Mesothelioma Symptoms and Diagnosis

Knowing More About Epithelial Malignant Mesothelioma

mesothelioma

Through the years, the disease called mesothelioma, or epithelial malignant mesothelioma, has been gaining popularity. That is because the number of patients diagnosed with the disease has been constantly on the rise. Plus, aside from the rising number, there are also controversies liked to the disease.

Mesothelioma is a very rare form of cancer that involves the connective tissues around the human body's internal organs. There is a presence and development of tumor when a person is diagnosed with mesothelioma. It has been established that the disease is caused only by exposure to asbestos, a construction material widely used in the past for insulation.

Epithelial malignant mesothelioma is the most common form of mesothelioma. It is estimated that globally, about 50% to 70% of all diagnosed mesothelioma are categorized as epithelial malignant mesothelioma.

It is because epithelial malignant mesothelioma is caused by inhalation of very tiny asbestos particles. The other form of mesothelioma, sarcomatoid malignant mesothelioma, occurs in the lining of the abdomen and is caused by ingestion, which is not very likely to occur.

What is epithelial malignant mesothelioma?

Epithelial malignant mesothelioma occurs when there is significant accumulation of asbestos fibers in the mesothelia tissue surrounding the chest and the lungs. That is why most common symptoms of this cancer include pain in either side of the chest, cough, fever, fatigue and shortness of breath.

Because it is a form of cancer, epithelial malignant mesothelioma also causes significant body weight loss and sometimes blood discharges. The disease could also affect other organs of the body, not just the lungs. That is why diagnosis of epithelial malignant mesothelioma usually takes time.

Asbestos is disintegrative in nature. That means, when exposed to air in the surroundings, the substance can break down into very small and invisible fibers, which come and go with the air. Problem is, people can inhale air with asbestos fibers.

If you have been exposed to asbestos for about a month or two, chances are much greater that you would be diagnosed with mesothelioma. But that would not take place until after about 30 t0 50 years. That is because mesothelioma has a very long latency or development period.

It could be a form of consolation that epithelial malignant mesothelioma has a greater prognosis, or rate of survival among patients, than the other type of mesothelioma. However, if the patient is not able to successfully recover from this specific cancer, he would be able to live only up to a year in maximum.

Legal cases

You may have probably heard or read over the news that most of the epithelial malignant mesothelioma patients worldwide are filing cases against the companies that exposed them to asbestos. From Africa, where asbestos mining has been widespread, to the United States, up until down under to Australia, asbestos and construction companies have been aggressively defending themselves against mesothelioma claims.

People who have been put at risk to developing epithelial malignant mesothelioma are very diverse and include miners and construction workers. Even office employees and ordinary people who are working or are usually inside premises that have asbestos as insulators are also at much risk to developing the disease.

Lawyers and complainants to existing cases argue that the asbestos firms should compensate people affected with the cancer because if not for the asbestos exposure, those people would not have contracted the disease in the first place.

Every one has the right to seek for compensation for any distraction or health hazard health hazard caused by anyone. There is no reason why epithelial malignant mesothelioma patients would not do the same.

After all, asbestos companies have profited heavily on asbestos production and use through the years. It is time they pay for their own doings.

How to avoid epithelial malignant mesothelioma

Of course, prevention against epithelial malignant mesothelioma would basically involve not exposing yourself to asbestos. It would not be a problem nowadays because almost all construction firms have already ceased to use asbestos as insulators since the 1980s.

However, you should determine if your place or building has asbestos in it. Usually, the material is present inside walls. If there are asbestos in your place, do not fret. The asbestos would not disintegrate unless exposed to air so, immediately report to the building administrator if there are breakage in your walls and if there are possible asbestos insulators in it.