Mesothelioma Lung Cancer - Symptoms of Mesothelioma Lung Cancer

Mesothelioma Lung Cancer

Mesothelioma Lung Cancer - Symptoms of Mesothelioma Lung Cancer

Due mostly to the explosion of airborne carcinogens resulting from rampant industrialization and development and increased use of fossil fuels, mesothelioma lung cancer has now become the world's most important cause of cancer deaths.

Men run the greatest risk of developing the disease, but the number of cases among women is on the rise.

Mesothelioma Lung cancer is normally attributed to cigarette smoking and this indeed is a main risk factor; however, exhaust from fossil fuels such as gasoline, diesel and coal play a part, as does asbestos exposure.

Everyone knows that both asbestos and smoking cause lung cancer. When, however, a history of cigarette smoking is combined with a history of work-related exposure to asbestos, a person is at a much higher risk for developing lung cancer than if he or she was only exposed to asbestos or only smoked cigarettes.

The majority common asbestos cancers, like mesothelioma, are found in present or ex-smokers who have occupational exposure to asbestos such as workers in aluminum plants, oil refineries and chemical plants.

X-ray is often first indication, pathology from biopsy, or operation, generally required for confirmation of disease.

Types of Lung Cancer

Lung cancer may be of the non-small cell type, (NSCLC) or small cell cancer (SCLC). NSCLC is more common, accounting for 75 percent of all lung cancers.

NSCLC has three categories:

Adenocarcinoma

Large cell carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma is the most prevalent, accounting for 40 percent of all NSCLCs. This form of lung cancer stems from abnormal enlargement of cells that lines the air sacs in the lungs, known as alveoli. Roughly 20 percent of lung cancer cases are of the squamous cell type also known as epidermoid carcinoma, this form of cancer begins in the thin, flat cells. Large cell carcinoma is relatively rare and can affect any number of cells.

Although mesothelioma can affect the respiratory system as well, it has been identified as a separate type of asbestos cancer since 1960. However, mesothelioma lung cancer itself can also result from contact to asbestos and the chances of developing the disease increase considerably with smoking. Asbestos contact is one of the main risk factors for developing mesothelioma cancer but can be a factor in lung cancer diagnosis as well.

Age and gender (most victims are men over age 40)

Radon exposure

Agent Orange (a defoliant used during the Vietnam conflict)

Nuclear radiation (particularly depleted uranium)

Second-hand smoke

Symptoms and Diagnosis

Diagnosing lung cancer can from time to time be difficult, in part, because the symptoms can often mimic those of other respiratory disorders, and typically are not severe during the early stages. These include:

chest pain

coughing up blood

fatigue

hoarseness

neck and face swelling

persistent chest, shoulder, or back pain

frequent bronchitis or pneumonia

Lung cancer patients' prognoses depend on how advanced their cancer is, how or if it has metastasized, and their age and universal overall health. Common lung cancer treatments include chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery. Some aggressive treatments include a combination of all three.

Once the diagnosis of cancer is confirmed, the oncology team will need to determine how far the cancer has advanced and whether or not it has spread. In the case of SCLC, there are only two stages in which the disease is considered limited or extensive. Most cases of SCLC are treated as advanced because it spreads very forcefully.

When the cancers are diagnosed early, survival rates significantly get better. When lung cancer is diagnosed while the tumor is localized, the five-year survival rate is approximately 53 percent. In one pleural mesothelioma study conducted at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 46 percent of patients with stage I disease survived further than five years. (These patients all had an epithelial cell type and successful surgeries that cleared nearly all tumor cells.)

Despite some similarities, pleural mesothelioma and lung cancer are separate conditions that require different treatment plans to extend survival. It is important for patients with either cancer to work with a specialist who can offer expertise in the latest available treatments.