Friday, September 17, 2010

The Dangerous Disease Mesothelioma

The name does ring a bell, it is a form of cancer which is rare in nature. The lung surface gets affected and this condition occurs when an individual is exposed to asbestos for long stretches of time. It is also referred to as asbestos cancer. However, this does not mean that no one else would attract this health condition. Constant exposure to asbestos is the primary cause for this disease. When the fibers get trapped in the body, the body produces a counter acid to fight these fibers. In the process, the tissues surrounding the lungs get damaged which results in difficulty in breathing and wheezing. The lungs get scarred in this process.

People who renovate their homes or buildings and are exposed to asbestos have a greater risk of attracting this health condition. The disease does not spread through physical contact however. It was researched and established that individuals who worked at naval shipyards were the first individuals to attract this condition.

It has been found that individuals who have in no way been connected to or related to asbestos also have suffered the disease. The main reason for the cause of this severe condition is irradiation and inhaling the fibrous silicates. Basically, the mesothelial cells are the ones which encircle our organs and the cancer which takes place within the cells is referred to as mesothelioma. The three types of mesothelial cells are biphasic, sacromatoid and epitheliod. They normally occur in combinations of the above cells.

The epitheliod cells are the commonest of cancer cells. This cell is cubical in shape and in groups they appear tubular in nature. The biphasic mesothelial cells are uncommon and they account for thirty percent of the mesothelioma cells. If the other two cells are present in combination, then biphasic cells occur. The most unusual of them being the sarcomatoid. It is an oval irregular shaped cell and the nucleus is invisible.

Many a times, mesothelioma is attracted from non malignant and benign cells. This type of cell can be treated by surgery. The symptoms associated with this disorder are pain in chest, difficulty in breathing and constant coughing. The fluid gets accumulated in the pleural area of lungs making it difficult for an individual to breathe. Other associated symptoms include tiredness, nausea, wheezing, anaemia, blood in sputum. Extreme cases result in lung collapse and in some severe cases, the cancer spreads rapidly to other body parts. Normally, the symptoms appear after 20-25 years of being exposed to asbestos. There are varied methods to treat this condition, if detected at an early stage which is practically not possible. Some of the common methods used to treat this condition are chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. Doctors and researchers are also trying out traditional and conservative methods of treating this health condition. If this condition is left untreated, it could lead to heart related problems.

If an individual has been diagnosed with this health condition, one needs to resort to the next course of medical condition immediately without wasting further time.

0 comments:

Post a Comment