Pericardial Mesothelioma Information
What is mesothelioma? Mesothelioma is a deadly asbestos cancer that can appear in many different areas of the body. Pleural mesothelioma occurs in the chest cavity, while mesothelioma that occurs in the abdomen is called peritoneal mesothelioma. Pericardial mesothelioma affects the cells in the lining of the heart.
Pericardial Mesothelioma
Pericardial mesothelioma is a malignant mesothelioma that causes fluid to build up in the sac around the heart. Pericardial mesothelioma is caused by long-term asbestos exposure. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), pericardial mesothelioma is very rare, making up about 1 percent of all mesothelioma cases.
When asbestos fibers are inhaled into the lungs, they stick to mucus that lines air passages such as the nose and throat and can become lodged in the walls of the lung and chest wall. With time, some of these microscopic fibers are carried through the blood stream to the heart where they lodge in the surrounding membranous lining. The asbestos fibers can cause irritation and changes in the cells that eventually develop into pericardial mesothelioma.
Pericardial Mesothelioma Symptoms
Most pericardial mesothelioma symptoms resemble symptoms of other lung or heart conditions. If you have been exposed to asbestos and are experiencing these asbestos symptoms, ask your doctor about pericardial mesothelioma. Pericardial symptoms include:
- Chest pain
- Persistent cough
- Trouble breathing normally
- Fatigue
- Fever or night sweats
- Irregular heartbeat
- Heart murmurs
Pericardial Mesothelioma Treatment
Pericardial mesothelioma treatments include chemotherapy and surgery. Surgery can be done to remove the tumors in the sac around the heart. Other surgical treatments for pericardial mesothelioma include a pericardiectomy (removing the sac around the heart) or pericardial resection (removing portions of the sac around the heart). As with any form of the illness, there is no definitive cure for pericardial mesothelioma.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) lists drug therapies that are used to treat malignant mesothelioma of all types, pericardial mesothelioma included. The list includes generic names, brand names, and common drug combinations, which are shown in capital letters.
- Alimta® (Pemetrexed Disodium)
- Cisplatin
- GEMCITABINE-CISPLATIN
- Pemetrexed Disodium
- Platinol® (Cisplatin)
- Platinol-AQ® (Cisplatin)
Mesothelioma Help
If you or a loved one has a history of asbestos exposure and have been diagnosed with pericardial mesothelioma or asbestos-related disease, call Sokolove Law today.