaltreatments, and holistic therapies.Often these treatments are notisolated-or used alone-but rather asa combination of treatments.Conventional MesotheliomaTreatments include therapies suchas surgery, radiation, andchemotherapy drugs such ascisplatin or alimta.Experimental MesotheliomaTreatments, such as clinical trials,hav e shown encouraging results todate. Such treatments includephotodynamic therapy, genetherapy, and immunotherapy,among others.Holistic Therapies for Mesotheliomaalso known as alternativetherapies, include methods such asmassages, acupuncture, TENStherapy, aromatherapy,meditation, and yoga. Holisticmesothelioma therapies are a wayin which to relieve the side effectsassociated with establishedtherapies.These and many other treatmentsmay be available to you at themesothelioma treatment centerwhere you are being treated,however, it is also important todiscuss all of the various optionsyou might have with your doctor.Mesothelioma and VeteransHundreds of thousands of U.S.military veterans were exposed toasbestos or products containingasbestos material during theirservice.Due to the chemical, electric, andheat resistant characteristics,asbestos was widely used by everymilitary branch prior to the 1970s.Navy Veterans were perhaps themost susceptible to mesothelioma,asbestos cancer, o r asbestos lungcancer, especially if they servedbetween the 1930s and 1970s, asnearly every ship and shipyardbuilt by the Navy was fitted withnumerous asbestos containingmaterials.Mesothelioma Legal ResourcesThe health hazards of asbestosexposure have been known as farback as the 1930s. For decades,companies have wrongfully usedasbestos and exposed workers tothe dangers of this carcinogen, withreckless disregard for theconsequences. Many of those whohave been diagnosed withmesothelioma or asbestos cancerwere needlessly exposed byanother party, often withoutknowledge of the deadly risksfaced.With that in mind, one of the mostimportant things that a person whohas been diagnosed with one ofthese diseases can and should doimmediately is contact amesothelioma attorney withconsiderable experience inmesothelioma litigation to ensurethat everything that can be doneIS being done to help them on allfronts.An important aspect of amesothelioma lawsuit is recoveryfor medical costs and lo ss ofincome: Equally important,however, is the fact that withoutsome form of punishment, many ofthese corporations who made adecision to knowingly harm theiremployees and those that usedtheir products in exchange for ahigher profit margin will not changethe way that they do business.Mesothelioma litigation may helpvictims receive compensation bythe manufacturers and distributorsof asbestos and asbestos containingproducts, as well as by companiesor other employers who knowinglyexposed their workers to asbestos.





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