Of all the cancers caused by asbestos dust (mesothelioma), pericardial mesothelioma is the most rare, accounting for a fraction of all cases (5%). It is a cancer that grows on the pericardium (the lining of the heart). This is a delicate ‘film’, and any infection on the pericardium can have deadly consequences.
Once an individual has been diagnosed with pericardial mesothelioma they are offered three different treatment options. These are radiation, surgery and chemotherapy. Pericardial mesothelioma is extremely difficult to treat (due to the intricacies involved in removing the tumours from the pericardium), and a patient’s chances of survival are slim. All three methods have a poor success rate mainly due to the fact that pericardial mesothelioma is detected in the mature stages of development. (The reason for this is because in the early stages of the cancer the symptoms resemble those of diseases such as pneumonia). The prognosis for a patient undergoing treatment at this point (mature stage) is usually less than a year.
Before treatment, the patient requires a doctor’s evaluation in order to determine which of the three treatments are suitable for him/her. Details such as age, weight, medical history, and general well-being are considered prior to the commencement of treatment. So, how do you treat pericardial mesothelioma ?
Radiation – As with all cancer treatments that use this method, large doses of radiation are used to kill the cancerous cells on the pericardium. The downside to radiation treatment is that not only are you killing off the cancerous cells, but you are also damaging the vital organs in close proximity to the heart, namely the lungs. The heart also gets damaged (due to the large doses of radiation).
Surgery – We can break this down into two parts; aggressive surgery and palliative procedures. Aggressive surgery involves the removal of the cancerous cell. Since these are very close to the heart and lungs, this makes it an extremely precarious procedure and one that requires an extremely skilled surgeon.
Palliative procedures are used in the latest of stages of pericardial mesothelioma and serve the sole purpose of reducing the symptoms. Usually at this stage the cancer is practically incurable.
Chemotherapy – This is the most widely-used of cancer therapies which involves the use of drugs to kill the cancerous cells. Unfortunately, the majority of drugs used have a low success rate with pericardial mesothelioma. Research is being conducted to come up with a cocktail of drugs that have a more favourable outcome.
There does exist another form of treatment which involves using all three aforementioned treatment options. It is known as Dual Therapy. Surgery is used to remove the cancerous cells, then chemotherapy and radiation are used to kill the remaining cells. The success rate for this method is higher than just using radiation, surgery or chemotherapy alone, but can still be dangerous.
The internal organs of the human body are encased in a protective sac called the mesothelium. Examples of mesothelilial membranes are the peritoneum (abdominal organs), pleura (lungs), and pericardium (heart).
Under specific conditions, the cells of the protective membrane divide uncontrolled and become cancerous. This disease is termed as Mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer which is caused by prolonged exposure to asbestos dust.
The disease is found to occur among those who work in shipyards, asbestos mines and factories, industries that produce asbestos based products, and the heating and construction businesses. Approximately 3,000 cases occur each year in the US, and most patients are between 50-70 years old. Statistics show that males are commonly affected and among them whites more than African Americans.
First studied in the late 1700s in depth studies were only done in the 1960s. Tumors of the Mesothelioma can be benign or malignant. The malignant Mesothelioma are categorized into three types:
• Epithelioid, accounting for 50-70% of mesotheliomas.
• Sarcomatoid, accounting for 7-20%.
• Mixed or bi-phasic, accounting for 20-35%.
When asbestos fibers are breathed into the lungs they travel through large air passages to reach the smaller passages and from them the pleura. In the pleura they damage: the mesothelial cells leading to cancer; lung tissue causing lung cancer; and the development of scar tissue within the lungs known as asbestosis. When asbestos fibers are swallowed they reach the abdominal cavity and cause peritoneal mesothelioma.
Research reveals that the disease only manifests 20-50 years after being exposed to asbestos dust. The symptoms are not specific to the disease but a patient may develop:
• Breathlessness.
• Chest pain accompanied by tightness believed to be caused by accumulation of fluid in the pleura.
• Low back pain.
• Swelling of face and arms.
• Sensory loss.
• Muscle weakness.
• Nausea.
• Vomiting.
• Weight loss that is unexplained.
• Persistent dry cough.
• Sore throat.
• Anemia.
• Fever.
• Constipation.
• Problems with blood clotting.
Since the above are common to minor ailments, patients often ignore the symptoms. It is advisable to consult a doctor if any of the above symptoms persist or if you feel you have been knowingly or unknowingly exposed to asbestos.
A doctor will:
• Take down a detailed medical history and try and determine the symptoms and risk factors.
• Do a thorough physical examination and check for signs of:
o Pleural effusion, fluid accumulated in the chest cavity.
o Fluid in the abdominal cavity.
o Pericardial effusion, fluid in the lining of the heart.
• Take a chest x-ray and check for thickening of the pleura, calcifications, and lowered lung fissures.
• Ask for a CT scan to determine clearly the location, size, and extent of the problem if any is suspected.
• Recommend tests of tissue samples and pleural fluids.
Other risk factors are cigarette or cigar smoking, exposure to radiation, exposure to zeolite a compound that is similar to asbestos, exposure to or infections caused by SV40, a Simian virus.
Those who work in a risky environment should wear protective clothing, have the surroundings tested regularly for suspended asbestos particles, and ensure that they have regular medical tests and report to the doctor any ailments that persist.
Being aware of the disease and its problems helps.
There are several methods of treatment for mesothelioma although none of these have a high success rate. In general, the chances of curing a mesothelioma patient depends on how much the cancer has developed and matured when treated. If tackled aggressively in its early stages, there is a good chance of survival. Due to the difficulty of diagnosing mesothelioma in its early stages, many mesothelioma treatments focus on improving the quality of life for patients.
Before a patient is treated upon, a doctor will decide what the best course of treatment is by considering the patient’s age, medical history, general well being and even weight. From here, the doctor will decide which of the three most common treatments are most suited to the patient’s condition. These treatments are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Surgery
Surgery comes in two different types. Aggressive surgery is treatment which aims to gain long term control against the cancer and palliative procedures which aims to just relieve the patient of symptoms.
Aggressive surgery involves removing the pleura, the lung, the diaphragm and the pericardium. This procedure is known as extra pleural pneumonectomy. The aim of this is to remove as much of the tumour as possible without harming the patient. However, this is a very risky type of surgery and the chances are high of patient fatality within a month. Due to this, only young, fit individuals are referred to this form of treatment. Palliative procedures involve removing just the pleura in order to control the symptoms of the cancer. This is performed when mesothelioma is in an advanced form and is impossible to cure.
Chemotherapy
This is the most commonly known cure of cancer. Chemotherapy uses drugs to treat mesothelioma although many of these drugs have a poor success rate on patients. Combinations of drugs are often used to improve their effect. Some of these combinations have proved to be effective. Chemotherapy of mesothelioma is being improved regularly as research labs and pharmaceutical companies are discovering new and more effective drugs.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy uses radiation to kill the tumour which mesothelioma creates. However, this procedure is extremely difficult because of where the tumour grows. Due to the closeness of the tumour and many vital internal organs such as the heart and lungs, doctors have to be very careful as to the doses of radiation they use. Lower radiation doses can be used however this lowers its effectiveness.
Dual Therapy
This is often used and is just a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy combined. Surgery removes the majority of the tumour cells while chemotherapy and radiation therapy work on removing the remainder. This is an effective method and also lessens the symptoms of the cancer.
Hiring a lawyer can be an intimidating process, especially if you’ve never hired one before. Mesothelioma and other asbestos-related cases are complex and require experienced. There are a few suggestions for your consideration for choosing a mesothelioma attorney
1. Check the attorney’s professional credentials
Carefully review the firm’s website and brochures, and check the attorney’s profile and rating. If you’re still unsure, ask for references.
2. Check to see if the lawyer is AARP-approved
If not, go to the AARP Legal Services Network to find an attorney. Besides being extensively screened by AARP to become approved, AARP attorneys offer AARP members a 20% discount on their standard legal fees.
3. Find an attorney with experience in mesothelioma litigation
Does your attorney have direct experience in mesothelioma litigation? Look nationally for a firm with a solid track record in this area.
4. Ask if your case will be handled individually
Some firms will accept your case, only to bundle it with a large group of similar cases. This practice tends to diminish the value of stronger cases in order to help weaker ones.
5. Make sure your attorney has trial experience
Many attorneys have limited trial experience. Although most cases settle out of court, a lawyer with a strong trial record puts you in a better bargaining position during the negotiating process.
6. Find a skilled negotiator
Does your attorney have training in negotiation? What is his or her settlement value track record? Even though most lawyers spend a much greater percentage of their time negotiating than trying cases, very few attorneys have training or expertise in this area.
There are great lawyers out there who are genuinely interested in helping others. Although selecting a qualified mesothelioma attorney is not easy, don’t get discouraged.
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer which is being discovered more and more frequently in elderly men. The most common cause of mesothelioma is from asbestos exposure and affects the membrane of many of the most vital internal organs such as the lungs and heart. Mesothelioma is particularly hard to diagnose because it shows similar symptoms to many other more common diseases.
The most common form of mesothelioma is called pleural mesothelioma. This type of mesothelioma accounts for 75% of all mesothelioma cases. Pleural mesothelioma affects the lining of the lungs and has symptoms such as chest pain, coughing, breathing and swallowing difficulties, shortness of breath, wheezing and weight loss. These symptoms apply to many less serious diseases but anyone with signs of these symptoms are strongly advised to consult their doctor as soon as possible.
A less common form of mesothelioma is peritoneal mesothelioma and this form of the cancer affects the abdomen. The tissue lining the abdomen is called the peritoneum and this is what is affected. Peritoneal mesothelioma accounts for 20% of all mesothelioma cases. The symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma are weight loss, abdominal pains, loss of appetite, weakness, nausea, and abdominal swelling. These symptoms become more and more severe as the cancer develops.
