Back in the day, asbestos was used in the construction of many buildings and places of business. Unknowing workers worked in these structures each day not know that there was danger lurking in the walls and ceiling. Some years later, they were diagnosed with a type of lung cancer that was directly attributed to the asbestos exposure. Luckily today, asbestos is no longer used as a building material due to the risk.
Those suffering from the effects of long term asbestos exposure are often diagnosed with a cancer called Mesothelioma. There are different types of this cancer but the most common is Pleural Mesothelioma which affects the lining or pleura of the lungs. Symptoms include difficulty swallowing, a persistent dry cough, chest pain or painful breathing.
The second type of Mesothelioma that is most common is Peritoneal Mesothelioma. This affects the lining of the abdominal cavity. Typical symptoms of this type of cancer are vomiting, a distended abdomen, a change in bowel habits, and unexplained weight loss.
Mesothelioma is a particularly aggressive type of cancer and does not usually respond well to standard cancer treatments. In addition to being difficult to treat, it is usually not easily diagnosed. Pleural Mesothelioma responds better than other types, but that is only if it is caught in the early stages. Due to the difficulty in getting a timely diagnosis, the prognosis is not usually a good one.
This difficulty in diagnosis makes it critical that you inform your doctor of any known exposure to asbestos. Without this information, your doctor may not consider asbestos related diseases as a potential cause for your symptoms, hence delaying a proper diagnosis. Any symptom, no matter how insignificant it might seem, needs to be reported to your doctor. Armed with this information, he can then order appropriate tests to accurately diagnose any asbestos caused illness.
Each year approximately 2000-300 people are diagnosed with asbestos related cancer. This number is projected to go higher over the next decade. Researchers and scientists continue to study Mesothelioma and its possible causes. Hopefully, with advancements in treatment options, Mesothelioma patients will have better a better prognosis in the long term.
If you are having previously unexplained symptoms, and think you might have been exposed to asbestos, talk with your doctor. You might end up with some tests that were not needed, but you will gain peace of mind when Mesothelioma is ruled out.
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