Mesothelioma Prevention
Reducing your exposure to asbestos may reduce your risk of mesothelioma. Most people with mesothelioma were exposed to the asbestos fibers at work. Workers who may encounter asbestos fibers include:
- Miners
- Factory workers
- Insulation manufacturers
- Railroad workers
- Ship builders
- Gas mask manufacturers
- Construction workers
Since the 1970s, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration have regulated the asbestos industry in the U.S. In the past, asbestos was used as a fire retardant and an insulator. Other products are now used in its place. The controversy involving exposure to different forms of asbestos continues.
There are two major types of asbestos: chrysotile and amphibole. It is thought that exposure to the amphibole form is more likely to cause mesothelioma. However, chrysotile has been used more frequently; hence many mesotheliomas are caused by chrysotile.
Removal is taking place in schools and other public buildings throughout the U.S. The hope is that these measures will greatly reduce the occurrence of this cancer.
Workers involved with it must take extra care and precautions to avoid contact through inhalation or swallowing. Low rates of Mesothelioma cases are detected for the past 20 years but nowadays, the number of affected individuals has been growing to a large degree. In United States almost 2,000 new cases are detected each year. It occurs mostly with men since they are commonly the ones involved in business and cases that involve the use of asbestos. Factory workers, miners, railroad laborers, gas mask makers, insulation workers and ship builders are the commonly asbestos related victims.
Furthermore, workplace regulations to prevent asbestos exposure require employers to frequently monitor and regulate the work environment in addition to providing their employees with protective clothing and respiratory equipment, sufficient hygiene facilities, routine medical exams, and training.
The Environmental Protection Agency recommends a number of steps and precautions people can take to help protect them against non-occupational asbestos exposure that may lead to mesothelioma. These mesothelioma prevention methods include, but are not limited.
Consultations:
Consultation with a pulmonary specialist is necessary if after an adequate antibiotic treatment the infection does not resolve within 2 weeks.
Even if the infection has resolved a chest radiographs are mandatory. A full evaluation by a pulmonary specialist and oncologist is required in cases when the patient has diffuse calcification of the pleura and a weight loss with chronic cough. If the initial workup is not diagnostic a referral for thoracoscopy is also required.
Family members of workers who are exposed to asbestos should also be evaluated.
Diet:
Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation always cause cachexia, so good supportive care and a regular nutritional status assessment are necessary. Patients should consult with a nutritionist.
Curiously women who eat ten servings of whole grain foods per week live longer with less disease. Nutrition expert, Professor David Jacobs, from the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota, established it.
Grains contain a lot of vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals fiber that helps to remove carcinogens from intestines faster, in this way lowering the possibility of cancer development and heart disease and maintaining blood sugar and insulin levels steady. As many researches have determined whole grain foods lower the cancer risk.
Activity:
Physical activity is important to reduce postoperative complications.
During last 50 years mesothelioma has become more prevalent. By now death is the only possible end in all cases of mesothelioma. Patients have survived 13 to 25 months when treated with the best available therapy. If the care is only supportive the median survival is about 9 months. So the earlier mesothelioma is diagnosed the more successful may be attempts to help preventing this tragic end.
There is a much greater chance of successful treating the disease if we could catch it before spreading beyond the lungs. After spreading of mesothelioma, the disease quickly kills the patient. If the disease is detected in early stage, treatments would be more effective.
Doctor should inform the patient that the earlier treatment can begin, the better chance for a longer life is.
