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Pericardial
Mesothelioma
Pericardial mesothelioma is the rarest of the three forms of
asbestos caused cancer. Accounting for less than 10% of all
mesothelioma cases universal, the pericardial form of the disease
attacks the lining of the heart, known as the pericardium. It
affects the pericardial membrane that surrounds and protects
the heart. Symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma are similar
to other forms, although heart palpitations are more common.
Pericardial mesothelioma, or mesothelioma of the pericardium,
is a sickness that affects the lining of the heart. It is a
general misconception that mesothelioma is a type of primary
lung cancer; it is not. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the serous
membranes
What Causes Pericardial Mesothelioma?
Prolonged revelation to asbestos is to this day the only known
cause of pericardial mesothelioma as well as the other types
of the disease. With mesothelioma, loose asbestos particles
are inhaled and collection in or near the interior organs, most
often the pleural, which is the lining of the lungs.
There is no exact answer as to how an personality develops pericardial
mesothelioma and how the dangerous asbestos fibers make their
way into the pericardium. Once lodged in the pericardium, the
chronic irritation process, which leads to the structure of
cancerous growths or tumors, is equivalent to what occurs in
the more common pleural mesothelioma.
Symptoms of Pericardial Mesothelioma
As with both the pleura and the peritoneum, the growth of tumors
in the pericardial region causes the expansion of tissue and
allows fluid to accumulate around the heart. These symptoms
include:
• Chest pain, ranging from uncomfortable to severe
• Shortness of breath
• Heart palpitations
• Persistent coughing
• Extreme fatigue after minimal activity or exertion
Pericardial mesothelioma resembles the other types of asbestos
caused mesothelioma in that the symptoms are often mistaken
for impressive more common Symptoms can vary with each enduring
and can be affected by a number of variables, including the
position and size of the tumors and the overall fitness of the
patient. The age of the patient may also feature into the equation.
A thorough unwearied history is the key to the proper diagnosis
of the disease. Because this is a rare disease, other diagnoses
are regularly considered before doctors investigate the possibilities
of mesothelioma.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Because the diagnostic abilities of traditional x-rays are limited,
doctors will regularly order a more sophisticated test that
gives them a better look at the internal organs, such as a CT
scan or MRI.
The CT scans and MRIs can lead doctors to their subsequently
step in diagnosing the sickness. A biopsy is a medical procedure
that uses a thin needle to remove tissue from the affected area.
In this case, a biopsy of the pericardium - the lining around
the heart - would be performed. While the test may sound frightening
and can be uncomfortable, it takes just a few minutes and doctors
will do everything probable to lessen any discomfort. Results
of the biopsy - which can sometimes take more than a week -
will confirm or deny the diagnosis of mesothelioma.
If tests are positive for mesothelioma, patients will perhaps
be given a choice of just a few options. Because the illness
is regularly diagnosed in its late stages, due to the fact that
it can lay dormant for up to 40 or 50 years, options are less
than for cancers that can be diagnosed early.
Surgery is infrequently recommended in the case of pericardial
mesothelioma. If it is suggested, it may be used to take away
a small piece of the artificial pericardium or to remove the
liquid around the heart.
Because there is no cure for this or any type of mesothelioma,
oncologists will generally suggest sedative measures that relieve
symptoms, reduce pain, or recover the overall eminence of life
for the patient. These treatments include radiation, which is
used to condense the build up of fluid.
Prognosis
Doctors and research scientists are still thorough for a way
to cure mesothelioma or at least enlarge the life of those suffering
from all types of the disease. Few last longer than a year.
Diagnostic aids that will result in prior diagnosis of mesothelioma
are at this time being tested and other forms of action are
being surveyed in clinical trials, all in hopes that the lives
of mesothelioma patients can someday be prolonged.
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