September is Mesothelioma Awareness Month
September is the month of mesothelioma awareness. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of different areas of the body including the lungs (pleural), peritoneum (peritoneal), heart (pericardial), and testicles (testicular). Mesothelioma is mainly caused by asbestos exposure, which is a mineral used for its fire- and heat-resistant properties. There are two general types of asbestos and six specific types of asbestos in total. The two general types of asbestos include amphibole (straight, needle-like fibers) and serpentine (curly fibers). The only type of asbestos that is serpentine is chrysotile, while the rest, including amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, anthophyllite, and actinolite are amphibole. The majority of asbestos used around the world is chrysotile, which makes up 95 percent of all asbestos used.
There are multiple signs and symptoms of mesothelioma, but they depend on where the cancer starts. Pleural mesothelioma symptoms include chest pain, painful coughing, shortness of breath, lumps under the skin on the chest, tiredness, and weight loss without trying. Peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms include belly pain, belly swelling, nausea, tiredness, and weight loss without trying. The two other types of mesothelioma are not as known about, but pericardial mesothelioma could cause trouble breathing and chest pains while mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis, which affects the tissue of the testicles, could have swelling or a mass on the testicle.
There are multiple treatment options for mesothelioma. It is usually treated with chemotherapy, immunotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy. They are usually used in combination for the best outcome. Surgery can be used to reduce fluid backup. Pleural mesothelioma can cause fluid to build up in the chest. This can make it hard to breathe. Surgeons put a tube into the chest to drain the fluid. Surgery can also be used to remove tissue surrounding the lungs and ribs, known as a pleurectomy. A whole lung could also be removed surgically, but this is an extreme procedure.
Chemotherapy is also a treatment for mesothelioma. Chemotherapy utilizes cytotoxic (cell killing) drugs to kill cancer cells. It can be given before surgery to shrink tumors or after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells. It can also be administered to the body heated, known as hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, where the heat helps to kill cancer cells. Radiation, which uses powerful energy beams to kill cancer cells, can be used before surgery to shrink tumors or after surgery to kill any remaining cells, similar to chemotherapy. It can also ease symptoms of cancer that surgery cannot treat. Immunotherapy is also an option. It utilizes the body’s own immune system to kill cancer cells. Drugs are administered that allow immune cells to see and then attack cancer cells. It can be used after surgery or when surgery is not an option.
Mesothelioma is a hard cancer to treat, but there are options for those diagnosed with the disease. Once diagnosed, people with mesothelioma need to contact their doctors to see what options are available. Clinical trials are also an option, where new drugs and other types of treatments are tested on people with a particular disease to see how safe and effective the treatment is. Speak with your treatment team to see what options are available in your area, and if you are able to travel, what options could be available to you. Whether you are diagnosed with mesothelioma of the pleura, peritoneum, heart, or testicles, there are options available to you to improve your life post diagnosis and improve your outlook on life. There are also legal options you can consider if you were exposed to asbestos. As soon as you are diagnosed with mesothelioma, speak to an attorney to see if you could be owed compensation for your years of asbestos exposure leading to a mesothelioma diagnosis.
Call 412-471-3980 or fill out our contact form and a member of our team will get back to you to review your case. Mesothelioma is a hard diagnosis to accept, you do not have to do it alone.
