Kamis, 23 September 2010
asbestos stomach cancer: The Top 8 Causes of Cancer
asbestos stomach cancer: The Top 8 Causes of Cancer: "Cancer has multiple causes. ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS: Environmental factors are generally thought to be responsible for 80% to 90% of all ..."
Top 7 Tips to Prevent Cancer
A complex mix of factors related to environment, lifestyle, and heredity plays a role in the causation of cancer. For example, 80 percent of all cancers are related to the use of tobacco products, to what we eat and drink, and to our exposure to radiation, asbestos, and some of the other cancer-causing agents. There's not much you can do about your genes, but several other key risk factors are under your control. If you identify them and make the necessary changes in your lifestyle early enough, you can substantially decrease your chances of developing a malignancy. Here are some of the risk factors you can do something about:
1. Tobacco
Tobacco is the most preventable cause of mortality in this country. Regardless of whether you chew it, snuff it, smoke it, or inhale someone else's exhaust, tobacco is a killer. In the United States, it is responsible for 85 to 90 percent of all lung cancers, and for one-third of all deaths related to other cancers. The magnitude of the risk depends on the number and kind of cigarettes you have smoked and for how long. A pack-a-day smoker is ten times more vulnerable than a non-smoker. It is never too late to quit. After you do, your risk declines gradually each year.
2. Chronic alcohol abuse
This type of abuse can cause cancer of the liver, as well as of the mouth, throat, and larynx, especially in combination with tobacco. It may also raise the risk of breast cancer. If you are going to imbibe, limit yourself to the equivalent of two drinks a day - and stop smoking.
3. Diet
People who shun fruits and vegetables have roughly twice the incidence of most types of cancer - lung, larynx, oral cavity, stomach, colon, and rectum, bladder, pancreas, cervix, and ovary - than those with the highest intake. Yet only 9 percent of Americans heed the recommendations of the National Cancer Institute and the National Research Council to eat two servings of fruit and three portions of vegetables a day. Seventh-Day Adventists, who don't drink or eat much meat but do consume a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, have the lowest incidence in the U.S. population. This protective effect is probably due to the antioxidants and folic acid present in fruits and vegetables, which neutralize damage to chromosomal DNA caused by oxygen-free radicals.
4. A high-fat diet
This type of diet is associated with cancer of the breast, uterus, and prostate. The guilty foods are eggs, fatty meat, high-fat salad dressings and cooking oils, and diary products such as whole milk, butter, and most cheeses.
Blueberries have a higher antioxidant capacity than any other fruit or vegetable. They are said to protect against cancer by virtue of their anthocyanins and other natural phytochemicals.
5. A high consumption of soy-based food
Soy-based food such as tofu, may also protect against cancer because of the genistein content. Genistein suppresses the production of proteins that these cells need in order to keep growing. In China and Japan, where people eat lots of soy, there is much less cancer of the breast, colon, and prostate than in this country. Since men with prostate cancer generally have lower blood levels of selenium than their normal counterparts, selenium supplements may protect against this malignancy.
6. Some supplements
Some supplements seem to protect against certain cancers. For instance, colon polyps and this do not recur as often in persons who regularly take multivitamins, calcium supplements, and vitamin E. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is protective against it, presumably because of the beta-carotene content. So take your mother's advice: Eat all the fruits and vegetables you can - and forget the pills.
7. Don't have X-rays
Don't have X-rays any more frequently than is absolutely necessary. I no longer take annual routine chest films on myself. Some dentists are too enthusiastic about X rays. Make sure you really need them before acquiescing.
Raymond Lee Geok Seng is one of the foremost experts in the health and fitness industry and is a writer specializing in body health, muscle development and dieting. He has spent countless of time and efforts conducting research and share his insightful and powerful secrets to benefit men and women all over the world. He is currently the author of the latest edition of "Neck Exercises and Workouts.
1. Tobacco
Tobacco is the most preventable cause of mortality in this country. Regardless of whether you chew it, snuff it, smoke it, or inhale someone else's exhaust, tobacco is a killer. In the United States, it is responsible for 85 to 90 percent of all lung cancers, and for one-third of all deaths related to other cancers. The magnitude of the risk depends on the number and kind of cigarettes you have smoked and for how long. A pack-a-day smoker is ten times more vulnerable than a non-smoker. It is never too late to quit. After you do, your risk declines gradually each year.
2. Chronic alcohol abuse
This type of abuse can cause cancer of the liver, as well as of the mouth, throat, and larynx, especially in combination with tobacco. It may also raise the risk of breast cancer. If you are going to imbibe, limit yourself to the equivalent of two drinks a day - and stop smoking.
3. Diet
People who shun fruits and vegetables have roughly twice the incidence of most types of cancer - lung, larynx, oral cavity, stomach, colon, and rectum, bladder, pancreas, cervix, and ovary - than those with the highest intake. Yet only 9 percent of Americans heed the recommendations of the National Cancer Institute and the National Research Council to eat two servings of fruit and three portions of vegetables a day. Seventh-Day Adventists, who don't drink or eat much meat but do consume a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, have the lowest incidence in the U.S. population. This protective effect is probably due to the antioxidants and folic acid present in fruits and vegetables, which neutralize damage to chromosomal DNA caused by oxygen-free radicals.
4. A high-fat diet
This type of diet is associated with cancer of the breast, uterus, and prostate. The guilty foods are eggs, fatty meat, high-fat salad dressings and cooking oils, and diary products such as whole milk, butter, and most cheeses.
Blueberries have a higher antioxidant capacity than any other fruit or vegetable. They are said to protect against cancer by virtue of their anthocyanins and other natural phytochemicals.
5. A high consumption of soy-based food
Soy-based food such as tofu, may also protect against cancer because of the genistein content. Genistein suppresses the production of proteins that these cells need in order to keep growing. In China and Japan, where people eat lots of soy, there is much less cancer of the breast, colon, and prostate than in this country. Since men with prostate cancer generally have lower blood levels of selenium than their normal counterparts, selenium supplements may protect against this malignancy.
6. Some supplements
Some supplements seem to protect against certain cancers. For instance, colon polyps and this do not recur as often in persons who regularly take multivitamins, calcium supplements, and vitamin E. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is protective against it, presumably because of the beta-carotene content. So take your mother's advice: Eat all the fruits and vegetables you can - and forget the pills.
7. Don't have X-rays
Don't have X-rays any more frequently than is absolutely necessary. I no longer take annual routine chest films on myself. Some dentists are too enthusiastic about X rays. Make sure you really need them before acquiescing.
Types of Mesothelioma, Cancer From Asbestos Exposure
Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer of the mesothelium, a lining that coats the body's internal organs including the heart and the lungs, acquired from the exposure to asbestos or other asbestos materials.
There are three main types of Mesothelioma, pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma. Each type has its own signs and symptoms, though some signs and symptoms are identical to these three types. Patients who are suffering from the said disease, usually do not have any idea that they have mesothelioma since some of the obvious symptoms do not normally manifest immediately after the exposure. This is the reason why the disease is complex to diagnose and has a poor prognosis.
Three Main Types of Mesothelioma
1. Pleural Mesothelioma
· One of the most common types of Mesothelioma, affecting the lungs and its protective lining and cavity
· Attacks the respiratory system of the body
· Pleural effusion is the resulting symptom of this type, which has a structure of fluid between the lining and the cavity
· Due to pleural effusion, patient may experience difficulty of breathing, dysphagia, shortness of breath, fever, persistent coughing, sudden weight loss, coughing out of blood and rasping
· with the other types of mesothelioma, this form can take 20-30 years or even more, to show some symptoms in a patient who is directly exposed to asbestos
2. Peritoneal Mesothelioma
· one of the rare types of Mesothelioma, which affects the stomach and the abdomen
· involves the lining which protects the contents of the abdomen, and it also provides a lubricating fluid, to allow the organs to function properly
· it was referred to as diffuse peritoneal mesothelioma, wherein the cancer cell is already spread out
· symptoms include: abdominal pain, body weakness, sudden weight loss, nausea, loss of appetite, constipation and abdominal swelling
· it has a very long latency period, wherein symptoms may not be apparent for a long time after the exposure
3. Pericardial Mesothelioma
· it is the rarest of the types of Mesothelioma, which affects the heart and the cavity that surrounds it
· It is characterized by a tumor in the pericardial area
· patient may suffer from chest pain, difficulty in breathing, shortness of breath, persistent coughing and palpitations
· it could take decades or more to manifest these symptoms
The most common victims with one of the types of Mesothelioma are usually people who have history in working in a place with constant exposure to asbestos. One of the most common factors is the absence or limited supply of protective equipment for the workers. Proper protective equipment is necessary when working in a hazardous environment. To prevent acquiring such dangerous disease, workers should demand their companies provide proper protective gears to ensure the safety of workers. Remember, "Prevention is better than cure"
There are three main types of Mesothelioma, pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma. Each type has its own signs and symptoms, though some signs and symptoms are identical to these three types. Patients who are suffering from the said disease, usually do not have any idea that they have mesothelioma since some of the obvious symptoms do not normally manifest immediately after the exposure. This is the reason why the disease is complex to diagnose and has a poor prognosis.
Three Main Types of Mesothelioma
1. Pleural Mesothelioma
· One of the most common types of Mesothelioma, affecting the lungs and its protective lining and cavity
· Attacks the respiratory system of the body
· Pleural effusion is the resulting symptom of this type, which has a structure of fluid between the lining and the cavity
· Due to pleural effusion, patient may experience difficulty of breathing, dysphagia, shortness of breath, fever, persistent coughing, sudden weight loss, coughing out of blood and rasping
· with the other types of mesothelioma, this form can take 20-30 years or even more, to show some symptoms in a patient who is directly exposed to asbestos
2. Peritoneal Mesothelioma
· one of the rare types of Mesothelioma, which affects the stomach and the abdomen
· involves the lining which protects the contents of the abdomen, and it also provides a lubricating fluid, to allow the organs to function properly
· it was referred to as diffuse peritoneal mesothelioma, wherein the cancer cell is already spread out
· symptoms include: abdominal pain, body weakness, sudden weight loss, nausea, loss of appetite, constipation and abdominal swelling
· it has a very long latency period, wherein symptoms may not be apparent for a long time after the exposure
3. Pericardial Mesothelioma
· it is the rarest of the types of Mesothelioma, which affects the heart and the cavity that surrounds it
· It is characterized by a tumor in the pericardial area
· patient may suffer from chest pain, difficulty in breathing, shortness of breath, persistent coughing and palpitations
· it could take decades or more to manifest these symptoms
The most common victims with one of the types of Mesothelioma are usually people who have history in working in a place with constant exposure to asbestos. One of the most common factors is the absence or limited supply of protective equipment for the workers. Proper protective equipment is necessary when working in a hazardous environment. To prevent acquiring such dangerous disease, workers should demand their companies provide proper protective gears to ensure the safety of workers. Remember, "Prevention is better than cure"
Mesothelioma Cancer and Asbestos
Many people have never heard of mesothelioma cancer because it is rare. According to the National Cancer Institute, about 2,000 new cases are diagnosed in the United States each year. Compare that to 213,380 lung cancer cases the Institute predicts will be diagnosed in 2007.
Mesothelioma cancer begins in the tissue, called the mesothelieum, that surrounds the lungs, stomach, heart and other organs. The mesothelieum protects these organs with two levels of tissue and a fluid that allows the organs to move. It can be found in the area around any of these organs but is most commonly found in the chest and abdomen area.
Contact with asbestos is the main risk factor. Asbestos can be found in insulation in many buildings. Asbestos can also be found in floor tiles, roofing, dust and rocks.
Most of the use of asbestos in construction products was discontinued after 1989. But the cancer may not be diagnosed until 20 to 50 years after exposure because it takes a long time to develop.
That is why most cases of occur in people in their late 50s and older. According to the American Cancer Society, three-fourths of patients diagnosed are over 65.
Other factors that have been tied to this are:
* Radiation. A material called thorium dioxide that was used in x-rays was found to cause cancer. But this material has not been used for many years.
* Tobacco. Smoking has not been directly associated with this cancer but smoking and asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.
* SV40 Virus. This virus was found in polio vaccines in the mid 50s and early 60s. Since symptoms do not develop for 20 to 50 years, it may be some time before it is known if this virus is a risk factor.
The symptoms vary from person to person based on where the affected tissue is located. The overall symptoms include:
* Shortness of breath
* Chest pain
* Abdominal pain
* Abdominal swelling
* Fever
* Anemia
The treatments vary depending on the patient. Many patients have surgery to remove the lining and tissue that is affected. In severe cases, tissue surrounding the chest, a lung or part of the diaphragm may be removed.
Doctors may recommend that some patients have radiation therapy where high energy rays shrink tumors and kill the affected cells.
Another common treatment, chemotherapy, may be recommended but has not been successful in treating patients with mesothelioma. According to the American Cancer Society, anti-angiogenesis drugs which kill these cells by stopping their blood supply are being considered.
The prognosis for patients is grim because the disease is often advanced by the time it is diagnosed. According to the American Cancer Society, the five year survival rate is about 10 percent. Most patients only survive for a year after diagnosis. New treatments and clinical studies are being conducted to improve the survival rate of patients with mesothelioma cancer.
Mesothelioma cancer begins in the tissue, called the mesothelieum, that surrounds the lungs, stomach, heart and other organs. The mesothelieum protects these organs with two levels of tissue and a fluid that allows the organs to move. It can be found in the area around any of these organs but is most commonly found in the chest and abdomen area.
Contact with asbestos is the main risk factor. Asbestos can be found in insulation in many buildings. Asbestos can also be found in floor tiles, roofing, dust and rocks.
Most of the use of asbestos in construction products was discontinued after 1989. But the cancer may not be diagnosed until 20 to 50 years after exposure because it takes a long time to develop.
That is why most cases of occur in people in their late 50s and older. According to the American Cancer Society, three-fourths of patients diagnosed are over 65.
Other factors that have been tied to this are:
* Radiation. A material called thorium dioxide that was used in x-rays was found to cause cancer. But this material has not been used for many years.
* Tobacco. Smoking has not been directly associated with this cancer but smoking and asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.
* SV40 Virus. This virus was found in polio vaccines in the mid 50s and early 60s. Since symptoms do not develop for 20 to 50 years, it may be some time before it is known if this virus is a risk factor.
The symptoms vary from person to person based on where the affected tissue is located. The overall symptoms include:
* Shortness of breath
* Chest pain
* Abdominal pain
* Abdominal swelling
* Fever
* Anemia
The treatments vary depending on the patient. Many patients have surgery to remove the lining and tissue that is affected. In severe cases, tissue surrounding the chest, a lung or part of the diaphragm may be removed.
Doctors may recommend that some patients have radiation therapy where high energy rays shrink tumors and kill the affected cells.
Another common treatment, chemotherapy, may be recommended but has not been successful in treating patients with mesothelioma. According to the American Cancer Society, anti-angiogenesis drugs which kill these cells by stopping their blood supply are being considered.
The prognosis for patients is grim because the disease is often advanced by the time it is diagnosed. According to the American Cancer Society, the five year survival rate is about 10 percent. Most patients only survive for a year after diagnosis. New treatments and clinical studies are being conducted to improve the survival rate of patients with mesothelioma cancer.
Mesothelioma Asbestos Diseases
The most common diseases caused by asbestos are asbestosis and pleural disease. The most general forms of asbestos cancer are mesothelioma and lung cancer. The former is also occasionally called mesothelioma cancer or simply "meso".
Asbestos dust is also responsible for numerous types of throat cancer, including pharyngeal cancer, esophageal cancer, and laryngeal cancer. Stomach and colon cancer are two other types of cancer related to asbestos.
It is vital to note that the latency period, which is the period between actually being in contact with the mineral and the onset of asbestos cancer or a disease related to asbestos, can be quite long. In some cases, it can be over 50 years after an individual's first contact with asbestos that symptoms of asbestos cancer or any other asbestos disease is seen. Owing to this latency period, individuals exposed to this mineral decades back are still in jeopardy, today, to catch this illness. A trained medical professional can correctly conclude whether a person has asbestos disease or asbestos cancer. It is prudent for anybody working with asbestos to frequently consult a medical professional.
Asbestosis is another well-known disease caused by inhaling high volumes of asbestos fibers. Protracted gathering of fibers in the lungs can lead to the scarring of lung tissues. The most common complaint by a person who has contracted asbestosis is shortness of breath upon exertion. This condition is also called dyspnea. Also, a dry cough becomes more bothersome as the disease progresses. Asbestosis can lead to many other lung diseases, particularly pneumonia, that has a propensity to target weakened lungs. Furthermore, for individuals with asbestosis, the chances of getting lung cancer are multiplied by about 5 times.
Asbestos dust is also responsible for numerous types of throat cancer, including pharyngeal cancer, esophageal cancer, and laryngeal cancer. Stomach and colon cancer are two other types of cancer related to asbestos.
It is vital to note that the latency period, which is the period between actually being in contact with the mineral and the onset of asbestos cancer or a disease related to asbestos, can be quite long. In some cases, it can be over 50 years after an individual's first contact with asbestos that symptoms of asbestos cancer or any other asbestos disease is seen. Owing to this latency period, individuals exposed to this mineral decades back are still in jeopardy, today, to catch this illness. A trained medical professional can correctly conclude whether a person has asbestos disease or asbestos cancer. It is prudent for anybody working with asbestos to frequently consult a medical professional.
Asbestosis is another well-known disease caused by inhaling high volumes of asbestos fibers. Protracted gathering of fibers in the lungs can lead to the scarring of lung tissues. The most common complaint by a person who has contracted asbestosis is shortness of breath upon exertion. This condition is also called dyspnea. Also, a dry cough becomes more bothersome as the disease progresses. Asbestosis can lead to many other lung diseases, particularly pneumonia, that has a propensity to target weakened lungs. Furthermore, for individuals with asbestosis, the chances of getting lung cancer are multiplied by about 5 times.
Asbestos Induced Abdominal Cancer
Abdominal Asbestos Mesothelioma is the official term used by doctors for a rare but dangerous type of cancer that is generally caused by the ihalation or ingestion of asbestos fibers. Asbestos is a fibrous fire retardant material that is heavily used in most industries, and as such people who work in these environments are at the highest level of risk.
Because of the fibrous nature of asbestos, it's small fibers can be inhaled easily by people, and it can also cling to the skin and clothes, so people who don't work directly exposed to asbestos can still contract Abdominal Asbestos Mesothelioma. People who live with those who have been around asbestos are equally at risk and can still contract this cancer.
The most common cause of mesothelioma is inhalation or ingesting the particles or asbestos, which leads to the development of malignant cells in the lining which covers most of the body's internal organs. These malignant cells are what cause the cancer. Thankfully, it is not a contagious disease and is relatively rare, with only around three thousand cases being diagnosed annually worldwide.
Symptoms
Mesothelioma symptoms do not manifest until around twenty to fifty years after asbestos fibers have entered the body, so often the people who are diagnosed are in their middle to late years in life. One of the ways to detect Abdominal Asbestos Mesothelioma is by sudden and rapid loss of weight, and swelling in the stomach area accompanied by sharp pains due to pressure from an increase in body fluids in the abdominal lining.
Another set of symptoms are difficulty in bowel movement, blood clotting, and fevers similar to intestinal flu. The problem with the symptoms of Abdominal Asbestos Mesothelioma is that they are often misdiagnosed because they can easily be taken as symptoms of some other, less dangerous illnesses.
Effects
The effects of Abdominal Asbestos Mesothelioma can be ultimately fatal if left unchecked. One of the more dangerous effects is the development of tumors in the stomach lining due to fluid buildup and the presence of the malignant cells in the body. The tumors cause blood clotting, as mentioned, and can spread from the abdominal area upwards to the chest cavity, affecting both the heart and lungs.
A few of the more severe effect of Abdominal Asbestos Mesothelioma include bleeding in the internal organs once the malignant cells grow to a sufficient level. Left unchecked, this internal bleeding is fatal. Pulmonary Emboli is another effect of this sickness, which is the formation of clots of dried or coagulated blood in the lungs. Again, this is ultimately fatal if left unchecked.
Treatment
Abdominal Asbestos Mesothelioma is treated in a variety of fashions, and while it is generally approached like any other cancer, some of the methods commonly used to treat the more common forms of cancer don't prove as effective. For one thing, surgery to remove the malignant cells have shown a very low survivability rate among the patients, with an average life expectancy of only 5 years post operation.
The most successful treatments of Abdominal Asbestos Mesothelioma have stemmed from general chemotherapy as well a a fairly new method known as heated intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy. This method combines chemotherapy with a heat surgery treatment that removes the malignant cells without causing any damage to the healthy surrounding tissue. The application of heat to the malignant cells also allows a more efficient introduction to the body of the medical agents used in the chemotherapy.
Avoidance/Safety Tips
On a personal level, one of the most obvious ways to avoid exposure to this cancer would be to stay away from places which have high concentrations of asbestos. There are many different forms of asbestos now being developed, and the ones which have been noted as causing Abdominal Asbestos Mesothelioma were versions primarily developed in the 1970s and 1980s. Modern fire retardant materials are much safer and have been mandated in some parts of the world to replace asbestos entirely.
Since asbestos fibers normally have to be ingested or inhaled to cause mesothelioma then using a face mask and avoiding eating around asbestos is a good safety practice. However, since the fibers are invisible to the naked eye and can actually be carried on skin and clothing, another safety tip is to wear a completely different set of clothing when working around asbestos, and to both remove the clothing and bathe completely after exposure. This minimizes the risk that any fibers will be taken home to one's families after work and consequently avoid abdominal mesothelioma caused by asbestos exposure.
Because of the fibrous nature of asbestos, it's small fibers can be inhaled easily by people, and it can also cling to the skin and clothes, so people who don't work directly exposed to asbestos can still contract Abdominal Asbestos Mesothelioma. People who live with those who have been around asbestos are equally at risk and can still contract this cancer.
The most common cause of mesothelioma is inhalation or ingesting the particles or asbestos, which leads to the development of malignant cells in the lining which covers most of the body's internal organs. These malignant cells are what cause the cancer. Thankfully, it is not a contagious disease and is relatively rare, with only around three thousand cases being diagnosed annually worldwide.
Symptoms
Mesothelioma symptoms do not manifest until around twenty to fifty years after asbestos fibers have entered the body, so often the people who are diagnosed are in their middle to late years in life. One of the ways to detect Abdominal Asbestos Mesothelioma is by sudden and rapid loss of weight, and swelling in the stomach area accompanied by sharp pains due to pressure from an increase in body fluids in the abdominal lining.
Another set of symptoms are difficulty in bowel movement, blood clotting, and fevers similar to intestinal flu. The problem with the symptoms of Abdominal Asbestos Mesothelioma is that they are often misdiagnosed because they can easily be taken as symptoms of some other, less dangerous illnesses.
Effects
The effects of Abdominal Asbestos Mesothelioma can be ultimately fatal if left unchecked. One of the more dangerous effects is the development of tumors in the stomach lining due to fluid buildup and the presence of the malignant cells in the body. The tumors cause blood clotting, as mentioned, and can spread from the abdominal area upwards to the chest cavity, affecting both the heart and lungs.
A few of the more severe effect of Abdominal Asbestos Mesothelioma include bleeding in the internal organs once the malignant cells grow to a sufficient level. Left unchecked, this internal bleeding is fatal. Pulmonary Emboli is another effect of this sickness, which is the formation of clots of dried or coagulated blood in the lungs. Again, this is ultimately fatal if left unchecked.
Treatment
Abdominal Asbestos Mesothelioma is treated in a variety of fashions, and while it is generally approached like any other cancer, some of the methods commonly used to treat the more common forms of cancer don't prove as effective. For one thing, surgery to remove the malignant cells have shown a very low survivability rate among the patients, with an average life expectancy of only 5 years post operation.
The most successful treatments of Abdominal Asbestos Mesothelioma have stemmed from general chemotherapy as well a a fairly new method known as heated intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy. This method combines chemotherapy with a heat surgery treatment that removes the malignant cells without causing any damage to the healthy surrounding tissue. The application of heat to the malignant cells also allows a more efficient introduction to the body of the medical agents used in the chemotherapy.
Avoidance/Safety Tips
On a personal level, one of the most obvious ways to avoid exposure to this cancer would be to stay away from places which have high concentrations of asbestos. There are many different forms of asbestos now being developed, and the ones which have been noted as causing Abdominal Asbestos Mesothelioma were versions primarily developed in the 1970s and 1980s. Modern fire retardant materials are much safer and have been mandated in some parts of the world to replace asbestos entirely.
Since asbestos fibers normally have to be ingested or inhaled to cause mesothelioma then using a face mask and avoiding eating around asbestos is a good safety practice. However, since the fibers are invisible to the naked eye and can actually be carried on skin and clothing, another safety tip is to wear a completely different set of clothing when working around asbestos, and to both remove the clothing and bathe completely after exposure. This minimizes the risk that any fibers will be taken home to one's families after work and consequently avoid abdominal mesothelioma caused by asbestos exposure.
What You Should Know About Exposure and Mesothelioma Asbestos
Exposure to asbestos has proven to lead to many deadly diseases, the most common of which has been mesothelioma, or mesothelioma asbestos. Asbestos exposure also has history with several non-cancerous respiratory diseases like such as asbestosis.
Asbestos has been used for protection from heat, fire, and as insulation for over two thousand years. It has been mined and used in manufacturing of goods and products since the late 1800's. Up until the 1960s the use and exposure of workers, their families, and local communities to asbestos went pretty much unchecked by any safety regulations. As exposure to asbestos increased, the cases of lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis proportionately increased, impacting the lives of thousands of unknowing workers and family members primarily in the industrialized areas of the U.S., UK and Australia.
Asbestos fibers are used in industry because of their durability, resistance to heat and tensile strength. Asbestos has been used in building insulation in our public buildings and schools for generations. In our homes, appliances, and even clothing. The very reason that makes asbestos such a useful construction component and fire retardant however is the same characteristic that becomes humanly lethal. Asbestos fibers are very fine and tiny filaments that are so small that they can bypass the filtering systems in the human lungs. The inhalation of asbestos fibers in the dust is the primary cause of mesothelioma asbestos cancer. These fibers reach to the most sensitive parts of the lungs and get embedded within the lung tissue where they can lay dormant for as long as 50 years! As these fibers increase in numbers, or those already in the body can become an irritant to the lung tissue and slowly damage the lungs, heart or stomach protective tissue. Such conditions gone diagnosed can lead to mesothelioma, pleural mesothelioma or asbestosis.
Pleural Mesothelioma is the most common type of Mesothelioma asbestos cancer. It has affected thousands of laborers in shipyards during World War II. High heat piping used in ship building and heating boilers all were insulated with the installation of asbestos. Miners working asbestos mines, their families and those communities close to those mines were all exposed to the harmful dust and filaments of asbestos. Construction and building workers were exposed to asbestos as they insulated buildings, manufacturing used asbestos in heating units, toasters, clothes driers, gloves; automotive repair mechanics were exposed by the dust from vehicle brake pads and muffler repairs. As these people grew older, and their bodies became less and less resilient to the irritation of the asbestos fibers in their bodies; more and more cases of mesothelioma, asbestosis and pleural mesothelioma began to appear.
Mesothelioma attacks the pleural lining in and around the lungs; it can also damage the peritoneum tissues which surrounds the stomach and the intestinal tract. The protective sac of tissue surrounding the heart; the pericardium is also in harm's way of the ravages of asbestos fibers.
Mesothelioma is generally classified and named by the location in which it is found: Pleural mesothelioma - which encompasses 75% of all cases
Peritoneal mesothelioma - 10%-20% of mesothelioma diagnosises
Pericardial mesothelioma - the rarest, with 5% cases.
Mesothelioma may also be classified by cancer type, other than location of the cancer:
Epithelioid is most common cancer and has the best survival rate.
Sarcomatoid is the most severe yet very rare.
Mixed/biphasic is basically a mixture of Epithelioid cancer and Sarcomatoid cancer
The symptoms of mesothelioma cancer vary according to location of the cancer. It may show a combination of symptoms as well. Pleura, affecting tumors, show symptoms as -wheezing, cough, and/or hoarseness, bloody sputum, anemia, fatigue, shortness of breath, pleural fusion (fluid surrounding the lung) and chest wall pain, or pain under the rib cage.
Mesothelioma of the stomach or intestines often doesn't show many symptoms until it reaches the latter stages, they include- mass in the abdomen, weight loss, abdominal pain and/or swelling, Ascites, bowel problems.
There has been exhaustive research for an effective treatment of mesothelioma, unfortunately none has yet to be found. Only treatment attempts to hamper growth of cancer cells is available and include:
1. Surgery to remove all the affected tissues in the body.
2. Radiation therapy targeted to kill the mesothelioma cells in the body.
3. Chemotherapy uses drugs, injections to kill the growth of the cancer cells.
In an attempt to deal with the alarming trend of mesothelioma cancer cases in recent years, several international organizations and government agencies have launched mesothelioma and asbestosis awareness programs, asbestos cancer resource guides, and literature to educate people about the lethal catastrophic effects of this disease. Information for cancer patients and their families to educate themselves how to take care of themselves, reduce risks and early warning signs for early diagnosis.
Asbestos has been used for protection from heat, fire, and as insulation for over two thousand years. It has been mined and used in manufacturing of goods and products since the late 1800's. Up until the 1960s the use and exposure of workers, their families, and local communities to asbestos went pretty much unchecked by any safety regulations. As exposure to asbestos increased, the cases of lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis proportionately increased, impacting the lives of thousands of unknowing workers and family members primarily in the industrialized areas of the U.S., UK and Australia.
Asbestos fibers are used in industry because of their durability, resistance to heat and tensile strength. Asbestos has been used in building insulation in our public buildings and schools for generations. In our homes, appliances, and even clothing. The very reason that makes asbestos such a useful construction component and fire retardant however is the same characteristic that becomes humanly lethal. Asbestos fibers are very fine and tiny filaments that are so small that they can bypass the filtering systems in the human lungs. The inhalation of asbestos fibers in the dust is the primary cause of mesothelioma asbestos cancer. These fibers reach to the most sensitive parts of the lungs and get embedded within the lung tissue where they can lay dormant for as long as 50 years! As these fibers increase in numbers, or those already in the body can become an irritant to the lung tissue and slowly damage the lungs, heart or stomach protective tissue. Such conditions gone diagnosed can lead to mesothelioma, pleural mesothelioma or asbestosis.
Pleural Mesothelioma is the most common type of Mesothelioma asbestos cancer. It has affected thousands of laborers in shipyards during World War II. High heat piping used in ship building and heating boilers all were insulated with the installation of asbestos. Miners working asbestos mines, their families and those communities close to those mines were all exposed to the harmful dust and filaments of asbestos. Construction and building workers were exposed to asbestos as they insulated buildings, manufacturing used asbestos in heating units, toasters, clothes driers, gloves; automotive repair mechanics were exposed by the dust from vehicle brake pads and muffler repairs. As these people grew older, and their bodies became less and less resilient to the irritation of the asbestos fibers in their bodies; more and more cases of mesothelioma, asbestosis and pleural mesothelioma began to appear.
Mesothelioma attacks the pleural lining in and around the lungs; it can also damage the peritoneum tissues which surrounds the stomach and the intestinal tract. The protective sac of tissue surrounding the heart; the pericardium is also in harm's way of the ravages of asbestos fibers.
Mesothelioma is generally classified and named by the location in which it is found: Pleural mesothelioma - which encompasses 75% of all cases
Peritoneal mesothelioma - 10%-20% of mesothelioma diagnosises
Pericardial mesothelioma - the rarest, with 5% cases.
Mesothelioma may also be classified by cancer type, other than location of the cancer:
Epithelioid is most common cancer and has the best survival rate.
Sarcomatoid is the most severe yet very rare.
Mixed/biphasic is basically a mixture of Epithelioid cancer and Sarcomatoid cancer
The symptoms of mesothelioma cancer vary according to location of the cancer. It may show a combination of symptoms as well. Pleura, affecting tumors, show symptoms as -wheezing, cough, and/or hoarseness, bloody sputum, anemia, fatigue, shortness of breath, pleural fusion (fluid surrounding the lung) and chest wall pain, or pain under the rib cage.
Mesothelioma of the stomach or intestines often doesn't show many symptoms until it reaches the latter stages, they include- mass in the abdomen, weight loss, abdominal pain and/or swelling, Ascites, bowel problems.
There has been exhaustive research for an effective treatment of mesothelioma, unfortunately none has yet to be found. Only treatment attempts to hamper growth of cancer cells is available and include:
1. Surgery to remove all the affected tissues in the body.
2. Radiation therapy targeted to kill the mesothelioma cells in the body.
3. Chemotherapy uses drugs, injections to kill the growth of the cancer cells.
In an attempt to deal with the alarming trend of mesothelioma cancer cases in recent years, several international organizations and government agencies have launched mesothelioma and asbestosis awareness programs, asbestos cancer resource guides, and literature to educate people about the lethal catastrophic effects of this disease. Information for cancer patients and their families to educate themselves how to take care of themselves, reduce risks and early warning signs for early diagnosis.
Langganan:
Postingan (Atom)