Mesothelioma Information
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer, where the cancer cells are located in the pleura, peritoneum and pericardium of the affected person. Thus, the three main forms of mesothelioma are pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma targets the lining of the lung, peritoneal mesothelioma affects the abdominal cavity and pericardial mesothelioma mucosa around the heart.
Generally, people with this disease have been in activities where they have been in close contact with asbestos. Others contracted the disease without any direct exposure to asbestos. There is a dormant period of 20 to 50 years between the first exposure to the mineral and the onset of mesothelioma symptoms. In rare cases, the effects were felt before the age of 20, after the first exposure to asbestos.
There are cases where people have been affected by the disease about four decades after a summer construction job put them in contact with asbestos. It is not uncommon for housewives to contract the disease after washing clothes contaminated with asbestos dust from their husbands and sons who work with asbestos-related products. There are several reported cases of people working in the navy years ago who have contracted the disease now.
Some jobs expose you more than others to the disease. These are: insulators (people who install the insulation); steamfitters and steamfitters (who regularly work in claustrophobic conditions on board ships and work with insulation); electricians; carpenters; mechanical; shipyard workers; maintenance workers; workers, etc. Industrial sites are generally the most affected.
Although the survival rate for mesothelioma is low, some conventional treatments can be tried. These are: surgery, where the tumor is removed; chemotherapy, where specific drugs are used to fight cancer; and radiotherapy, where high-energy rays are deployed to kill the malignant cells.