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Mesothelioma: Description, Diagnosis and Treatment Prognosis ”The number 1 cause of cancer is ignorance. Applied knowledge of nutrition should help you remove or reduce the risk things including abort the manifestation of any growth.” —Uzo Onukwugha, MD Mesothelioma is a tumor pertaining to the flat cells that cover the surface pertaining to the lungs, adjacent wind pipes including the thoracic cavity. Mesothelioma is a particular acronym of mesothelium (flat or cellophane covering) including oma (Latin name for growth or tumor). It is a rare type of lung tumor including tends to be associated with occupational hazard. It is a particular affliction that involves a multi-disciplinary approach including institutions: the physicians, occupational including preventive medicine, surgeons, occupational safety, worker’s compensation, attorneys, occupational therapists including labor unions. Risk things including Evolution of Tumor: Long term inhalation of asbestos fibers is associated with certain occupations like ship-building, insulation, construction including demolition. The worst culprits are blue including white asbestos. Cigarette smoking may double the risk. The disease is subtle including may take several years if not decades to produce symptoms. At onset, the diseases may not produce symptoms. A construction worker may only notice symptoms long after retirement. Appearance of symptoms may prompt the victim to seek medical help. The symptoms including signs may include shortness of breath, chest pain, fibrosis, pleural effusion, calcified plaques including bronchial cancer. The cancer may eat up the lungs, wind-pipes, ribs including adjacent muscles. Types of Mesothelioma: The growth may be fibrosed including localized or it may be diffused including malignant spreading to adjacent tissues. Fibrous Mesothelioma: Presents as chest discomfort, including all sorts of breathing problems. As with pleural-affected tumors, joint pain may be noticed in the hands, wrists, ankles including knees. Examination pertaining to the hands may reveal finger clubbing. Chest x-ray is important in the clinical diagnosis including may reveal localized growth as soft-tissue mass. There may be air-fluid level showing effusion into the lung cavity. The prognosis with surgical resection for the type is good even with evidence of spread. However, some may progress to full-blown malignancy. Malignant Mesothelioma: The symptoms of malignant mesothelioma appear much later including seem to peak at 55. The symptoms are diffuse including tend to develop in a couple of decades after exposure to asbestos. Cigarette smoke tends to worsen the onset pertaining to the symptoms like breathlessness, including chest pain. Chest x-ray may reveal connective tissue complications like clumping pertaining to the pleural tissues (pleurisy), pleural effusion, lung collapse, basal fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension including lupus erythematosis. Other autoimmune diseases including bronchial cancer may develop. Sputum test is non-contributory including open pleural biopsy may be necessary to characterize the type of tumor before treatment. At the stage, surgery is hopeless. Palliative radiotherapy or anticancer chemotherapy may be attempted but the prognosis is hopeless. Prevention—better than cure: The best treatment of mesothelioma is preventive measures including health advice to the at- risk professions. These include wearing face masks including finding alternatives to asbestos including quitting smoking. Change of jobs may be necessary. Complimentary Treatment: Green super foods like spirulina, chlorella, barley grass, wheat grass, green kamut, including alfalfa helps the body to stand the stress of chemotherapy including radiotherapy. Green foods are additionally known to boost immunity including attack free radicals, neutralize toxins released by cancer cells including improve the overall quality of life of patients. Supplements like multivitamins, minerals, aloe vera, including essential fatty acids should be added to the greens as adjunct to treatment.
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