Accounting for only about 1 percent of all mesothelioma diagnoses, pericardial mesothelioma is the rarest form of this cancer caused by asbestos exposure.
If you or a family member was diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestos-related lung cancer, Brooklyn mesothelioma lawyer Joseph P. Williams and the team at The Williams Law Firm, P.C. are ready to help. An experienced trial lawyer and respected advocate for asbestos exposure victims and their families, Mr. Williams can reduce some of the burdens families dealing with these devasting diseases feel by fighting for just financial compensation.
Symptoms of Pericardial Mesothelioma
Your pericardium in the dual-layered membrane that surrounds your heart. It is responsible for lubricating the heart as well as preventing excessive dilation, protecting against infection and limiting heart movement. Linked to asbestos exposure, pericardial mesothelioma affects twice as many men as women and is often not diagnosed unit the disease is in an advanced stage. Symptoms that may indicate this particular type of mesotheliomainclude:
- Irregular heart beat or heart murmur
- Chest pain
- Chronic coughing
- Night sweats
- General fatigue
- Difficulties breathing, particularly while lying down
While these symptoms are common with various other physical disorders and diseases, if you have been exposed to asbestos at any time in your life it is important to talk to your doctor if these symptoms occur. It can take decades, sometimes upward of 50 years, for pericardial mesothelioma to exhibit symptoms. Although there is no cure for pericardial mesothelioma, it is possible to extend life expectancy and improve quality of life with early detection and treatment.
Treating Pericardial Mesothelioma
Surgical intervention is often the most effective mesothelioma treatment, but because the pericardium surrounds the heart, surgery is not possible in advanced stages of pericardial mesothelioma. However, when pericardial mesothelioma can be diagnosed in its earliest stage, a pericardiectomy may be the most effective option.
This type of surgery removes small, localized tumors and can also relieve pressure and minimize fluid build up, allowing the heart to continue functioning as normal. This is not an option for all patients, but remains the only proven way to extend life expectancy with this disease.
Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are considered minimally effective for pericardial treatments, often leaving palliative treatments such as pericardiocentesis, needle aspiration or pain medications as the only option. It is important to remember that palliative treatments are not capable of extending life expectancy, though they can greatly increase comfort and improve your overall quality of life.
0 comments:
Post a Comment