Mesothelioma-Asbestos and Cancer

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is caused by previous exposure to asbestos. In this disease, malignant cells create 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).
Signs and symptoms of Mesothelioma
Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath, cough, and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of liquid in the pleural space are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma.
Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and cachexia, abdominal swelling and pain due to ascites (a buildup of liquid in the abdominal cavity). Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face. These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions.
Diagnosis
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 patient's medical history. A history of exposure to asbestos may increase clinical suspicion for mesothelioma. A physical examination is performed, followed by chest X-ray and often lung function tests. The X-ray may reveal pleural thickening commonly seen after asbestos exposure and increases suspicion of mesothelioma. A CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI is usually performed. If a large amount of liquid is present, abnormal cells may be detected by cytology if this liquid is aspirated with a syringe. For pleural liquid this is completed by a pleural tap or chest drain, in ascites with an paracentesis or ascitic drain and in a pericardial effusion with pericardiocentesis. While absence of malignant cells on cytology does not exclude mesothelioma, it makes it much more unlikely, especially if an alternative diagnosis can be made (e.g. tuberculosis, heart failure).
If cytology is positive or a plaque is regarded as suspicious, a biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma. A doctor removes a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope by a pathologist. A biopsy may be completed 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 little cut through the chest wall and puts a narrow, lighted tube called a thoracoscope into the chest between three ribs. Thoracoscopy allows the doctor to look inside the chest and receive tissue samples.If the cancer is in the abdomen, the doctor may perform a laparoscopy. To receive tissue for examination, the doctor makes a little opening in the abdomen and inserts a special gizmo into the abdominal cavity. If these procedures do not yield enough tissue, more extensive diagnostic surgery may be necessary.
Asbestos and the law

Worldwide, 60 countries (including those in the European Union) have banned the use of asbestos, in whole or in part. The American Bar Association states that a growing number of claimants do not, and may never, suffer from asbestos illness. Because of the fear of a walking statute of limitations, many people file claims who are not presently ill, but have had X-rays that show changes 'consistent with' asbestos disease. This 'now or never filing' is clogging the courts and delaying seriously ill claimants from having their cases heard. To alleviate this problem, the ABA recommends that a clear standard of impairment be implemented, and the statute of limitations not start ticking until a person actually becomes ill.
According to the Environmental Working Group Action Fund, 10,000 people a year die from asbestos-caused diseases the United States, including four out of every 125 American men who die over the age of 50.The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has no general ban on the use of asbestos. However, asbestos was four of the first hazardous air pollutants regulated under Section 112 of the Neat Air Act of 1970, and many applications have been forbidden by the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
According to a September 2004 of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, asbestos is still a hazard for 1.3 million US workers in the construction industry and for workers involved in the maintenance of buildings and equipment.