Asbestosis and Mesothelioma Articles - Types Of Mesothelioma Breathing in asbestos fibers, even in small amounts, can cause lung cancer, mesothelioma asbestosis and other respiratory diseases. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer linked to asbestos exposure. Asbestos was used heavily as a building material in thermal insulation products and ceiling tiles. The same properties that made asbestos so appealing were also the same reasons exposure to it is so deadly.
Asbestos fibers, when breathed in, can remain hooked onto the lungs, causing toxic effects like mesothelioma. When adverse health effects were discovered, the use of asbestos was cut back, but not before a high number of workers and communities was exposed to its harmful properties. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, as many as 733,000 schools and public buildings still contain asbestos.
There are three different types of mesothelioma, including pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma is the most common form of mesothelioma, followed by peritoneal and pericardial mesothelioma.
With pleural mesothelioma, the cancer affects the lungs and the protective lining and cavity of the lungs. People affected by this form of mesothelioma will suffer symptoms of pleural effusion, the buildup of fluid between the lung lining and the chest cavity. If suffering from this type of mesothelioma, patients can experience difficulty in breathing, difficulty in swallowing, shortness of breath, persistent coughing, weight loss, fever, coughing up of blood and rasping.
Peritoneal mesothelioma is a more rare type of mesothelioma than pleural. This type of mesothelioma affects the stomach and abdomen. Beginning in the abdominal area in some instances, this type of mesothelioma can spread to other part of the body. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma can sometimes be suffered if the tumors pressing against the wall of the abdomen causes abdominal pain, abdominal swelling, nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, breathing problems, chest pain, bowel obstruction, anemia, fever and blood clotting abnormalities.
The most rare type of mesothelioma is pericardial mesothelioma. In this form of mesothelioma, the cancer affects the heart and the cavity surrounding the heart. When the tumors affecting pericardial mesothelioma generate symptoms, these symptoms can include chest pain, shortness of breath, trouble breathing, persistent coughing and palpitations.
The time between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma diagnosis can lapse 20 to 40 years. Because many of the symptoms for all three types of mesothelioma can be confused for other conditions, notifying your doctor of any asbestos exposure history can allow for an earlier diagnosis. Mesothelioma is still a relatively unknown disease, and a lot of the diagnoses delays are the result of limited information and awareness.
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