Pericardial Mesothelioma Cancer
If you have been diagnosed with pericardial mesothelioma, then you are afflicted with a form of cancer. This type of cancer causes tumors to form in your pericardium, which is the lining that surrounds your heart. Over time, the lining of your heart will become abnormal as the layers thicken and fluid builds up.
Pericardial mesothelioma is the most severe form of mesothelioma. It is also the most rare, with only an estimated 200 cases having been reported worldwide.
Asbestos
Physicians have found that a significant percentage of pericardial mesothelioma patients demonstrate a history of asbestos exposure. Asbestos is a fire-resistant material that was used by a number of building and manufacturing companies beginning in the 1940s. Later, asbestos was found to be highly toxic, leading thousands of workers in locations such as shipyards and construction sites to develop some form of mesothelioma.
While doctors have yet to draw conclusive evidence about how asbestos fibers become lodged in ones pericardium, it is thought that these fibers are inhaled, broken up in the lungs, and then travel through one's bloodstream until they reach the heart. Once these fibers become lodged in the heart's lining, they will begin to cause cellular damage to this area. Over decades, this damage will turn cancerous, leading tumors to form in the pericardium.
Pericardial Mesothelioma Symptoms
Because pericardial mesothelioma's symptoms are shared with a number of other ailments of the heart, it is difficult for a physician to quickly diagnose the disease. For this reason, it is recommended that you notify your doctor of any prior asbestos exposure immediately upon displaying any pericardial mesothelioma symptoms.
Symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma include chest pains, constant fatigue, an irregular heartbeat, fevers, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing while in a state of rest, and night sweats.
Pericardial Mesothelioma Diagnosis
As the diseases' symptoms are non-specific and take decades to manifest, doctors rarely diagnose pericardial mesothelioma in an early stage. If a doctor suspects that you are afflicted with the condition, they will subject you to a thorough physical examination and look through your medical history. From there, you may be subjected to body imaging scans, which can take the form of x-rays, computed tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
If your body imaging indicates the presence of pericardial mesothelioma, your cancer's point of origin will be revealed using a tissue biopsy. During this procedure, lining will be removed from your heart using a thin needle. Once the biopsy is concluded, you will know definitively whether or not you have pericardial mesothelioma.
Pericardial Mesothelioma Treatment
Because pericardial mesothelioma manifests in such close proximity to your heart, it is too risky for doctors to attempt potentially curative surgeries. There are, however, palliative techniques that physicians can use to treat your symptoms and improve your quality of life.
If you have been diagnosed with pericardial mesothelioma, please contact us today and we will help you find treatment.