Mesothelioma cancer

Mesothelioma is a type of cancers that develops in the liner that covers the outer surface of some of the body's internal organs. It's usually linked to asbestos exposure.

Mesothelioma mainly influences the liner of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma), although it can also affect the lining of the tummy (peritoneal mesothelioma), heart or testicles.
Even more than 2, 600 people are clinically determined to have the condition each year in the UK. Most all circumstances are diagnosed in people aged 60-80 and men are damaged more commonly than women.
Unfortunately is actually rarely possible to treatment mesothelioma, although treatment can help control the symptoms.
This page covers:
Symptoms of mesothelioma
What triggers mesothelioma?
How mesothelioma is clinically diagnosed
Treatments for mesothelioma
Outlook for mesothelioma cancer
Links to more information
Symptoms of mesothelioma
The symptoms of mesothelioma are likely to develop slowly but surely over time. They typically no longer appear until several many years after exposure to the product.
Symptoms of mesothelioma in the liner of the lungs include:
chest pain
shortness of breath
tiredness (extreme tiredness)
a high temperature (fever) and sweat, particularly during the night
a consistent cough
 loss in appetite and unexplained weight loss
clubbed (swollen) disposal
Symptoms of mesothelioma in the ship of the tummy include:
tummy pain or inflammation
feeling or being sick and tired
loss of appetite and unexplained weight loss
diarrhoea or constipation
See your GP if you have any persistent or being concerned symptoms. Tell them about any contact with asbestos you may have had before.
What causes mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma cancer is nearly always caused by contact with asbestos, a group of minerals manufactured from tiny fibres that used to be widely used in construction.
These tiny fibers may easily get in the lungs, where they get stuck, damaging the lung area with time. It usually will take a while with this to cause any clear problems, with mesothelioma typically expanding more than two decades after exposure to asbestos.
The application of asbestos was completely prohibited in 1999, so the risk of exposure is much lower nowadays. Nevertheless , materials containing asbestos continue to be found in many more mature buildings.
Read more about asbestos and people in danger of exposure and avoiding experience of asbestos.
How mesothelioma is diagnosed
If your DOCTOR suspects mesothelioma, they will refer one to a hospital specialist for a few tests.
A amount of different tests might need to be carried out, including:
an X-ray of your chest or tummy
a computerised tomography (CT) check out - a number of X-ray images are used to create an in depth image of the inside of your body
fluid draining - if there's a build-up of fluid around the lungs or in the tummy, a group may be removed by using a needle inserted through the skin and so the fluid can be analysed
a thoracoscopy or laparoscopy - the inside of your breasts or tummy is reviewed with a long, skinny camera that's inserted through a tiny cut (incision) under sedation or anaesthetic; an example of tissue (biopsy) may be removed so it can be analysed
These tests can help diagnose mesothelioma and show how far it has spread.
Treatments for mesothelioma cancer
The very best treatment for mesothelioma will depend on several factors, including how long the cancer has spread along with your general health.
As mesothelioma cancer is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, treatment is usually focused on controlling the symptoms and prolonging life for a long time. This is known as palliative or supportive care.
Possible treatments include:
chemotherapy - this is the key treatment for mesothelioma and involves using medicine to help reduce in size the cancer
radiotherapy - this involves using high energy radiation to kill cancers cells and it could be used to slow the tumor down and keep it manageable
surgery - an procedure to remove the cancerous area can be done if mesothelioma is detected at a very early stage, although really unclear whether surgery is helpful
You will also probably have treatment for your specific symptoms to help you feel as comfortable as is possible. For example, regularly wearing fluid from your upper body can help your breathing and strong painkillers may help relieve your pain.
At times, a procedure is transported out to stop the fluid coming back again by making the outdoors of the lungs keep to the inside of your chest (pleurodesis), or a tube is put in your chest to drain the fluid regularly at home. Your doctors should discuss these treatments with you.
Outlook for mesothelioma
Unfortunately the prospect for mesothelioma tends to be poor. This is because it doesn't usually cause any evident symptoms until late on and it can progress quite quickly once it gets to this stage.
Overall:
around half (50%) of folks with mesothelioma will live at least 12 months after diagnosis
around one away of every 10 people (10%) with mesothelioma will live at l