Asbestos Lung Mesothelioma is one of the three types of mesothelioma cancer that is among the most potent diseases affecting us. The three types of the cancer refers to three different parts of the body. The three parts it affects are lung, abdomen and heart. Asbestos Lung Mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma which affects the mesothelioma around the lung cavities and covers the lungs. It is caused by inhaling asbestos particles mostly at the workplace. Many with the diagnosis have worked or lived in area where they inhaled or swallowed asbestos. The tiny fibers of asbestos, when inhaled, settle down in the pleural linings causing chemical reaction beginning to divide. The malignant (cancer) cells form in the lining of the lung and it is life threatening disease.
The asbestos lung mesothelioma doesn’t occur for a long time after the exposure to asbestos. When the doctor isn’t skilled in diagnosing mesothelioma it can be easily overlooked as other diseases like pneumonia. There are many symptoms of asbestos lung mesothelioma. Trouble breathing, fatigue and lose of weight for no reason. Some people could show all of the symptoms whereas some will show none of the symptoms. This makes diagnosis difficult to detect or make wrong diagnosis.
Currently, there is no complete cure for mesothelioma disease. However, treatments are available to increase the life span of the affected people. There are three types of treatment, Surgery, Radiation therapy and chemo therapy.
Surgery:
There are four types of surgeries and they are as follows:
Wide local excision: It’s a surgery to remove the cancer cells along with some of the healthy cells surrounding the cancer.
Pleurectomy and decortications: This surgery removes three parts of the body. Part of the lung surface with cancer cells, part of the lung covering and part of the lining of the chest.
Extrapleural pneumonectomy: This surgery removes one whole lung and part of the lining of the chest around that lung, the diaphragm and the lining of the sac surrounding the heart.
Pleurodesis: This surgery involves inserting chemicals or drugs into the layers of pleura. First, fluid is drained from the layers of pleura and in its place chemical or drug is inserted using a catheter or chest tube. This creates scar in the space and prevents build-up of fluid in the pleural cavity.
Although surgery will take out all of the visible cancer cells during the surgery, it is possible to miss some cancer cells. Therefore, doctors will treat patients with what’s called adjuvant therapy, chemotherapy or radiation therapy to kill of any remaining cancer cells.
Radiation Therapy:
Radiation Therapy is a treatment using radiation from x-ray or other types of radiation to kill off cancer cells or to stop the growth of cancer cells. There are two types of radiation therapy. External radiation therapy and Internal radiation therapy. This is mostly depending on the stage of cancer growth. External radiation therapy uses a machine that sends radiation from outside of the body. Just like the way you take x-ray. Internal radiation therapy uses thin instruments such as needles, wires or catheters to place the radiation material near the cancer cell being treated.
Chemotherapy:
Chemotherapy is a use of drugs to kill off or stop the growth of cancer cells. When drug is taken by mouth or by injection, it travels throughout the body through the blood stream reaching the cancer cells. When drug is injected into the localized area of cancer, drug will only affect that specific area alone.
Along with these procedures there are drugs patient may need to take. Such as Alimta, Endostatin, Intrapleural interferon gamma, L-NDDP. These drugs work complementary to the treatments patients receive.
Newer types of treatments are available through clinical trials.
One of the clinical trials available is Biologic therapy. The purpose of it is to increase the body’s natural defense system to fight off the cancer cells. This is called biotherapy or immunotherapy.
Asbestos lung mesothelioma is like a time bomb. It can sit dormant for many years without symptoms and as it rears itself it is usually too late for successful treatment. The procedures mentioned above can most likely prolong life expectancy, but it will not cure 100%. Today, employees who work in asbestos environment are required to dress appropriately to not get contaminated. But those patients who have already been affected in their workplace and has the disease, their only choice is to get it treated aggressively and fight for compensation.
