Malignant mesothelioma - insidious occupational disease

Malignant mesothelioma - insidious occupational disease

Mesothelioma is an extremely malignant tumor that primarily affects the lungs. It comes from the middle pleura / mesotella /. Typical of this oncology is that the diagnosis is difficult and usually quite late. In addition, over the years, scientists have proven that the major cause of Mesothelioma is long contact between the patient and asbestos . This fact classifies this type of cancer as one of the most malignant occupational diseases of the modern world.

What is asbestos, which is referred to as the main killer of thousands of people around the world? Asbestos includes a large group of fibrous minerals. For the most part, they are magnesium silicates, which are resistant to fire and that is why they are very used in building materials. In frequent contact with asbestos, the fibers are inhaled and remain forever in the lungs, and there is no way they can be coughed or cleansed otherwise.

The first evidence of carcinogenic effects of asbestos dates back to 1950, but much later, the World Health Organization warned of the immense danger of its use. Since the mesothelioma disease was discovered by hundreds of construction workers who worked and had contact with asbestos in 1977, the material was declared a carcinogen and in the early 1990s the European Union banned it. Up to now, there have been over 3000 kinds of articles in which the asbestos was involved.

That is why the victims of asbestos continue to grow, and Mesothelioma has been a very insidious oncological disease with a long latency period and almost impossible early diagnosis. The disease begins to occur only 5-6 years after inhalation of asbestos and in most cases the symptoms are difficult to defy. Subsequently, it develops aggressively and lethally, and the treatment is almost without any effect.

Tumor causes pleural effusion but is also characteristic of other lung diseases and only pleural puncture with subsequent histological examination can give an accurate response to the type, extent of tumor development, and eventual involvement of other organs. In case of latent progression, the stomach and the heart can be irreversibly affected by fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity and development of ascites with subsequent abdominal swelling and intestinal obstruction. Pleural effusion may lead to a serious form of pericarditis. Affliction and pain in small joints are often experienced.

What are the first symptoms that most patients do not pay attention to?
Difficulty breathing and lower chest pain;
A dry, irritable cough that is attributable to smoking, and it itself as a factor further complicates the condition and damage of the tumor;
Weakness and easy tiredness.
All these symptoms and their gradual increase are the red paw for anxiety especially for people who have had contact with asbestos at some stage of their lives. Modern medicine already has very effective diagnostic methods, but treatment depends entirely on the stage of tumor development and the extent to which other organs are affected.

Ultrasound diagnosis detects the presence of pleural effusion and the need for a possible puncture for histological examination.

A X-ray study provides information on the presence of thickened lesions in the pleura.

Nuclear magnetic resonance can provide information as to whether or not there is any interference with other organs.

Malignant mesothelioma is a disease that in most cases has a fatal outcome and its treatment is entirely related to early diagnosis. It is usually the same as most malignant tumors - surgically followed by chemotherapy.

Unfortunately, in recent years, the number of people diagnosed with this disease worldwide has been rising steadily, with only 50,000 affected in 2013, and 35,000 people have died.

Early diagnosis provides better prognosis for treatment and that's why scientists are looking for early diagnostics. Often even cytology does not give true results as malignant cells are rarely found or hardly differentiated from non-small mesothelial cells. As a successful tool for early diagnosis in recent years, the measurement of tumor markers in exudative effusions is taken into account.

The evidence of malignant mesothelioma cells in pleural effusion is the most reliable diagnostic marker for mesothelioma. However, if malignant cells are not detected, the increased level of mesothelin may be a marker with a serious diagnostic value for malignant mesothelioma.

Physicians have also shown some genetic predisposition, which further complicates the condition of some of the patients and worsens their prognosis.