Multiple Sclerosis- what is it?

Multiple Sclerosis- what is it?

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) where the body’s own immune cells attack the nervous system.  In Multiple Sclerosis, inflammation of nervous tissue causes the loss of myelin, a fatty material that acts as a sort of protective insulation for the nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord.  This demyelination leaves multiple areas of scar tissue (sclerosis) along the covering of the nerve cells, which disrupts the ability of the nerves to conduct electrical impulses to and from the brain, producing the various symptoms of multiple Sclerosis.

Multiple Sclerosis-Causes, symptoms, and risk factors
The cause of multiple Sclerosis is unknown.  Geographic studies indicate there may be an environmental factor involved.  Multiple Sclerosis is more likely to occur in northern Europe, the northern United States, southern Australia, and New Zealand than in other areas.

Symptoms of multiple Sclerosis vary because the location and extent of each attack varies.  There is usually a stepwise progression of the disorder, with episodes that last days, weeks, or months alternating with times of reduced or no symptoms (remission).  Recurrence (relapse) is common although non-stop progression without periods of remission may also occur.

The exact cause of the inflammation associated with multiple Sclerosis is unknown.  An increase in the number of immune cells in the body of a person with multiple Sclerosis indicates that there may be a type of immune response that triggers the disorder.  The most frequent theories about the cause of multiple sclerosis include a virus-type organism, an abnormality of the genes responsible for control of the immune system, or a combination of both factors.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) affects approximately 1 out of 1,000 people.  More women are affected than men are.  The disorder most commonly begins between ages 20 and 40, but can strike at any age.  Risks include a family history of multiple Sclerosis and living in a geographical area with a higher incidence rate for multiple Sclerosis.

Need tip! Here you go.

A tip(idea) is an image existing or formed in the mind. The human capacity to contemplate tip(idea)s is associated with the capacity for reason, self-reflection, and the ability to acquire and apply intellect. Ideas give rise to concepts, which are the basis for any kind of knowledge whether science or philosophy.
However, in a popular sense, an tip(idea) can arise even when there is no serious reflection, for example, when we talk about the tip(idea) of a person or a place.
This source goes on to say that given the fact that the human mind in mature life is in possession of such universal tip(idea)s, or concepts, the question arises: How have they been attained? Plato conceives them to be an inheritance through reminiscence from a previous state of existence.
Sundry Christian philosophers of ultra-spiritualist tendencies have described them as innate, planted in the soul at its creation by a Diety. Empiricists and Materialists have endeavoured to explain all our intellectual tip(idea)s as refined products of our sensuous faculties.
For a fuller account and criticism of the various theories we must refer the reader to any of the Catholic textbooks on psychology. We can give here but the briefest outline of the doctrine usually taught in the Catholic schools of philosophy. Man has a double set of cognitive faculties sensuous and intellectual.
All knowledge starts from sensuous experience. There are no innate tips(ideas). External objects stimulate the senses and effect a modification of the sensuous faculties which results in a sensuous percipient act, a sensation or perception by which the mind becomes cognizant of the concrete individual object, e.g., some sensible quality of the thing acting on the sense. But, because sense and intellect are powers of the same soul, the latter is now wakened, as it were, into activity, and lays hold of its own proper object in the sensuous presentation. The object is the essence, or nature of the thing, omitting its individualizing conditions.
The act by which the intellect thus apprehends the abstract essence, when viewed as a modification of the intellect, was called by the Schoolmen species intelligibilis; when viewed as the realization or utterance of the thought of the object to itself by the intellect, they termed it the verbum mentale. In this first stage it prescinds alike from universality and individuality.
But the intellect does not stop there. It recognizes its object as capable of indefinite multiplication. In other words it generalizes the abstract essence and thereby constitutes it a reflex or formally universal concept, or tip(idea). By comparison, reflection, and generalization, the elaboration of the tip(idea) is continued until we attain to the distinct and precise concepts, or tip(idea)s, which accurate science demands.

Life After Multiple Sclerosis An MS Patient Goes Public!

About the author, MS, and Why FSBO

I retired from real estate in SW Washington, but only when I could no longer walk. Over three years previous, the doctors had said I needed to “Get rid of stress and stop working.” In denial, I was slow to accept Multiple Sclerosis. Who, after all, would embrace a diagnosis of the dread disease of no known cause, and for which there was no cure?  I continued to operate my own real estate company, increasing the number of experienced agents who required less hands-on supervision.

Putting renters in my house, I moved closer to my office, using a handicapped scooter to get back and forth on those days when I didn’t have appointments set up to ‘List’ or ‘Show’ homes. I refused to give up driving because one leg still worked, most of the time.

In hidden panic, I began to make more hasty decisions. On a week that required my personal intervention on behalf of two of my agent’s real estate transactions, I decided to sell my company. For a coffee cup, I traded my principle share of the real estate corporation to my new partner (another hasty decision), just to get out. I had no problem obtaining an Associate Broker position with one of the major corporations.

When it became apparent, even to me, that I could no longer provide the level of service I expected my clients to have, I took the Social Security Disability option. Gritting my teeth, while the mandatory waiting period ticked away, I tried to decide what to do with the remaining years of my life. Although I had once owned art stores, even taught oil painting, always the optimist, even I could not paint a portrait of future prosperity. I think they had a special on despair at the time, and I considered trading in my depression on it. At 53 years of age, with a pre-teen daughter yet to raise, and an ex-wife who couldn’t work, life looked pretty bleak.

A good friend suggested that I write a book. As I had published two poetry books twenty-five years before, I considered the possibility. In an attempt to overcome personal depression, I decided to write about making better choices. I chose a novel format because it allowed the freedom to develop hypothetical scenarios, involving fictional characters, while forcing awareness of real dangers. I wanted to make a compelling case for right choices, not just in marketing ones home, but in all aspects of life.

I’ve made a lot of mistakes. Most of us do. We live in troubled, unpredictable times. People must contend with changing economic issues, employment disruptions, family problems, health upsets, crime, and consequences. Through awareness, we can perhaps gain clarity when, standing flat-footed over home plate, the curve ball comes while we were expecting a fast pitch.

is a novel about people. Not perfect people. It begs the question, “What would For Sale By Owners do if they knew they were really buying trouble?” As former real estate broker, I am qualified to shed some light on this often un-addressed area of concern. Most agents are reluctant to tell people just how dangerous it is to open their doors to strangers.

Understandably, people who must sell homes do not want to pay brokerage fees, if they can avoid it. It is, absolutely their right to sell their homes themselves. But all too often, the man says, “We can sell it ourselves, Honey,” pops a FOR SALE BY OWNER sign in the yard, and goes off to his work. His wife then places an ad in the local newspaper, answers the phone, and sets appointments for the supposedly interested buyers to come see their home for sale. The danger is minimized.

I’ve had client wives tell me they had prayed that no one would call. Then, peeking out the curtains, they had decided not to answer the door. My father once told me, “Son, all crooks have honest faces.” What dad meant is that you can’t tell, by looking at someone, what their real intentions are.

If an effort to be professional, most agents do not wish to alarm or alienate home sellers who might list with them, later. I have no such vested interest.

Even real estate agents recognize they are placing themselves at risk when showing houses. Every year, many are abducted, robbed, murdered, and raped in this country. The National Association Of Realtors constantly warns agents to vigilant, careful whom they work with. Many Realtors© will no longer do “Open Houses” because it is simply too dangerous. The commission reward of marketing a home this manner, to them, is not in proportion to the risk.  Yes, I am passionate about the problem. My book doesn’t mince words. The serial rapist adds an eerie element, gives a fractured face to one possible perpetrator.

The diverse cast of characters, each with their own perspective, is largely unaware that they even have problems. Each is imperfect. All are preoccupied with their own survival. Maybe, through increased awareness, there is hope for us all?

The Image of MS

What does multiple sclerosis (MS) look like? The answer is not simple. However, a new photo exhibit is challenging public perceptions about MS, and helping put the disease in focus. In doing so, the exhibit is meant to encourage those with symptoms of MS to seek early diagnosis and treatment.

The exhibit, called “The Image of MS,” was photographed by famed photographer Joyce Tenneson and was recently on display at New York City’s Grand Central Terminal. According to Tenneson, the 27 photographs capture the “grace and courage in the everyday existence of people with MS.”

The exhibit is slated to visit several hometowns of the participants and can also be viewed at Symptoms of MS vary from person to person and can include fatigue, vision problems, weakness, numbness, tingling, stiffness, dizziness, loss of bladder control and slurred speech.

Among the 27 participants is Cindy Heitmann, 48, a native of Buffalo, N.Y., who more than a decade ago was diagnosed with MS after awakening one morning unable to move. Suddenly, the nurse of 20 years also became a patient. It took months of testing before doctors were able to finally diagnose her with MS.

Says Heitmann, who now travels the country encouraging others with MS to take control of their lives: “When someone looks at me, I want them to see me as a mom, as a wife, as a nurse, as someone who’s positive and supportive and active. I don’t want MS to stop me from doing anything.”

“MS is a potentially debilitating disease, so we need to strive to diagnose and treat it earlier to help halt or slow the damage,” said Barry G. W. Arnason, M.D., professor of neurology at the University of Chicago. “We need the public to be aware of the early symptoms and understand that treatments available today can help slow disease activity and help prevent the appearance of symptoms.”

The “Image of MS” campaign is sponsored by Berlex, Inc., marketers of Betaseron®, a medication indicated for the treatment of relapsing forms of MS to reduce the frequency of clinical exacerbations. There is no cure for MS. The introduction of Betaseron in 1993 heralded a new era in the treatment of relapsing forms of MS. The most commonly reported adverse reactions for Betaseron are lymphopenia, injection site reaction, asthenia, flu-like symptom complex, headache and pain.

The Signs Of Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis is an inflammatory disease of the Central Nervous System which consist of the brain and spinal cord. It is also called the disease of the “white matter” tissue. White matter consists of nerve fibers which are responsible for transmitting communication signals both internally within the CNS and between the CNS and the nerves supplying the rest of the body. Multiple Sclerosis can be very slow in destroying your CNS, which is why it makes it hard to characterize. People who are affected by this disease have patches of damage called plaques or lesions that seem to appear randomly on the CNS white matter. Multiple Sclerosis never affects any two people the same way and each intervals disease is unique only to him or her, just like fingerprints. The body’s immune system attacks the outer nerve sheath or myelin , which causes scarring or sclerosis , and this scarring interferes with the transmission of the signals required for normal operation.

The most common symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis are sensory in nature including tingling, peculiar nerve sensations such as a “pins-and-needles” feeling over part of the body, numbness or paresthesias, clumsiness, weakness of a let or hand, visual disturbances. Recent research indicates that the biochemical make-up of lesions may vary between different forms of the disease, causing nerve damage to one site usually causes completely different symptoms than damage to another, and this is one of the reasons Multiple Sclerosis differs so widely between people. People with Multiple Sclerosis can experience partial or complete loss of any function that is controlled by, or passes through, the brain or spinal cord. Inflammation happens in areas of the white matter of the central nervous system in patches and destruction of myelin is soon to follow. Myelin is the fatty covering that insulates nerve cell fibers in the brain and spinal cord. Other weaknesses occur in one or more of the extremities, slight stiffness or unusual fatigue of the limb, spastic involuntary movements, difficulty with bladder control, incontinence, vertigo, and in some cases mild emotional disturbances. Excessive heat may intensify symptoms.

Because the symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis vary and can be very unpredictable. It may affect the eyes first and usually only one eye at a time. One may notice blurred or double vision, blind spot, distortions of reds and greens, or blindness in both eyes. Certain muscles may become weak or extremely stiff and prone to spasms; you may start to have trouble talking because there are disturbance between the central nervous system and the rest of your body. Half of all patients with later stages of Multiple Sclerosis have problems with memory loss. Once a doctor suspects the disease he or she will order an MRI scan to look for signs on the brain and spinal cord. If you have any of the symptoms described here, go to your doctor and get checked out. The sooner you learn you have a disease, the sooner you can start fighting it.

Perminant Progressive MS (Multiple Sclerosis) One Victim’s Dated Report

Labor Day  2005

When, a couple of years ago, I wrote an article about my dread disease, I still had not fully comprehended how disabling Perminant Progressive MS can become. I had come to realize that my denial had delayed acceptance of the diagnosis, my fear had stampeded me to stupid decisions, and had found  by writing a novel  I could dispel depression. Yet, I could still walk, a little, and figured I would bounce back soon.

Reality catches up with most of us  sooner or later. Not that it is easy to accept. Although the ‘Docs’ said I had already passed from relapsing remitting MS ~ to Perminant Progressive MS  I thought I’d make a rather rapid comeback. Little did I know that I would become even more dependent upon another who deserved less defiance from one she had committed to share life with.

When I went from a cane to a four wheel walker with a seat  her stress level dropped dramaticly. I fell down a lot less too. My handicapped, motorized scooter had long since been dispensed with when I had left real estate and had decided I wouldn’t need it. Now, I have another. Now, I have a hard time getting out of the wheelchair onto it.

Perminant Progressive MS (Multiple Sclerosis) it’s called. “Progressive” has surely taken on more meaning ~as I can no longer walk  even with the walker. Accepting life in a wheelchair is a tough one. So is accepting the fact that keeping honeybees for BVT (Bee Venom Therapy) is not a realistic option for those of us that must now reside in apartments. “Perminant” is still not a diagnosis or concept that I am willing to accept.

Maybe, admitting to myself that I needed to use disposable briefs was the most major challenge? My caregiver’s sensitivity to provide a sightly container ~ rather than stack my diapers in a conspicious place (like on the back of the toilet) has made my right decision less embarrassing. Her rapid removal of soiled disposables helps too.

Like most of us MSers, I continue to seek the “Silver Bullet,” that non-traditional cure that conventional medicine which says there is none  doesn’t embrace. Okay, I have tried a few. Although some other MS victims have experienced significant improvements from these, Silver water, LDN, and various supplements, they haven’t worked for me. There are many weapons in the arsenal that I have yet to try.

Perhaps, my best weapon is faith? As Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not yet seen,” I continue to keep on hoping I am led to the answer of renewed health for myself. I also believe that I am where a very good God wants me to be ~ for His reasons.

If you have found my article because there is something in it you were supposed to see, I am delighted to have been of some small service. You might want to visit the website I am learning to build and attempt to maintain
To those of you who are affected by others with Multiple Sclerosis, I ask that you be patient with him or her. Pray for us. Hope we become more sensitive to how our compromised conditions impacts others  and that we make internal adjustments which will will be reflected in our outward actions.

For those who have Perminant Progressive MS, expect challenges. Accept  without resentment  the helps and aids which are made available. Become less of a problem for those who attempt to help you.

Mesothelioma

Tragically the word mesothelioma is becoming more and more well known, the mere mention of it striking fear into all of us for we know that it is associated with death.  Asbestos is the reaper, mesothelioma its hand maiden.

Asbestos, the wonder product of the fifties is now recognized as an enemy of the twentieth century. A ruthless enemy which will kill more people than the war.  Men, women and children will fall victim to its prey, innocents who have at some time in their lives inhaled asbestos dust.

Most of us have been in contact with products containing asbestos in our life times.  We sat in asbestos class rooms, stood beside our fathers as they cut asbestos fencing, pulled up old linoleum with asbestos clogged to the back of it.  Visited the local tip where broken sheets of it lay open to the wind.

Records show that there are a higher number of people afflicted with asbestosis and mesothelioma who have directly worked in asbestos mines, ship yards and companies making products from asbestos; however there are a large number of people afflicted, who have never worked in these industries.  Their contact with asbestos, due to the dust brought home on their husband’s clothes or from the asbestos tailings placed around mine houses and town perimeters.  But the tragedy does not end there, children innocently playing in their own back yards played amongst the asbestos tailings as children elsewhere play in the sand.  They had no way of knowing that their sand was asbestos blue.  A good bath at the end of the day may have removed the dust from the skin but the dust in the lungs remained and would lay dormant for many years before claiming its deadly legacy.

Without warning, a healthy individual suddenly becomes short of breath, x-rays reveal fluid on the lungs and the night mare begins.  Questions are asked and you answer, Yes, I was exposed to asbestos dust but I was only in the town for a few short months and that was over 40 years ago.  How can this be? This is the most perplexing thing about mesothelioma.  Why is there such a long period of time between inhalation of asbestos dust and onset of the disease?  What triggers a strong healthy body to suddenly succumb to it?  What can we do to prevent this from happening?

Blood tests are now available to determine whether mesothelioma is present in the body, before a person is aware of any symptoms.  This is an amazing breakthrough and perhaps the first step towards curing the disease before it becomes terminal.  Recently mesothelioma was cured in a mouse and attempts to give it back to the mouse were unsuccessful.  This too is exciting stuff and holds a glimmer of hope for us all.

I have witnessed first hand the devastation of mesothelioma. My husband was a strong and virile man who rarely had a sick day in his life.  Suddenly at the age of 52 he became short of breath and was subsequently diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma.  He had lived in the asbestos mining town of Wittenoom in Western Australia for a few short months at the age of seven.  The asbestos dust he inhaled then, took forty five years to become lethal.  I still find this hard to believe.

Despite his prognosis of three to nine months, Brian survived for two years.  He was 54 years old when he died.

Meshtholioma cancer cure treatment

If you or someone you love is suffering from mesothelioma, want to get relieve of it here is the accurate way. Have you lost hope of getting cured with it. Don’t get disheartened here we prop up you and treat with the natural supplements with no side effects.

Mesothelioma (also called asbestos lung cancer) is a disease that causes the deadly tumors to develop in the chest and lung cavity. This site is intended to guide as originality in treating this deadly cancer.

Mesothelioma (cancer of the mesothelium) is a disease in which cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide without control or order. They can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also metastasize (spread) from their original site to other parts of the body. It is a rare disease caused as a result of malignant cancerous cells lining the patient’s body cavities such as chest, abdominal region or the area surrounding the heart. This disease is very difficult to assess consistently due to the great variability in time before diagnosis and the rate of progression of malignant mesothelioma.

Even insignificant exposure to asbestos (commonly reported in such work environments as asbestos mills, mines, shipping yards, some older Navy ships or patients homes) is known to result in mesothelioma, which in many cases does not occur for decades after initial exposure to this cancer-causing substance. It is also known that family members of workers exposed to asbestos can contract this disease through exposure to the workers clothing. Smoking greatly increases the risk of contracting mesothelioma. Some of the earliest symptoms of mesothelioma can often be mistaken for less serious illness and are commonly overlooked. Some patients do not show any signs of sickness in the early stages of development of the disease. Most commonly the symptoms include dyspnea, pleuritic pain, lasting cough, fatigue, and weight loss. This disease is more common in men. Most cases of mesothelioma occur 30-45 years after initial exposure to asbestos. Once it develops, this cancer will continue to grow until it is treated. It is very important that the disease is diagnosed and treated as early as possible.

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. If tiny asbestos particles float in the air, especially during the manufacturing process, they may be inhaled or swallowed, and can cause serious health problems. In addition to mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer, asbestosis (a noncancerous, chronic lung ailment), and other cancers, such as those of the larynx and kidney.

Mesothelioma is a malignant disease that can affect the lining of any internal organ. Most often the pleural lining of the lungs and or the peritoneal lining of the organs in the abdominal cavity are affected. The plural lining of the lungs is affected when harmful amounts of asbestos are inhaled. When symptoms do develop they may include difficulty breathing, chest pain, and a chronic cough

The faster you consult the doctor and get specialized care the better your chances will be of dealing with this hazardous cancer. Please contact our doctor as soon as possible to get more information and cure the disease.

Many cancer treatment options are not very effective in treating mesothelioma. But at our center we provide you the treatment to reduce the disease and free you from the suffering from our specialist with the medication which are natural and no side effects.

Although reported incidence rates have increased in the past 20 years, mesothelioma is still a relatively rare cancer. 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.

Smoking does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma. However, the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure significantly increases a person’s risk of developing cancer of the air passageways in the lung.

People who work with asbestos wear personal protective equipment to lower their risk of exposure.

Treatment for mesothelioma depends on the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, and the patient’s age and general health. Sometimes, these treatments are combined.

Malignant mesothelioma – The cancer of the mesothelial cells

The diseased defined

Mesothelium is the protective tissue that covers the chest cavity, abdominal cavity and the cavity around the heart and also produces a special lubricating fluid that allows the internal organs of the body to move around. Malignant Mesothelioma can be defined as the cancer of the mesothelial cells which become abnormal and start dividing without any order. Majority of the mesothelioma patients have a prior history of exposure to asbestos.

Types of malignant Mesothelioma

Malignant Mesothelioma or simply Mesothelioma can be divided into 3 main types namely
-    Epithelioid
-    Sarcomatoid
-    Mixed/biphasic

Of these, Epithelioid is the most common (50% to 70% cases) and stands the best chance of recovery. Sarcomatoid type is seen in 7% to 20% cases whereas mixed/biphasic type is seen in 20% to 35% cases.

Approximately, ¾ of the total cases of Mesothelioma originates in the chest cavity (pleura) and is known as pleural mesothelioma. The cancer affecting the lining of the abdomen (peritoneum) is called the peritoneal mesothelioma and that affecting the “sac like” space around the heart (pericardial cavity) is called the pericardial mesothelioma. Mesothelioma at times also affects the covering layer of the testicles. However, the last two types of cases are quite rare.

Diagnosis of malignant Mesothelioma

The tumors of the mesothelium can either be benign (non cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). So whenever there are symptoms like shortness of breath, pain in chest/abdomen or swelling in the abdomen, you should consult your doctor immediately.

After the initial X-rays and scans, the doctor may look inside the chest cavity (in case of pleural tumor) with an instrument called thoracoscope and the test is called thoracoscopy. In case of tumor in peritoneum the doctor may go for peritoneoscopy with the help of a tool called peritoneoscope. Finally, if the abnormal tissue is found then a biopsy is done, whereby a piece of the unnatural tissue is cut out and placed under microscope for examination.

After the confirmed diagnosis of Mesothelioma it is also essential to ascertain its stages i.e. whether it is in localized stage or in advanced stage. In the localized stage, the cancer is found in the lining of the chest cavity or in the diaphragm or the lung. Advanced malignant Mesothelioma can again be divided into 3 stages namely stage II, III and IV. In stage II, the cancer spreads beyond the chest lining to lymph nodes and in stage III it spreads into chest wall, center of the chest, heart, through the diaphragm or abdominal lining, etc. The final or the fourth stage is the one in which the cancer has already spread to distant organs.

Treatment

Depending on the stage of the cancer, its location and the health, age and medical history of the patient, 3 types of treatments are mated out to malignant Mesothelioma patients – surgery (to remove the tumor), radiation therapy (application of high energy rays) and chemotherapy (usage of combination of drugs). This apart, if there is any accumulation of fluid in the chest or abdomen, then the doctor needs to drain it out and the process is regarded as thoracentesis and paracentesis respectively.

So be aware of the disease, such that you can prevent it at the very onset.

Malagnant Mesothelioma

Malignant mesothelioma is an uncommon, but no longer rare, cancer that is difficult to diagnose and poorly responsive to therapy. Malignant mesothelioma is the most serious of all asbestos-related diseases.
A layer of specialized cells called mesothelial cells lines the chest cavity, abdominal cavity, and the cavity around the heart. These cells also cover the outer surface of most internal organs. The tissue formed by these cells is called mesothelium.

The mesothelium helps protect the organs by producing a special lubricating fluid that allows organs to move around. For example, this fluid makes it easier for the lungs to move inside the chest during breathing. The mesothelium of the chest is called the pleura and the mesothelium of the abdomen is known as the peritoneum. The mesothelium of the pericardial cavity (the “sac-like” space around the heart) is called the pericardium
Tumors of the mesothelium can be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous). A malignant tumor of the mesothelium is called a malignant mesothelioma. Because most mesothelial tumors are cancerous, malignant mesothelioma is often simply called mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma was recognized as a tumor of the pleura, peritoneum and pericardium in the late 1700′s. However it was not until much later, in 1960, that this particular type of tumor was described in more detail and even more importantly, its association with asbestos exposure was recognized. The first report linking mesothelioma to asbestos exposure was written by J.C.Wagner, and described 32 cases of workers in the “Asbestos Hills” in South Africa. Since than the relationship between mesothelioma and asbestos exposure has been confirmed in studies around the world.
The incidence of mesothelioma in the United States remains very low, with 14 cases occurring per million people per year. Despite these numbers the noticed threefold increase in mesothelioma in males between 1970 and 1984, is directly associated with environmental and occupational exposure to asbestos, mostly in areas of asbestos product plants and shipbuilding facilities.

Although the disease is much more commonly seen in 60-year old men, it has been described in women and early childhood as well. The cause of the disease is not so well understood in these latter two groups, but there is some evidence of possible asbestos exposure for some of these cases as well
Mesothelioma is one of the deadliest diseases known to man; the average life span of an inflicted person from the time of diagnosis until death is less than 24 months. It’s a disease that strikes approximately 3,000 United States citizens each and every year; hard working people who have labored for a lifetime to provide for their families, doing the work that keeps this country running and a great place to live. They worked in factories, at shipyards, in mines, for the US military, as engineers, as pipefitters, as steel workers, as auto mechanics, and in so many other professions. They came home to their loved ones exhausted and covered in dirt and dust; tired, but content that they had a job and were providing for their family. Content that they were putting food on the table and a house over their loved one’s heads. Content that they were working to make a better life for their families in this generation and the next.
But what they didn’t know was that while they were working so hard, they were not only slowly killing themselves, but those that they were working so hard to help; their family, their loved ones.

What is the mesothelium?

The mesothelium is a membrane that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the body. It is composed of two layers of cells: One layer immediately surrounds the organ; the other forms a sac around it. The mesothelium produces a lubricating fluid that is released between these layers, allowing moving organs (such as the beating heart and the expanding and contracting lungs) to glide easily against adjacent structures.
The mesothelium has different names, depending on its location in the body. The peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity. The pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. The pericardium covers and protects the heart. The mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis testis. The tunica serosa uteri covers the internal reproductive organs in women

What Is My Diagnosis?
There are three types of mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the lung (pleura), peritoneal mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the abdominal cavity (peritoneum), and pericardial mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining surrounding the heart (pericardium). Sub-types (or cell types) of mesothelioma are epithelioid (the most common, and considered the most amenable to treatment), sarcomatous (a much more aggressive form), and biphasic or mixed (a combination of both of the other cell types).
The structural appearance of cells under the microscope determine the cell or sub-type of mesothelioma. Epithelioid is the least aggressive; sarcomatoid, the most aggressive. The biphasic or mixed cell type shows structural elements of both of the other two.