What is Mesothelioma?

People may suffer from health issues that negatively impact their well-being and quality of life. These health issues must be appropriately addressed to minimize the effects on the person suffering from them. Mesothelioma is such a health issue, that may hamper a person from living a normal life and could even lead to death sometimes. Mesothelioma is a rare condition caused by tumors affecting the mesothelium. This is an important tissue covering the lungs, heart, and reproductive organs, as well as forming a cavity for the abdomen of a person and those organs. Malignant pleural Mesothelioma, which affects the chest and lungs of the person, is the most common type of Mesothelioma. Let’s proceed further with understanding Mesothelioma symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and more additional information.

Mesothelioma symptoms

Mesothelioma Symptoms

Every health condition has some symptoms. One may also experience some Mesothelioma symptoms if they are suffering from it, depending on the Mesothelioma stages. These symptoms allow us to identify that particular health issue. Based on the symptoms, their nature, and their severity, the doctors or medical professionals may afford the patients or people suffering from it some suitable treatment. In order to recognize Mesothelioma symptoms, one will have to look out for specific characteristics of the health condition and understand which of the Mesothelioma stages a person is currently suffering from.  

Some notable Mesothelioma symptoms are:

  • Unexplained Fever
  • Having night sweats 
  • Feeling unwell for no reason is also called Malaise
  • Feeling weak for no reason 
  • Unexplained loss of weight

Signs and symptoms of pleural Mesothelioma

  • Feeling short of breath randomly, which is called dyspnea, which gets worse with time 
  • Pain in the chest region   
  • Not being able to swallow easily is called dysphagia
  • Lumps in the chest region of the person
  • Fluid collection in the lungs of the person, also known as pleural effusion

Signs and symptoms of peritoneal Mesothelioma

  • Pain in the abdomen region 
  • Anemia 
  • Some fluid collection in the body of the person is abnormal, called ascites 
  • Upset stomach 
  • Loss of appetite and loss of weight.
  • Feeling nauseous 
  • Vomiting 
  • Blockage in the person’s small intestine 

Symptoms of pericardial Mesothelioma

  • Fall in blood pressure 
  • Heart rhythm patterns that are abnormal  
  • Pain in the chest region 
  • Difficulty breathing 

Symptoms of Mesothelioma of tunica vaginalis testis

  • Hydrocele, which is a swelling in the scrotum caused by fluid collection
  • Lump in the scrotum of the person
  • Inguinal hernia 
  • Spermatocele, which is caused by a cyst in the epididymis

While the above lists may cover Mesothelioma symptoms that people may generally face, Mesothelioma symptoms may affect different people differently and show up in different ways in patients. The symptoms also depend on which of the Mesothelioma stages the person is suffering from. If you want to understand more about Mesothelioma symptoms or the kind of Mesothelioma symptoms you may face or are already facing, contact your doctor or a suitable medical authority about the same. They can clarify any information you may need relating to Mesothelioma symptoms caused by the Mesothelioma stages.

Mesothelioma causes 

Knowing about Mesothelioma causes is important to understand why one may suffer from this health impediment. A patient may suffer from a health issue that impedes the regular functioning of their body. These health conditions are not random and will have some reason they are caused. There are also some Mesothelioma causes.

  • Mesothelioma causes in adults are usually some exposure to asbestos fibers as well as dust. Around 70 percent to 80 percent of people who suffer from Mesothelioma have had some exposure to Mesothelioma. These people have usually been exposed to asbestos primarily because of the kind of work they are doing. For some people, the symptoms of Mesothelioma may even take 20 years to show up.
  • While the most common reason for having Mesothelioma may be asbestos exposure, some people may also receive a Mesothelioma diagnosis due to exposure to smaller minerals like silica and erionite. Erionite is a kind of mineral (zeolite). It has often been linked to Mesothelioma and people who may be diagnosed with it.
  • Genetics could be a factor in developing and suffering from Mesothelioma. This has been researched because, until now, a very small number of people exposed to asbestos have received a Mesothelioma diagnosis.
  • There have also been other possible Mesothelioma causes that have been researched by experts. Mesothelioma is linked to exposure to chemicals, having some viral infections, and experiencing the effects of radiation may affect a person. Additionally, radiation therapy has also been linked with the emergence of childhood mesothelioma.

If you want to understand more about Mesothelioma causes and other information relating to the same, you may consult a doctor or a suitable medical professional. Mesothelioma causes that affect people and workers detrimentally may be considered when dealing with asbestos or any harmful material that may be one of the causes of Mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma treatment 

It is important to address and treat a health issue in the right way, just like Mesothelioma treatment. This may be the same for addressing the different Mesothelioma causes that may affect a person. A doctor or medical professional may suggest some suitable treatment to alleviate the symptoms of some health issue or even ask the patient to take some medication or do therapy that will improve or cure them. Mesothelioma treatment may also be afforded to a patient suffering from it. The Mesothelioma treatment depends on the Mesothelioma causes, nature, and severity of the disease that one is suffering from.

Mesothelioma treatment may depend on what type of the disease the patient is currently suffering from. The treatment given to patients is different for benign or noncancerous Mesothelioma than for Mesothelioma that is Malignant in nature. 

Treatment for benign Mesothelioma

Benign Mesothelioma tumors are not cancerous. These tumors do not spread or metastasize to other parts of a person’s body. These kinds of tumors may grow in the pleura, abdomen, and organs for reproduction in the bodies of men and women. A surgical procedure may be performed on the person in order to remove the benign Mesothelioma tumors. If these tumors are completely removed, they usually do not come back. Some doctors or medical professionals may recommend that the patient goes through further Mesothelioma treatment with chemotherapy depending on the health condition of the person and Mesothelioma symptoms and type. 

Treatment for malignant Mesothelioma

After giving the patient a Mesothelioma diagnosis, the doctor or medical professional may observe the patient or use the information they have about them to make certain conclusions about the patient’s health condition. They will try and understand how far the Mesothelioma may have progressed and is impacting their health. This is called staging and is also related to cancers. Higher staging numbers indicate that the disease has progressed in the body, such as Stage III or Stage IV disease.

There are different kinds of cancerous Mesothelioma with varying levels of severity. The most common of all cancerous Mesothelioma is Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma. However, for all types of Mesothelioma, patients may be treated using surgery, with or without chemotherapy or other therapies, radiation therapy, and other types of treatment without surgery.

If the doctor or medical professional you are visiting offers to stage your tumor and you can undergo surgery, the tumor may be removed from your body in this manner. However, less than 33% of people who suffer from malignant pleural Mesothelioma can have this type of surgery. A patient may or may not have chemotherapy or radiation therapy as well, depending on their health situation, the progress of Mesothelioma, and whether or not they feel it is necessary.

In case of surgery is not considered a suitable route of Mesothelioma treatment, they are given chemotherapy or radiation for the same.e The person may have the option to try treatments currently being studied. These treatments may comprise methods like biological agents and antiangiogenic therapy. Antiangiogenic treatments eradicate the cancer cells in the person’s body by ensuring that it does not have any supply of blood, which needs to exist.

Complications of treatment for malignant Mesothelioma

While the procedures relating to surgery and chemotherapy are considered the best course of Mesothelioma treatment many times, they may result in complications for a patient, which could comprise of the following:

  • An infection
  • A heart attack myocardial infarction 
  • Kidneys of the person failing 
  • Multiple organ systems failing 
  • Dependence on a ventilator, which is a machine that helps a person to breathe

To know more about Mesothelioma treatment, consult your doctor or a suitable medical professional.

Mesothelioma stages 

The different Mesothelioma stages may affect a person’s health in different ways, for which they may require different kinds of Mesothelioma treatment. According to experts, There are four stages of Mesothelioma patients that a person could experience. These different Mesothelioma stages may indicate the progress of cancer in a person’s body. A doctor may suggest whether the person’s cancer is stage 1, 2, 3, or 4. This may help the patient to understand the progress of the cancer in a simple way. Usually, people that have Mesothelioma are diagnosed after stage 1 itself. 

Pleural Mesothelioma Stages

There are different Pleural Mesothelioma Stages: 

  • Stage 1: The tumor is only near the mesothelial lining and has not yet spread to other regions
  • Stage 2: Cancer has spread to organs nearby, which could be the person’s lung or diaphragm
  • Stage 3: The cancer cells may now have spread to tissues that are nearby, lymph nodes or other organs
  • Stage 4: Cancer has expanded and spread to nearby as well as distant organs, tissues, and lymph nodes.

Staging does not change with the progress of the disease. Even if the tumor grows or shrinks in size, the stage will remain unchanged. The patients may often hear doctors reference metastasis when the cancerous tumor grows or spreads to other parts of their body. In the later stages of Mesothelioma, the Mesothelioma symptoms may be much more recognizable as they may also worsen, become more severe and be more prominent in appearance. Patients suffering from stage 3 or 4 Mesothelioma also tend to have a reduced life expectancy than those diagnosed earlier in the disease.

Doctors and medical experts may employ a variety of diagnostic tests to determine the stage of cancer a person is suffering from. These doctors and medical experts may locate the tumor in the patient’s body and the size and extent of the disease that has spread during the staging process.

Mesothelioma Diagnosis 

To receive a Mesothelioma diagnosis, a person must exhibit some Mesothelioma symptoms, which may be recognized and observed by a doctor or medical professional in an appropriate manner. The doctor or medical authority that you visit will ask for your medical history, which they will go over, and also do a physical examination which may provide some clarification of the state of your health. An evaluation of your symptoms and listening to the sound from your chest can provide the first clues. Your provider will probably do some tests on you in order to make a successful diagnosis. 

The tests could include the following:

  • Blood tests 
  • Tests to observe lung function
  • Imaging tests that may comprise X-rays of the chest region, computed tomography or CT scans, positron emission tomography or PET scans, and sometimes but less often magnetic resonance imaging scans or MRI scans 
  • Biopsy

The tests may be different for patients depending on their symptoms and health conditon. Doctors and medical professionals will try to do the tests that may be the most suitable for you. 

What kinds of Mesothelioma are there?

There are different kinds of Mesothelioma that one may have. There may be some methods to find out if the tumor one is suffering from is cancerous, which is called malignant Mesothelioma, or not, which is called benign Mesothelioma. Other types refer back to the cavities formed by mesothelial tissue. 

The other types are known as:

  • Pleural Mesothelioma 
  • Peritoneal Mesothelioma, also called abdominal Mesothelioma
  • Pericardial Mesothelioma
  • Mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis, also called testicular Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is divided into groups based on the type of cell that make up that particular tumor. These types are:

  • Epithelioid – This cell will generally have a more positive prognosis than others. Epithelial cells are cells that are most frequently found in your body.
  • Sarcomatoid. These kinds of cells are the least common cells in your body. The shape of these cells makes them more likely to move to other parts body, as it is harder for them to be together. This makes these cells more harmful to a person.
  • Biphasic. This is a mix of other two types of cells that may be present in a person’s body.

If you want to understand more about different kinds of cells that may lead to Mesothelioma, you may consult your doctor or a suitable medical professional. This will help you better understand Mesothelioma if you or a loved one may be receiving treatment for the same. 

 Mesothelioma prognosis

A person who has received a Mesothelioma diagnosis may worry about the dire prognosis of the health of a patient suffering from some malignant Mesothelioma is poor. Many people die within four to six months after a Mesothelioma diagnosis, and most by around a year after the diagnosis. Looking at the positives, however, there have been some people that have lived for a decent time even after they have received a Mesothelioma diagnosis. Some people have lived longer than one year, and a small number were even alive at the five-year mark after their Mesothelioma diagnosis.

Is Mesothelioma a common disease?

It may be of concern to a person whether Mesothelioma is a commonly found disease or not. Despite widespread discussions and Research that have been done on Mesothelioma, it is still considered to be a rare disease that one may suffer from. It is considered extremely rare in India, and it is difficult to find patients suffering from it. In the US, there are currently about 3,000 to 4,000 new cases of Mesothelioma each year. Out of the total number of cases, about 2,500 cases may be those of malignant pleural Mesothelioma.

Who may be most at risk of suffering from Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma affects a lot of people. The people who are affected may usually be workers belonging to different industries. Workers that belong to some industries were and still may be, more at risk due to increased exposure to asbestos products. Since the use of asbestos has significantly reduced, workers are relatively at less risk of suffering from Mesothelioma. 

The workers from the following industries may generally be more prone to suffering from Mesothelioma:

  • Those working in construction, roofing, and demolition of buildings, as asbestos is used in insulation and some tiling
  • Those involved in the building of ships 
  • People who are in the mining industry 
  • People who are in the milling industry
  • Mechanics, since asbestos may be used in brakes
  • Military veterans that have been exposed to different kinds of material or insulation, such as insulation made of asbestos on military bases, ships, and in construction

People that belong to these industries may need regular checkups and visits to a doctor or a suitable medical professional to ensure that they are not suffering from Mesothelioma or any other health issue that may also arise due to their profession. The workers must also check their terms of employment or benefits that their employer may offer them, such as health care coverage costs or coverage for regular doctor visits. These are very important for the people in these industries, especially to ensure that they do not face any problems because of the nature of their work. 

Can children suffer from Mesothelioma?

One may wonder if children can suffer from Mesothelioma. In childhood Mesothelioma, asbestos has not been observed as a factor. Children who may have suffered from other forms of cancer and have received the necessary treatment through radiation therapy may be at a higher risk of developing Mesothelioma. The guardians of children in these situations must ensure that all the required checkups are done in time to ensure that these children do not have Mesothelioma or any other condition that could arise from radiation therapy.

How can I avoid getting Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a disease that may be caused due to inhalation of some materials that may cause health complications over some time. It may be in one’s own interest to avoid getting Mesothelioma as much as possible. In order to do so, you may avoid going close to or inhaling any kinds of materials that are considered harmful to your health, such as asbestos and other minerals that may be noxious, such as silica and erionite. 

Is Mesothelioma always fatal?

Benign Mesothelioma or Mesothelioma that does not affect a person because of a cancerous tumor, is not fatal. A person may not have a reduced life expectancy as a result of this. On the other hand, Malignant Mesothelioma is a severe condition and has detrimental effects on a person. Malignant Mesothelioma almost always leads to the death of a patient and is hence fatal. 

Malignant Mesothelioma may grow in a person’s body without any symptoms for years, which is why it is such a worrying health condition. Another reason Malignant Mesothelioma is important is because the current treatment options are not very successful in treating the disease. We still need to improve the treatment and medications we can offer those suffering from it.

Conclusion

It may be greatly beneficial to both the doctor as well as the patient during treatment if a patient is well-informed and aware of the kind of health issue they are facing, the treatments or medications being afforded to them, the symptoms and reactions to the medical impediment that they are facing which could happen among other aspects. This is because patients will be more informed when their doctors provide them with the necessary healthcare and treatments. The doctors may also be able to give them the necessary treatment more easily as a result of this. While Mesothelioma may be a daunting disease in some instances, the right kind of approach and treatment towards it will lead to successful treatment and sometimes even a cure for the disease.

Treatment for a problem like Mesothelioma can be quite expensive. Personal funds might not be enough to cover these costs. In such cases, fundraising on a platform like Impact Guru can help you cover your treatment costs, without any commitment.