The diagnosis of cancer always scares people. And when the cancer is as dreaded as Mesothelioma, there is no bind to the sorrow patient goes through. Among all the occupational hazards, Mesothelioma can be said as the most dreaded scare humanity faces. That is why patients with Mesothelioma should be rendered utmost care by society and family. Exposure to asbestos even though some decades ago, goes a long way in destroying the lungs of these patients unknowingly. Mesothelioma not only victimizes workers in the asbestos factory who have been around the dust and fibre for stretches but also people who wash the factory clothes (with asbestos dust from the factory) of a family member. The disease is more common in men than in women and can occur at any age. Smoking is in no way related to Mesothelioma but a combination of excessive smoking along with this disease can make life more difficult, increasing the chances of cancer in the air passages of the lungs.
Diagnosis of the disease is difficult but a detailed check on the patient’s medical history makes diagnosis possible. Symptoms of Mesothelioma may not occur for 20 or even 50 years of exposure to asbestos. But when they do, the disease is characterized by shortness of breath, chest pain, cough, blood in sputum, anaemia and fatigue. Extreme cases are characterized by masses of tumours. When tumours are formed, they manifest themselves in the form of improper bowel movements, abdominal pain and weight loss. More severe cases of sports symptoms like jaundice, falling blood sugar levels, blood clotting up in the veins and so on.
Small precautionary measures of safety at work like well-fitting masks are enough to curb the menace of Mesothelioma. But there is a need to educate employers and employees regarding the horrific consequences of asbestos exposure. The employers should also be warned against the possible lawsuit that may drag them to court after the diagnosis of Mesothelioma. They also will not be spared of the cries of patients that will haunt them incessantly.
It is important to be conscious of the occupational hazard that working with asbestos may have and make the employer take enough precautionary measures. When the whole society rises up to the legal use of asbestos because of its deadly fibres and dust, we perhaps will be somewhat in the right direction to check the occurrence of Mesothelioma.
Many help groups are working in order to help Mesothelioma patients. Treating Mesothelioma is a multi-faceted mode of therapy that includes surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and clinical trials. This may be very physically, mentally and financially draining to the patients. That’s why it is advisable that the patients file a lawsuit and gain much-deserved compensation from their past employers.
Getting diagnosed early is very important though to avail the benefit of varied treatments. Show your physician immediately if you start suffering from continuous cough, chest pain, breathlessness, and vague symptoms related to the lungs. Once the biopsy is done of lung tissue, diagnosis is easy. Let us try to conquer cancer!
