Considerable contact to asbestos enhances the risk of lung cancer, mesothelioma and non-malignant lung and pleural disorders. Danger depends on length, regularity, concentration, & type of asbestos fibres.
Diseases from asbestos contact take a long time to expand. Most cases of asbestosis come about in asbestos workers 15 or more years after initial exposure to asbestos.
Smoking very much increases the possibility of lung cancer in workers exposed to asbestos (even though smoking does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma).
Mesothelioma (asbestos cancer)
Mesothelioma is a unusual cancer which may affect the lining of the lungs (pleura) and the abdominal cavity (peritoneum). Most mesotheliomas are caused by exposure to asbestos. Most cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed 30 years or more after the first exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma appears more often in men than in women. Risk increases with age.Symptoms & Signs
- Shortness of breath (this is the primary symptom)
- A persistent and productive cough
- Chest tightness
- Chest pain
- Loss of appetite/weight loss
- A crackling sound in the lungs while inhaling.
Diagnosis
- History of asbestos exposure.
- Chest X-rays are the most common method of detecting asbestos-related disorders.
- Other tests:
- Physical Examination
- Pulmonary Function Tests
- Biiopsy/Bronchoscopy
- CT scan
Treatment
Healing for mesothelioma depends on the location of the cancer, the stage of the sickness, and the patient's age and general health. Typical treatment options consist of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Occasionally, these treatments are combined.
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