Deadliest Mesothelioma Cancer
Article by Agatha Simona
Mesothelioma is an infrequently encountered type of cancer which appears in several divisions. All the divisions are designated by the particular area of the body that it involves. Mesothelioma cancer’s four major divisions are:Pleural Mesothelioma: This occurs in the thin membrane that surrounds the lungs; it is the most commonly diagnosed form.Peritoneal Mesothelioma: Generally, this one surrounds the thin membrane around the abdomen.Testicular Mesothelioma: is the rarest form of Mesothelioma cancer, andPericardial Mesothelioma: It appears in the membrane that surrounds the heart and is the most deadly form.Occurrence of Mesothelioma Cancer, its Detection and Source Mesothelioma cancer is discovered in more than 2,100 people in the U.S. every year. Its origin is asbestos exposure; the fibers can be either inhaled or ingested. It is very difficult to discover Mesothelioma cancer in its victims as the warning signs imitate the indicators of many ordinary ailments. Mesothelioma is not the first thing that comes to mind when a doctor encounters the symptoms of this cancer. Latency Period of Pericardial Mesothelioma Cancer The latency period is the period between the cause of an illness and the discovery of its apparent indicators. All Mesothelioma cancers have a long latency period that lasts many decades and this makes discovery very difficult. Most patients who are diagnosed are generally in their mid sixties and seventies. Pericardial Mesothelioma, the most lethal form of this cancer has a high latency period as well. Historically, fewer than 150 cases of this type of cancer have been documented in medical journals and only 200 cases have been detailed internationally.Symptoms and Treatment of Pericardial Mesothelioma Cancer The warning signs of pericardial Mesothelioma can be: difficulty in breathing, discomfort in the chest, heart palpitations, and an unrelenting cough. Treatment for this type of Mesothelioma is only palliative in nature i.e., the treatment is done to improve a patient’s comfort, and decrease the harshness of symptoms. The majority of patients diagnosed with this type of cancer are not good candidates for surgical procedures as this kind of surgical procedure is very risky because of the close proximity to the heart. There are extremely uncommon cases where the illness is discovered early enough for limited surgical procedures to eliminate minute concentrated pericardial growths.Prognosis of Pericardial Mesothelioma CancerPericardial Mesothelioma cancer at present has no cure and is almost always lethal. Following its discovery victims hardly ever survive longer than 12 to 24 months and about half die within 6 months of diagnosis. Advances in research may improve this prognosis in the next decade. Additional Information on Pericardial Mesothelioma Numerous sources of additional information exist on Pericardial Mesothelioma. Patients and their families can ask their healthcare providers or their team of doctors for more information. Many websites, books, and associations dispense information on Pericardial Mesothelioma. For more answers to your questions on Mesothelioma cancer get in touch with these sources.
About the Author
Mesothelioma cancer patient resource with questions and answers about mesothelioma, a deadly cancer caused by asbestos exposure.