Commercials

I was watching TV this morning and I've noticed that there more and more commercials about Mesothelioma Cancer and how people acquire them. Also, there are commercials where they tell you how to get help.

To tell you honestly, I have no idea what is Mesothelioma and how you can get it until I started taking Biology classes. So I was always intrigued and I always asked my husband what was it all about. It helps to know that there are help out there for people who were exposed.

According to National Cancer Institute:

Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and risk increases with age, but this disease can appear in either men or women at any age. Mesothelioma is still a relatively rare cancer. About 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year.

Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma. A history of asbestos exposure at work is reported in about 70 percent to 80 percent of all cases. However, mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos.

Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 30 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleura are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and abdominal pain and swelling due to a buildup of fluid in the abdomen. Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.

These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions. It is important to see a doctor about any of these symptoms.

Personally for me anything that has something to do with cancer is scary. I always have this mind set that whenever someone is diagnosed with cancer, any type of cancer will passed away of cancer.

So if you think that you may have been exposed to asbestos or that you suspect or encounter of these symptoms, its best to consult a doctor. Only a doctor can make the diagnosis.