Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is fatal, mainly due to the exposure / exposures of certain types of asbestos. Asbestos, or commonly known as asbestos, is the material that was once widely used in building construction.

In developed countries, the use of asbestos has been very limited. But in Indonesia, the use of asbestos is still quite popular (even my own house any use of this material as asbestos roof kitchen).

In Yogyakarta, after the earthquake on May 27, 2006, which is about 3 years ago, many homes are rebuilt using asbestos to the roof of the house, instead of tiles, because asbestos is cheaper and lighter than the tile plus wood.

Its users generally do not understand or do not care, about the dangers of the use of asbestos material as the roof for people who live under it. Or they do not care because there was no fee for using other materials more secure.

Asbestos is a carcinogen (cancer trigger) on humans, and if exposed to this material can cause mesothelioma. This disease affects the lungs, abdominal cavity, or heart.

According to the about.com site, there are three types of mesothelioma:

* Pleural: pleural mesothelioma affects the pleura – the membrane that lines the lungs. This type of mesothelioma is the most common.
* Peritoneal: Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the peritoneum – the membrane that lines the abdominal cavity.
* Pericardial: Pericardial mesothelioma affects the pericardium, the membrane covering the heart. These types are the most rarely found. Suffered by about 5 percent of the people affected by this cancer.

Explanation of mesothelioma below I have get from the about.com site, made Lisa Fayed, and their contents have been reviewed by the Medical Review Board.

Mesothelioma Causes
Exposure / exposure from asbestos is the number one cause of mesothelioma. Asbestos is a mineral that is fibrous (stringy), the former is found in various types of industrial equipment providers and building materials. Asbestos was used until approximately mid-1970s, when the risks from these materials terpaparnya been proven. This material is still in use today, but in a very limited capacity.

As a result of asbestos exposure does not directly cause cancer. It took many years for cancer cells to establish themselves and cause various symptoms. The workers exposed to asbestos in the year 1950, 60, and 70’s, only now been diagnosed with mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma symptoms

Mesothelioma symptoms arise indirectly exposed to asbestos, takes about 25 to 50 years after first exposure. The disease develops very slowly that usually attacks adults middle age to old, long since they were exposed to asbestos.

Mesothelioma symptoms vary depending on its type of mesothelioma, but the symptoms generally are as follows:
* Shortness of breath or shortness of breath
* Pain in the chest
* Cough continually
* Sounds like someone whistling breath
* Abdominal swelling
* Abdominal pain
* Changes in the habits of the stomach / intestine
* A lump / mass of stomach

Many of these symptoms are not specific, which means that if the symptoms arise like this, it does not mean suffering from mesothelioma. However, if seen there the previous asbestos exposure, you may need a doctor to evaluate presence or absence of mesothelioma. It is important that doctors became aware of previous asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma is a rare disease, so that could have been overlooked in the diagnostic process.

Many people who suffer from mesothelioma, a pleural fluid (pleural effusion) that can be seen with chest X-ray. Pleural effusion is a condition characterized by the accumulation of fluid between the lung and the chest wall.

Other tests that can give the picture of this is: MRI, CT scans, and PET scans can be used to examine the chest and abdomen to investigate if any abnormalities.

In the end, a biopsy is to determine the presence or absence of mesothelioma. Biopsy is the act of taking a small amount of tissue for examination by a Patologist (expert various diseases). Screening biopsy (examination of tissue taken it) to see whether or not there as mesothelioma dijalankannya done thoracoscopy procedures.

If it is determined that there is mesothelioma, through microscopic analysis by a pathologist, then the next thing to do is to find how far the development of this mesothelioma. This is important to determine the next treatment plan.

Care / Treatment Mesothelioma

This section is primarily a reference for pleural mesothelioma, mesothelioma types the most common.

Mesothelioma treatment varies depending on how far the disease has developed, and various factors such as age, and other health considerations such as the function of the heart and lungs. In most cases mesothelioma, surgery performed to relieve the symptoms or complications of this disease, but not necessarily cure. After all, surgery, combined with other treatment methods, can extend life span. Rarely surgery is intended to “cure” mesothelioma.

Surgery is intended for the treatment of mesothelioma include:

* Pleurectomy:

Type of surgery is for patients who suffered from mesothelioma in the early stages. At pleurectomy, part of the pleura (the lining of the lungs) was appointed, in an effort to remove all the cancerous tissue. Sometimes during the operation pleurectomy, proved that this surgery will not be effective to remove all cancerous tissue, and instead takes a more aggressive surgery such as pneumonectomy.
* Extrapleural Pneumonectomy:

This type of surgery raised the lungs, the pleura (pleura), pericardium (lining of the heart), and some of the diaphragm. This is a very aggressive surgery and is intended for people who have lung and heart are still working to survive in such surgery. Only doctors who are highly experienced experts in the surgical extrapleural pneumonectomy should do it. This surgical procedure is very complex, even those who might be healthy enough to do it too, chose not to do.

Pleural effusions are common in people who develop mesothelioma, and can cause difficulty breathing and chest pain. This fluid can be drained. A procedure called pleurodesis can be done to prevent this happening again fluid. Once again, this approach is not to heal, but it certainly can improve the quality of life, reduce pain and discomfort.
Radiation Therapy for Mesothelioma Treatment

Radiation therapy is also an option for treating people who suffer from mesothelioma. This type of treatment uses certain types of waves of high-energy radiation beam to minimize or eliminate the tumor cells of cancer. Radiation therapy works by damaging the DNA of cancer cells, making them unable to reproduce themselves. Although radiation therapy can damage healthy cells nearby, cancer cells are sensitive to radiation, and typically die when treated. Healthy cells are damaged when the radiation is usually resistant and often able to recover fully.

In the case of mesothelioma, radiation therapy used as adjuvant therapy (supportive therapy following surgery), which is given along with surgery or chemotherapy. Sometimes all three methods are used as a series of treatments called trimodality therapy.

Chemotherapy can also be recommended for treatment of mesothelioma. The drugs work by eliminating cancer cells that reproduce rapidly, yet, there are also healthy cells in the body of another who also reproduce rapidly, such as cells of hair follicles. Unfortunately, most chemotherapy drugs can not distinguish them, then attack healthy cells and cause side effects, like hair loss.

When an Oncologist (cancer specialists) recommend chemotherapy for someone who is suffering from mesothelioma, a type of therapy is called combination therapy is often recommended. Combination therapy using two chemotherapy drugs, instead of just one drug, which was more effective in the treatment of mesothelioma. Alimta is one of the most common drug used in combination therapy of chemotherapy drugs used in the treatment of mesothelioma. He is often used in combination with cisplatin.

Once again, as well as other treatment methods, the goal of chemotherapy is not to heal, but to improve the quality of life by pressing and relieve the symptoms and complications of this disease.

By knowing the dangers of asbestos exposure, then it is time for us to raise awareness to reduce the use of asbestos as a building material. Moreover, the recent earthquake also occurred in Tasikmalaya and damaging several buildings there.

For the reconstruction of houses damaged / destroyed by the earthquake, we need to consider the material or construction materials used and what, as much as possible, choosing to use materials that are safe to health.