Medical Report

Mesothelioma is a serious disease. The only known cause of mesothelioma is asbestos,Many building materials used in both public and domestic premises prior to the banning of asbestos may contain asbestos. Those performing renovation works or diy activities may expose themselves to asbestos dust. In the UK use of Chrysotile asbestos was banned at the end of 1999. Brown and blue asbestos was banned in the UK around 1985. Buildings built or renovated prior to these dates may contain asbestos materials.

Incidence of mesothelioma had been found to be higher in populations living near naturally occuring asbestos. For example, in Cappadocia, Turkey, an unprecedented mesothelioma epidemic caused 50% of all deaths in three small villages. Initially, this was attributed to erionite, however, recently, it has been shown that erionite causes mesothelioma mostly in families with a genetic predisposition.

Here is a list of some products that at one time contained asbestos:

01. Pipe Covering/Pipe Insulation

02. Insulating cement

03. Insulating block

04. Refractory cement

05. Floor and ceiling tile

06. Fireproofing

07. Insulation

08. Firebrick

09. Gaskets

10. Joint compounds

11. Brake pads and linings

12. Clutches

13. Electraical wires

14. Boilers

15. Furnaces

16. Turbines

17. Wallboard/Millboard

18. Asbestos cloth, blankets, felt or paper

19. Asbestos packing

20. Asbestos rope

21. Shingles

22. Roofing materials

23. Plastic cement

24. Drilling additives


Here is a list of some trades that at one time were commonly exposed to asbestos on the job:

01. Insulators

02. Pipfitters

03. Plumbers

04. Boiler room tenders

05. Boilermakers

06. Steel workers

07. Shipyard workers

08. Electricians

09. Carpenters

10. Drywall finishers

11. Painters

12. Plasterers

13. Iron workers

14. Crane operators

15. Floor coverers

16. Masons

17. Brickmasons and blockmasons

18. Laborers

19. Construction workers

20. Pot tenders

21. Welders

22. Sheet metal workers

23. Railroad workers

24. Brake mechanics

25. Refinery workers

26. Power plant workers

27. Paper mill workers

28. Navy men

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos.In this disease, malignant cells develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most of the body's internal organs. Its most common site is the pleura (outer lining of the lungs and chest cavity), but it may also occur in the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity) or the pericardium (a sac that surrounds the heart).

Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or have been exposed to asbestos dust and fibre in other ways, such as by washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos, or by home renovation using asbestos cement products. Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking.

Each year, between 2,500 and 3,000 men and women in the U.S. are diagnosed with mesothelioma. It is an aggressive cancer that can be difficult to treat. Often, the cancer does not appear for 15 to 40 or more years after a person has been exposed to asbestos. Exposure to even relatively small amounts of asbestos can cause mesothelioma.

And What is asbestos ?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring substance, mined from rock and made up of tiny fibers, that has been used extensively in thousands of building and insulation products.Asbestos releases microscopic fibers that people either breathe in or swallow. Asbestos fibers are so small the eye cannot see them. Asbestos has no smell or taste, and it is inhaled or swallowed without immediate or noticeable effect.

The mesothelium is a membrane that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the body. It is composed of two layers of cells: One layer immediately surrounds the organ; the other forms a sac around it. The mesothelium produces a lubricating fluid that is released between these layers, allowing moving organs (such as the beating heart and the expanding and contracting lungs) to glide easily against adjacent structures.

The mesothelium has different names, depending on its location in the body. The peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity. The pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. The pericardium covers and protects the heart. The mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis testis. The tunica serosa uteri covers the internal reproductive organs in women.

Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions. Diagnosis begins with a review of the patients medical history, including any history of asbestos exposure. A complete physical examination may be performed, including x-rays of the chest or abdomen and lung function tests. A CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI may also be useful. A CT scan is a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. In an MRI, a powerful magnet linked to a computer is used to make detailed pictures of areas inside the body. These pictures are viewed on a monitor and can also be printed.

A biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma. In a biopsy, a surgeon or a medical oncologist (a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer) removes a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope by a pathologist. A biopsy may be done in different ways, depending on where the abnormal area is located. If the cancer is in the chest, the doctor may perform a thoracoscopy. In this procedure, the doctor makes a small cut through the chest wall and puts a thin, lighted tube called a thoracoscope into the chest between two ribs. Thoracoscopy allows the doctor to look inside the chest and obtain tissue samples. If the cancer is in the abdomen, the doctor may perform a peritoneoscopy. To obtain tissue for examination, the doctor makes a small opening in the abdomen and inserts a special instrument called a peritoneoscope into the abdominal cavity. If these procedures do not yield enough tissue, more extensive diagnostic surgery may be necessary.

If the diagnosis is mesothelioma, the doctor will want to learn the stage (or extent) of the disease. Staging involves more tests in a careful attempt to find out whether the cancer has spread and, if so, to which parts of the body. Knowing the stage of the disease helps the doctor plan treatment.

Mesothelioma is described as localized if the cancer is found only on the membrane surface where it originated. It is classified as advanced if it has spread beyond the original membrane surface to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, lungs, chest wall, or abdominal organs.