What Are The Four Stages of Mesothelioma Cancer?

One rare form of cancer is called Mesothelioma, a malignant tumor in the mesothelial tissues of the lungs and the abdomen, arising from the inhalation of asbestos. Its rarity is one of the reasons why a lot of people are not aware of this kind of fatal disease. In fact, many people die of Mesothelioma undiagnosed. Although there is now a growing awareness of the hazards of asbestos to health, still many have not heard of Mesothelioma and thus, have not understood its nature, cause, signs and treatment. Even some physicians find it hard to detect Mesothelioma because its symptoms are akin to other diseases like lung cancer and pneumonia. Furthermore, it takes decades for a patient who was exposed to asbestos to develop Mesothelioma -- fifty years, at most.
Being unaware of Mesothelioma poses higher risks since it deters diagnosis and treatment. A person undergoing treatment must know the different stages of the cancer or the extent of the disease. Chances of recovering from Mesothelioma and the kind of treatment depend on the stage of the illness. There are basically two staging systems used for Pleural Mesothelioma (lungs): TNM system and Brighan system. These staging systems are also used in other kinds of cancers; however, the first is commonly used. There is no established method in determining the stage of the Peritoneal Mesothelioma cancer (abdominal) so the TNM system is used.
There are three variables in the TNM system: tumor, lymph nodes and metastasis. In the earliest stage of Mesothelioma, stage I, the malignant Mesothelioma cells start to grow and multiply only one layer of the pleura. The pleura is the membrane that encloses the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. However, there are some instances wherein the pericardium (membrane that covers the heart) and diaphragm cover are already affected. In this case, the cancer patient is still in stage I Mesothelioma.
In the second stage, the two layers of the pleura are already affected by Mesothelioma. Take note, however, that in this stage, only one side of the body is affected. Normally, the pleura produces only small amount of lubricating fluid that allows easy expanding and contracting of the lungs. The excess fluid is absorbed by the blood and the lymph vessels so there's a balance between the amount of fluid produced and removed. During the second stage Mesothelioma, fluid starts to build up between the membrane of the lungs and the membrane of the chest wall, resulting to pleural effusion. The increase in the volume of fluid produced causes shortness of breath and chest pain. Other Mesothelioma cancer patients experience dry and persistent cough. Diagnosis of the pleural effusion is achieved through a chest x-ray.
Stage III Mesothelioma means that the malignant cells have already spread to the chest wall, esophagus and the lymph nodes on one part of the chest. The patient may suffer severe pain near the parts affected. When not treated immediately or when the Mesothelioma patient doesn't respond well to medication, the cancer may advance to the fourth stage. The fourth stage Mesothelioma is formidable since at this stage the Mesothelioma cells have penetrated into the bloodstream and other organs in the body like the liver, the bones and the brain. The lymph nodes on the other side of the chest may also be affected by Mesothelioma in stage IV.
Brighan staging system, on the other hand, determines whether the Mesothelioma can be surgically removed or not and whether the lymph nodes are affected or not. In stage I Mesothelioma, the lymph nodes are not yet affected and the patient can still recover through surgery. In stage II, surgery can still be executed but some lymph nodes have already been infiltrated by the cancer cells. In stage III, the heart and chest wall are already affected; thus, surgery is no longer advisable. The lymph nodes in this stage, however, may or may not be affected. In the final stage, stage IV Mesothelioma, cancer cells have already gone to the bloodstream and other parts of the body like the heart, brain, bone and liver. In most cases, a patient who has reached stage IV Mesothelioma only has four to twenty-four months to live.

David Arnold Livingston

Silicosis - The Forgotten Cousin of Asbestosis and Mesothelioma

Silicosis, Mesothelioma and Asbestosis are all three occupational related cancers that are preventable.
Silicosis is a respiratory disease caused by the inhalation of silica dust, which leads to inflammation and scarring of the lung tissue. Similar to Mesothelioma and Asbestosis, Silicosis silently caused millions of industry related health issues and deaths before it was discovered and could be properly diagnosed.
The main cause of Silicosis is long-term exposure to silica. Silica is a common, naturally occurring crystal. It is found in most rock beds and forms dust during mining, quarrying, tunneling, construction and work with many metal ores. Silica is a main component of sand, so glass workers, sand-blasters and construction laborers also receive heavy exposure to silica.
Risk factors for Silicosis include but are not limited to any work that includes exposure to silica dust. Mining, stone and concrete cutting, quarrying, road and building construction, work with abrasives manufacturing, sand blasting and many other occupations and hobbies involve exposure to silica.
Intense exposure to silica may result in symptoms of or full blown Silicosis in a year or less, but it usually takes at least 10 or 15 years of exposure before most symptoms of Silicosis develop. Silicosis as well as Mesothelioma and Asbestosis have become less common since the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) instituted laws and regulations requiring the use of protective equipment, to be provided by employers, that limit the amount of a worker's hazardous material exposure. Now, in most cases, it is legally and lawfully the responsibility of your employer to protect you by providing personal protection equipment (PPE).
The three different types of Silicosis are:
* Acute Silicosis -- results from short-term exposure to very large amounts of silica. The lungs become very inflamed and may fill with fluid, causing severe shortness of breath and low blood oxygen levels.
* Accelerated Silicosis -- occurs after exposure to larger amounts of silica over a shorter period of time (5 - 15 years). Inflammation, scarring, and symptoms progress faster in accelerated silicosis than in simple silicosis.
* Simple chronic silicosis -- results from long-term exposure (more than 20 years) to low amounts of silica dust. Nodules of chronic inflammation and scarring provoked by the silica dust form in the lungs and chest lymph nodes. This disease may feature breathlessness and may resemble chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
If you feel that you are in an industry with a high risk of exposure to silica dust, or any other hazardous material, you should take it upon yourself to use every method necessary to protect yourself from exposure. It is important to discuss any health concerns that you may have with your employer and have your employer provide you with the personal protective equipment required by law to minimize your exposure to hazardous materials such as silica. It is legally your employer's responsibility to provide you with safety devices that will protect you but it is ultimately your responsibility to protect your health and the health of your family.
If your employer is lax or refuses to provide for your safety, it is important that you contact your local, state or federal agency that oversees health and safety law and compliance to report it right away. In most situations you can report any negligence anonymously to prevent being singled out and demoted or fired by your employer. Many times your employer will be forced to comply with the laws by the governing agency and your problems will be solved. As an employer myself, I see the need to protect my employees at any cost because they are not only my most valued assets they are people with families and simply deserve to live and work in the safest environment possible. If your employer does not feel this way, you should not feel one bit of remorse if you have to report abuse to the proper authorities.
If you feel that you have been negligently exposed to Silica, or any other hazardous material and are now experiencing health related issues from it, you should contact a competent lawyer or law office immediately and discuss your situation with them. You may be entitled to compensation due to your employer's negligence. There are lawyers and attorneys that specialize in Silicosis, Mesothelioma, Asbestosis and a vast array of other occupational health related diseases.

Robert Short