RSS FeedsWhat is Pleural Mesothelioma?
Pleural Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is most often found in people who have, at some point during their lives been exposed to high levels of asbestos. Asbestos is a type of naturally occurring mineral that was, for many years mixed with cement, plaster and paint and used in the interiors of houses. It was used as it is highly resistant to heat and is surprisingly strong. Unfortunately asbestos is made up of thin fibres which have since been found to be highly toxic to humans when they get into the body and it is these fibres that can be breathed in and cause a large number of health problems.
Due to the way that asbestos acts once inside the body it is usually many years later that asbestos related Pleural Mesothelioma is noticed. Pleural Mesothelioma is normally diagnosed when there is a change in the thin layer of membranes that are in the chest. When this pleural lining thickens or starts to calcify it is known as pleural plaques. These plaques in themselves are not always a definite precursor to cancer but they can greatly affect the function of the lungs and they can signal the start of Pleural Mesothelioma.
Pleural Mesothelioma may begin in the pleura but it can soon radiate outwards to the abdomen, the heart and the outer wall of the chest. When this happens and a diagnosis of Pleural Mesothelioma is made the prognosis is not good and many patients with Pleural Mesothelioma are not expected to live much longer than 12 months or so. With this in mind it is critical that anyone who has had previous exposure to asbestos is regularly tested for any changes in the pleura as this is an early sign that Pleural Mesothelioma could be imminent. When Pleural Mesothelioma is suspected early enough the patient can be treated and this can help them to live much longer than someone who has been diagnosed with full blown Pleural Mesothelioma.
Some of the symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma are pain in the lower back, shortness of breath and pain towards the side of the chest. Some people may have problems when swallowing, have a cough that will not go away and in some cases a patient might even be coughing up blood. Some people also find that they start to lose weight quite rapidly once the disease sets in.
As the outlook for a person with Pleural Mesothelioma is not good as treatment can be quite limited due to the aggressive nature of the disease. If the disease is caught quickly enough surgery can help to remove the pleura that are affected and the patient will live for longer than someone with advanced Pleural Mesothelioma. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are also options that some doctors will use to further extend the life of their patient but this does need to be carefully considered. Painkillers are used to keep the patient as comfortable as possible and other complimentary therapies can be used.
Lina Smith
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/what-is-pleural-mesothelioma-743557.html
February 20th, 2010
If mesothelioma is present, what is the color of pleural effusion?
My brother had difficulty breathing, pain upon taking deep breath, fatigue, weight loss, loss of appetite. Thickening and fluid was found on his right pleura. He discribed the fluid as looking like Budweiser—-amber colored and foamy. He also has pleural thickening, all on the right side.I have read the color of the fluid is characteristic of transudate which may indicate congestive heart failure.
The doctor suspects mesothelioma, but the fluid does not appear cloudy( exudate).
February 20th, 2010
The sputum could be yellow or blood-tinged.
References :
February 20th, 2010
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References :
http://enycekiller.110mb.com/new/highpay/Mesothelioma.html
February 20th, 2010
I have just written an article concerning pleural effusion. I have added an excerpt from my website. This may help to clarify a few concerns for you. Kind regards ,
Ann.
Diagnosis of mesothelioma
Diagnosis is carried out by ‘pleural aspiration‘. A needle attached to a 20ml syringe is inserted through an intercostal where an area of dullness is present. The drawn off fluid sample is then for protein estimation, cytology and bacteriological examination. If large amounts of fluid are present in the pleural space – this can be aspirated to relieve severe symptoms of breathlessness.
Fluid Results
The fluid results will be either:
Transudate
Exudate
Transudate effusions – can be bilateral, (on both sides), but are usually larger on the right side. Causes of transudate effusions include:
Heart failure
Hypoproteinaemia (nephotric syndrome)
Constrictive pericarditis
Hypothyroidism
Ovarian tumours
Exudate effusions – causes include:
Sarcoidosis
Yellow-nail syndrome
Familial Mediterranean fever
Bacterial pneumonia
Carcinoma of the bronchus
Tuberculosis
Connective-tissue disease
Post-myocardial infarction syndrome
Acute pancreatic
Mesothelioma
Treatment If a diagnosis has not been determined by a simple aspiration sample then a biopsy will be carried out. Management of malignant pleural effusions require regular aspirations as fluid tends to reaccumulate.
A major part of treatment for pleural effusion is primarily concentrated on the underlying cause of the effusion. For instance – antibiotics for pneumonia, chemotherapy or radiotherapy for malignant tumours, and drugs for hypothyroidism etc. Therefore, treatment can vary greatly, depending on the cause of the effusion.
References :
http://www.mesotheliomalungs.org