9/5 MesoRC Blog

Please add updates@feedmyinbox.com to your address book to make sure you receive these messages in the future. MesoRC Blog Second Hand Asbestos Exposure September 4, 2009 at 3:27 pm Many of us are aware that exposure to asbestos could put us at risk for developing mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other asbestos-related diseases.  Often when a person develops symptoms that could be associated with asbestos exposure his/her medical provider will ask about possible asbestos exposure.  Sometimes providers and patients focus on the individual and forget to review other family members possible asbestos exposure.   It's important to look at ways you may have been exposed to asbestos second hand.  You may want to review the employment and military histories of your spouse, parents, siblings, or other close relatives who may have worked around asbestos and brought it home.  The small asbestos fibers could have been brought home on a loved ones hair, clothes, and shoes.  People have developed asbestos-related illness from hugging their loved ones when they returned from work or from doing their laundry that was covered with asbestos dust.   Unfortunately, I am hearing about more cases of mesothelioma from second hand exposure.  It's another sad way asbestos is affecting families.  If you have a loved one who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease and you are experiencing any symptoms, you may want to talk to your medical provider about the risks of second hand exposure.   Read about a Woman killed by father's asbestos dust on overalls Diagnosing Mesothelioma September 4, 2009 at 3:26 pm Mesothelioma is difficult to diagnose because the symptoms may be confused with other illnesses.  It's also challenging because it is a rare disease affecting only about 3000 people each year and medical providers may not be familiar it.  Only an MD can properly diagnose mesothelioma, lung cancer, or an asbestos-related illness, but you can educate yourself about the disease and some of the tests used to diagnose it.  I encourage my clients to consult a physician with experience in the evaluation and management of asbestos-related disease because they have additional training and keep up with advancements in this area.   At this time there is not a standard test used to diagnose mesothelioma.  I hope that with increased research we will get to that point someday.  Currently medical providers use a series of tests and a full history to diagnose mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other asbestos-related illness.   Providing a complete history of asbestos exposure and any family history of asbestos -related disease will help your doctor to make an accurate diagnosis.   Your doctor may use a combination of the following tests to make a diagnosis: Chest x-ray Abdominal x-ray Chest CT scan (computerized axial tomography) Abdominal CT scan Chest MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) Abdominal MRI Pulmonary function tests Biopsy of lung tissue or peritoneal tissue PET scan Thoracentesis – a procedure where a needle is inserted into the chest to drain accumulated fluid using gentle suction. This fluid can be tested for the presence of cancer cells. Video-Assisted Thorascopic Surgery (VATS) – a minimally invasive procedure performed while the patient is under general anesthesia, where several small incisions or "ports" are made through the chest wall. The surgeon then inserts a small camera, via a scope, into one incision, and other surgical instruments used to retrieve tissue samples into the other incisions. By looking at a video screen showing the camera images, the surgeon is able to complete whatever procedures are necessary.  Biopsies can be obtained this way. Thoracoscopy - a procedure where a small incision is made into the chest wall, and a scope is inserted to look inside the chest cavity. Peritoneoscopy– a procedure where the physician looks inside the abdomen with a special tool called a peritoneoscope. This scope is put into an opening made in the abdomen. This test is usually done in the hospital under a local anesthetic. Paracentesis – a procedure where a needle is placed into the abdomen to drain accumulated fluid from the abdominal cavity using gentle suction.   This email was sent to mesoth3@gmail.com.  Create Your Account Don't want to receive this feed any longer? Unsubscribe here.