Mesothelioma Information - Mesothelioma Symptoms
Mesothelioma symptoms might not appear for at least 20 years and as great as 40-50 years after exposure. Some Mesothelioma symptoms include:
* Shortness of breath
* Chest Wall Pain
* Cough
* Weight Loss
* Abdominal Sweating
* Anemia
In some severe instances, a person's lung may collapse. With time, the disease will spread to other parts of the body. It will not spread to the bone or brain. There are many other Mesothelioma symptoms not listed here as well.
Mesothelioma Information - Mesothelioma Diagnosis
As you can see, there are many mesothelioma symptoms and some of these symptoms can be present for other conditions. Therefore, diagnosing mesothelioma is somewhat difficult. As with other illnesses, a proper diagnosis will begin with reviewing a patient's medical history. Of course, knowing the patient's employment history is very important. This history could indicate possible exposure to asbestos. After a physical exam is performed, the patient might be given a chest x-ray, a CAT scan and some lung tests. Eventually, a biopsy will need to be performed to confirm mesothelioma. This involves a sample of tissue being tested under a microscope by a Pathologist.
Mesothelioma Information - Incidence
As the years pass, more and more cases of Mesothelioma are found. It is still a relatively rare form of cancer. The incidence rate around the world is around 1 in a million. It is much higher in the U.S. and other industrialized countries. It is found more often in men than women and risk obviously increases with age.
Mesothelioma Information - Treatment
Treatment of mesothelioma is dependent on such factors as the stage of the cancer, location of cancer, how far that it has spread in the body and patient's age. Patients with malignant mesothelioma might only have 6-12 months to live. Specialist doctors can often provide a much longer timeframe. If you suspect that you might have been exposed to asbestos, seek a doctor that can help.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
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