what are the Mesothelioma...( symptoms - diagnosis - management)

What Are tthe Mesothelioma ?

Inhalation of asbestos fibres can cause a number of serious diseases most of which affect the lungs or pleura (the external lining of the lung). These include a number of forms of cancer and chronic conditions such as asbestosis and pleural thickening. This document summarised the latest available statistics on these diseases.
All of these diseases have a long latency, meaning it takes a long time – typically decades – for symptoms to occur following exposure to asbestos. However, for cancers such as mesothelioma and lung cancer, cases are often rapidly fatal following disease onset, while conditions such as asbestosis may progress over time to seriously affect normal daily activity and lead to complications which can be fatal.
Asbestos was used extensively in Great Britain in a wide range of products, but particularly in insulation and building materials following World War II. Widespread asbestos-exposures during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s led to a large increase in asbestos-related disease in Great Britain.
For some diseases – for example, mesothelioma and asbestosis – statistics can be derived from data sources that rely on counting of individual cases or deaths. For diseases that are regularly caused by other agents as well as asbestos – for example, lung cancer – statistics can be derived based on epidemiological evidence about the Attributable Fraction (AF) of cases or deaths due to asbestos exposure.

Malignant Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that principally affects the pleura (the external lining of the lung) and the peritoneum (the lining of the lower digestive tract). It takes many years to develop following the inhalation of asbestos fibres. Cases are often diagnosed at an advanced stage as symptoms are typically non-specific and appear late in the development of the disease. It is almost always fatal, and often within twelve months of symptom onset.
Mesothelioma has such a strong relationship with asbestos that annual cases give a particularly clear view of the effect of past exposures, and as the disease is usually rapidly fatal following disease onset, the number of annual deaths closely approximates to the annual number of new cases (i.e. the annual disease incidence).
Annual deaths in Britain increased steeply over the last 50 years, a consequence of mainly occupational asbestos exposures that occurred because of the widespread industrial use of asbestos during 1950-1980.

What Are the Most Common Mesothelioma Symptoms?

The first symptoms of mesothelioma include chest or abdominal pain, bloating and shortness of breath, depending on the location of the cancer. Because early-stage signs can be slight, doctors often mistake them as normal aches and pains or symptoms of less serious illnesses

Other symptoms 

• Dry cough or wheezing,Shortness of breath (dyspnea), Respiratory complications, Pain in the chest or abdomen, Fever or night sweats, Pleural effusion (fluid around the lungs), Fatigue, Muscle weakness

What Are the diagnosis  of Mesothelioma?

Most early mesothelioma diagnoses happen by accident through routine X-rays or blood tests. By the time someone identifies warning signs, the cancer often has spread, making it difficult for doctors to treat.