Symptoms and Diagnosis of Mesothelioma

Symptoms and Diagnosis

Symptoms

Because asbestos fibers remain in the body so long, symptoms of asbestos-related diseases may only appear decades after the asbestos has been inhaled. Common symptoms of an asbestos-related cancer include:
Shortness of breath
A cough or a change in cough pattern
Blood in the sputum (fluid) coughed up from the lungs
Pain in the chest or abdomen
Difficulty in swallowing or prolonged hoarseness
Significant weight loss
If any of these symptoms develop and you believe you may have worked with--or been around someone who has worked with--asbestos, make an appointment to see your doctor immediately.
Diagnosis
Once you have contacted your physician and explained your symptoms, the doctor may perform a complete physical examination. This may include a chest x-ray and lung function tests. While a chest x-ray cannot determine whether there are asbestos fibers in the lungs, it can help determine whether your lungs may have changed due to asbestos exposure. A x-ray specialist in asbestos-related diseases may be required to examine and interpret your x-rays.
If an abnormal area is found through the x-ray, you may need to have a biopsy to learn if that area is cancerous. In a biopsy, a surgeon or a medical oncogolgist (a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer) removes a tissue sample. Then this sample is examined under a microscope by a pathologist.
Because asbestos fibers can be found in urine, feces, mucus, or material from the lungs, you may have to undergo additional testing to determine the scope of your condition.
I have been diagnosed with an asbestos cancer, what now?
One of the first things to consider is finding a specialist to help your research and decide on treatments. Often the physician providing the diagnosis is unfamiliar with the relatively rare cancers caused by asbestos and cannot provide the hope and help that a practiced specialist who regularly treats asbestos cancer patients can. Learn more about the various treatments available for asbestos cancers.
You may also wish to contact a lawyer who specializes in asbestos lawsuits; the companies that manufactured products containing asbestos knew the dangers decades before adequately warning and protecting their employees and compensation may be available to you and your family.

Asbestos Cancer

Mesothelioma is one of the deadliest diseases known to man; the average life span of an inflicted person from the time of diagnosis until death is less than 24 months. It’s a disease that strikes approximately 3,000 United States citizens each and every year; hard working people who have labored for a lifetime to provide for their families, doing the work that keeps this country running and a great place to live. They worked in factories, at shipyards, in mines, for the US military, as engineers, as pipefitters, as steel workers, as auto mechanics, and in so many other professions. They came home to their loved ones exhausted and covered in dirt and dust; tired, but content that they had a job and were providing for their family. Content that they were putting food on the table and a house over their loved one’s heads. Content that they were working to make a better life for their families in this generation and the next...
But what they didn’t know was that while they were working so hard, they were not only slowly killing themselves, but those that they were working so hard to help; their family, their loved ones.
Mesothelioma is a disease that is almost 100% preventable; the only known cause is via exposure to the deadly mineral Asbestos. It comes from inhaling the particles of dust as the asbestos degrades; eating away at the lining of your lungs and developing into a deadly cancer. Dust that was inhaled in clouds of white powder, dust that was carried home on the clothes of the men who built this country, dust that was cleaned from the clothes by the wives and children who supported their sole provider at home, dust that was packed around the heating systems in houses and offices and schools, dust that carried a deadly price; and dust made a fortune in blood money for the companies that produced it.
Unfortunately, the effects of asbestos on the human body were known to be deadly for years by the companies who employed the ‘greatest generation’ and made hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars off of their backs. But instead of taking simple steps to alleviate the problem and save the lives of thousands of their workers, they choose to do nothing and continue to make a “healthy” profit with a “deadly” product. Many even went so far as to hide the truth from their workers and their families. And because the normal latency period for Mesothelioma (The time from exposure until the patient falls ill) is 20 to 30 years, many got away with this for years. We are only now beginning to see the full effects of the disease, and feel the terrible outcry of the people against those who put profits before human lives to a degree that is simply unfathomable.
MesoLink.org is a site created to provide you with up to date information on the deadly disease Mesothelioma. We strive to provide the most complete overview of the disease and all aspects of it. This includes general information on the disease, breaking news on the search for a cure and perspective legislation designed to limit you as well as all other news on the subject, links to other sites and online resources that can provide important and in-depth Mesothelioma and cancer related information, and a legal guide to help you with the complex legal issues involved with Mesothelioma.
Take a moment to browse through the various sections of MesoLink.org by clicking on any of the links to your right, left, or below.

This article copied in full from www.mesolink.org

Mesothelioma and Asbestos

What is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that attacks cells, called mesothelial cells, which make up membrane lining in the chest and abdominal cavity. The tissue called mesothelium, which is formed by the mesothelial cells, help protects the organs by producing a lubricating fluid that allows the organs to move without irritating nerves.

What Is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a naturally occurring, fibrous mineral that can only be identified under a microscope. Asbestos is found in the ground and is mined all over the world. In the past, asbestos was added to different products as insulation and for fire resistance. Asbestos exposure can cause ailments like mesothelioma and other problems. Extended asbestos exposure usually develops into serious problems.
Asbestos is the most dangerous when it is airborne. The lightness of the asbestos fibers allows them to stay airborne for long periods of time and to travel a far distance. There are professional abatement services that will remove asbestos. Attempting to remove the asbestos without professionals is not safe and should not be considered.
ABOUT ASBESTOS EXPOSURE
Asbestos exposure affects an estimated 1.3 million employees in construction and general industry today. The highly toxic, fibrous mineral causes serious problems like mesothelioma and asbestosis. The deadly conditions have put the spotlight on asbestos companies because they were thought to have known the dangers of asbestos exposure many years before warning the public of the risks. Since asbestos fibers cannot be seen, years of asbestos exposure passed without the workers ever knowing they were surrounded by it, but the air they were breathing in every day was full of the asbestos fibers. Once inside the body, the asbestos hooks themselves into the lining of the lungs or other parts of the respiratory tract and remains there forever. Despite these dangers, asbestos is still found in more than 3,000 products today.