Mesothelioma Basics

Mesothelioma is rare type of cancer that is caused by the exposure of asbestos. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that has been and is still used in various building and construction applications due to its fire-resistant and insulating properties. Asbestos exposure is often caused by inhalation or digestion of microscopic fibers. When the microscopic asbestos brought into the body (most typically through inhalation), the particles attach themselves to the mesothelial lining of the lungs and can also attach themselves to the lining of the heart and abdomen. Many construction workers, shipyard workers, Naval vessel crew, asbestos manufacturing plant workers, power plant workers and chemical plant workers (to name just a few) are typically the ones who develop Mesothelioma due to their exposure to the toxic asbestos.

People can develop Mesothelioma at any age, however, many do not see aparent symptoms until their 70's and 80's. Common therapies for Mesothelioma include radiation therapy, surgery, anticancer drugs, and chemotherapy. Though the effects of asbestos exposure are quite apparent, the United States has yet to ban the manufacture of cancer causing agent.

Symptoms of Mesothelioma of the Heart

Of the 3,000 cases of mesothelioma each year, the rarest is mesothelioma of the heart called pericardial mesothelioma. The causes of pericardial mesothelioma is still not fully understood by scientists and doctors. Many scientists believe that asbestos is inhaled and ultimately makes its way to the blood stream however this is still very much a theory.

What is known is that asbestos fibers get stuck in the pericardial membranes of the heart. Over time, the accumalation of these asbestos fibers cause changes in the cells of the pericardium often resulting in cancer. Once these cells become cancerous, the divide and multiply rapidly. As these mesothelioma cells increase in quantity, the pericardial membranes thicken resulting in tumors. This build up puts pressure on the heart.

Since pericardial mesothelioma is so rare, it has been difficult for doctors to create a list of recognizable symptoms. The problem is that symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma resemble symptoms of other heart diseases. If any of the following symptoms are occuring, it is advised that one should seek medical attention as soon as possible. Only a number of specific tests can determine whether mesothelioma of the heart is apparent.

Symptoms of mesothelioma (pericardial mesothelioma) of the heart include:

• Heart palpitations
• Chest pain
• Difficulty breathing (event at rest)
• Fever
• Night sweats
• Fatigue

Symptoms of Mesothelioma of the Abdomen

There are 3,000 cases of mesothelioma a year and of those cases, 10 to 20% of those cases are mesothelioma of the abdomen called peritoneal mesothelioma. Peritoneal Mesothelioma occurs in the abdomen that effect the mesothelial cells that form the peritoneum. The peritoneum is comprised of two layers that surround, support and protect organs in the abdomen.

Like the other forms of mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma is not complete understood as to how it forms. Many scientist believe that peritoneal mesothelioma is caused by one of two ways. The first theory is that asbestos is ingested and find there way to the digestive organs. The other way is by inhaling the asbestos fibers. The asbestos finds its way to the peritoneal membrane through the lymphatic system.

Regardless of how the asbestos fibers find their way to the abdomen, they can not be expelled. Over time, the peritoneum thickens often resulting in cancerous tumors. Like pericardial mesothelioma (mesothelioma of the heart) or pleural mesothelioma (mesothelioma of the lungs), peritoneal mesothelioma are vague and can often be confused with other non-serious diseases. However, if you or someone you know has been exposed to asbestos in the past 20 to 50 years (or ever), and you experience of the following symptoms, it is advised that you seek the consultation of a doctor. Only tests can determine if mesothelioma is present.

Symptoms of Mesothelioma of the abdomen area include:

• Night sweats
  
• Fever
• Weight loss that can't be explained
• Unexplained diarrhea or constipation
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Lumps under the skin on the abdomen
• Swelling and/or pain in the abdomen
• Anemia
• Fatigue

Symptoms of Mesothelioma of the Lungs

Mesothelioma of the lungs is called pleural mesothelioma. Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear for 20 to 40 years after exposure and sometimes longer. Around 3000 people are diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma each year. Roughly 2/3 of mesothelioma cases are Pleural mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma occurs in the lining of the lungs called the pleural membrane.

Pleural mesothelioma is caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibers. Once the asbestos fibers are brought into the lungs, they find their way to the pleural membrane. Over time, typically 20 years and more, the accumulation of these fibers begins to scare the lining of the lungs. The scaring causes tumor growth on the lungs and ultimately cancer. The cancerous cells prevent the creation of healthy cells and ultimately the pleural member thickens. As a result, lung capacity is reduced and fluid begins to fill between the pleural layers.

Symptoms of mesothelioma of the lungs (Pleural Mesothelioma) include:

• Dry or raspy cough
• Night sweats
• Fever
• Unexplained weight loss (10% or more)
• Difficulty in swallowing
• Fatigue
• Persistent pain in the chest
• Painful breathing
• Coughing up blood
• Wheezing
  
• Shortness of breath (even during rest)
• Lumps under the skin on the chest

Mesothelioma Diagnosis

Unfortunately, mesothelioma is a very difficult to diagnose as it is often detected well into advance stages of the disease. Often 20 to 50 years will go by from the initial asbestos exposure until characteristics of mesothelioma are evident. Typically, patients are often diagnosed with mesothelioma 3 to 6 months of first signs of the diseases which is most often abdomenal and chest pain and breathing problems.

Patients that are suspected to mesothelioma are given a number of tests to determine whether or not the disease is present. These tests include chest X-rays, CT scan, PET scan, and/or and MRI scan. These tests will determine if and where mesothelioma is present and at what stage.

Doctors will also do tissue and fluid tests (also known as biopsy tests) to determine if cancer cells are present. These tests involve small samples of body tissue and fluids. Such tests may include:

• Thoracoscopy test- a test that is used when pleural or pericardial mesothelioma is suspected. This test involves producing a small tissue through the chest wall via a small incision.
• Fine Needle Aspiration test - a long, hollow needle is used to extract fluid samples from such places as the pleural membrane of the lungs.
• Bronchoscopy and Laparoscopy test - similar to the thoracoscopy test but done in other areas of the body.
• Mediastinoscopy test - used to to view the lymph nodes in the chest and to see the stage of cancer and whether it has spread
  

Mesothelioma Awareness Ribbon

Spread the word about Mesothelioma with the Mesothelioma Awareness Ribbon. Post the ribbon icon on your blog or site. The Mesothelioma Awareness Ribbon can be found on the left column of our blog. If you have a Blogger (Blogspot) blog, simply click on the Add to Blogger widget button. If you have a non-Blogger blog or site, simple copy and paste the code underneath the Mesothelioma Awareness Ribbon widget button. Tell the world that you are concerned about the effects of Asbestos with the Mesothelioma Awareness Ribbon.

What is Mesothelioma?

1. Were you in New York City on September 11th, 2001? Have you visited New York since September 11th, 2001?

2. Have you taken a once in a lifetime vacation to Far Off Lands?

3. Have you been around building materials or work sites?

If so, you should tell your doctor when you’re diagnosed with – Mesothelioma.

What is Mesothelioma?

The National Cancer Institute states: "Malignant Mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer, is a disease in which malignant cancer cells are found in the sac lining the chest (the pleura), the lining of the abdominal cavity (the peritoneum) or the lining around the heart (the pericardium)."

If you or a loved one is diagnosed with Mesothelioma, by Googling Mesothelioma you will also discover hundreds of attorneys offering legal services and advice.

In plain, old, everyday English, Mesothelioma is cancer. Mesothelioma is a cancer that is solely caused by being exposed to asbestos.

Refreshing of the Online World

Online - online, and online every day to be saturated as well, not fun, but as a blogger anyway, I also need a really refreshing to withdraw. 

Search of an idea what can I do in fact also refreshing to not be easy, because my reading pile (which is still waiting list) was all the content related to internet marketing. So confused as well, like browsing, later tail-buntutnya even-even return to business online, and free holiday moment (take a break gitu loh). 

Friends online suggest that many travel, read, hear music, all I have to do every day but I still bored ya gitu loh: really need to charge n i recharge. 

And apparently I'm not just the noo, some friends online same tuh (who do I call ya, nggak ethical, hihi 

Finally yesterday with my spirit dech travel to bookstores, to store the bag, to the stationery store, so to some place, and ended with an entire magazine n philosophy books. 

It is true that the word love when we have a field, it is difficult to turn away from it, book selection that I'm not far from perencanaannya also blogging, because in addition to books that entertain, I also have plans to cultivate what I will read it the article also blog. 

Since a blogger, I want to share anything with anyone. What about people can be useful for others, it does not itch to be processed into an article and updated to the blog. 

Yes, that's the end of my refreshing, gather for weekend reading material, while to update itself. 

Indeed refreshing sometimes means really should avoid that which we become routine. If we continue to impose themselves, will not only saturated (low Batt) but even-even our creativity so mandeg (stop).

Asbestos Oddities Found in the Home and on eBay

by: amianthus

Since 1873 asbestos research and application began bringing safety, comfort and economy to millions of people. By the 1950's and 60's nearly an alphabet of products contained asbestos. Like asbestos, a natural oddity, this guide will deal with some of the more peculiar asbestos-containing materials that found there way into our everyday life.

Asbestos, to start, is derived from the Greek word 'unquenchable' or 'inextinguishable'. Asbestos is actually a commercial term for a naturally occuring mineral that could be one of six minerals that are fibrous, resistant to acid and alkaline solutions and stable at high temperatures.

Commercially, the asbestos mineral could be seperated by fibers to produce a mass of fibers that could be used in weaving cloth or be added to other building products such as cement to create an estimated 3,000 different materials.

From those 3,000 a few oddoties have been available on eBay. These oddoties are as follows:

* Sports Equipment Padding
* Books and Pages
* Cigarette Filter
* Home Hot Pads
* Artificial Snow
* Modeling Clay
* Sad Irons
* Tokens, Tags and Poker Chips

Sports Equipment Padding - Padding for sports equipment has evolved from bulk cotton and bulk wool to wool tubing, jute, pressed wool felt, and asbestos felt. Padding was used in baseball gloves and football helmets.

Books and Pages - Asbestos in book making has a long history as paper that resists high temperature, humidity, chemicals, micro-organisms, rodents and the sun rays. Also two books have been bound in asbestos cloth as promotional items.

Cigarette Filters - The P. Lorillard Company produced Kent cigarettes between 1952 and 1956 with a 'Micronite' filter. This filter was made of Crocidolite asbestos.

Home Hot Pads - Modern comfort and convenience in the home would be inconceivable without this mineral curiosity. Iron holders, mats and pads are just a few of the items lined or made with asbestos. These household items proved to be indispensable in protecting from heat and fire.

Modeling Clay - As a home made 'Asbestos Meal' in the children's craft book published in 1949 by the Children's Press Inc. of Chicago, Il. to a manufactured product called 'Fibro-Clay' by Milton-Bradley Company in 1967.

Sad Irons - Old style of iron placed on the top of a wood or coal stove and heated. The most common style of 'asBESTos' sad irons were manufactured by Dover Manufacturing Co. and consisted of a solid iron core with an asbestos-lined hood. The hood was also the handle that would clamp over the heated iron.

Tokens, Tags and Poker Chips - Carnival tokens, army dog tags and poker chips were all made out of a asbestos vulcanite material in various colors and numerous advertisements.

These oddoties and more can and have been found for sale on eBay. Use the Asbestos Historical Products and Literature guide for help searching.

The idea for Blogwalking

Friends - friends certainly know what it is blogwalking, ya .. blogwalking activity is walking to the other blog (most blog to friends, blog idol, rival blog, news, blogs are interesting and we like the attention). 

I own, including rare blogwalking, because I was often surprised at their own blog to see friends - friends of my good-good and interesting. Even so I rarely do not own minder. 

Anyway, blogwalking activities that are actually very useful for a internet marketer, because through blogwalking is an internet marketer can observe what happens with the surrounding, see the competitors, or simply to learn and explore new ideas from blogs other friends. 

I often get the benefit of a blog my friends, sometimes with something to read other people's blogs, so the idea arose to been in the 'land' itself. 

One thing that friends should avoid, namely action 'mencontek' blog the other, a creative banget dech, especially if that friend own blog, I feel ya man? 

When we like something on the blogs of others, and full of ideas developed into something new (memodel may, mencontek do not). 

Mencontek is not the creative, I'm sure my friends all have the ability to create a work of their own. A paper should not be perfect, because sometimes originality (authenticity) and the distinctive style of friends who become attraction. 

Ideas can come from anywhere, including from blogwalking, but 'work' must come from themselves, because the 'typical' friends is what will be the attractiveness of this paper.