Posts Tagged ‘asbestosis’
Introduction to Asbestos from 1959
This clip is from the 1959 film, “Asbestos: a Matter of Time,” by the Bureau of Mines (US Department of the Interior.) The entire film is available on GoggleVideo. This clip describes key properties of asbestos and some of its uses in the 1950s. Inhaling asbestos dust, can cause asbestosis, lung cancer and esothelioma. Asbestos manufacturers knew of these diseases by the 1930s. Tens of thousands of (mostly) workers have been made sick and died from asbestos exposure.
Source: youtube.com
Tags: AHERA, asbestos, asbestosis, EPA, history, hygiene, industrial, medicine, occupational, OSHA, Safety, worker
Mesothelioma Keywords
Alveoli: tiny air sacs present in the lungs that help in oxygen/blood exchange. Alveoli are the cells that are mostly affected by asbestosis
Asbestos: the name given to 6 naturally occurring fibrous minerals that are used in insulation, construction and various other industries for their fire resistant property
Asbestosis: scarring and damaging of the lung tissues caused by inhalation of asbestos fibers and dust or asbestos exposure
Benign: a condition that is not dangerous or life threatening
Biopsy: removal of the abnormal tissues or cells with help of a needle to check for cancerous growth in that particular area of the body
Bronchoscopy: a thin lighted tube called bronchoscope is inserted through the nose or mouth to examine the breathing passage at the entrance of lungs
Butchart staging system: staging system with I to IV stages, to judge the stages of mesothelioma cancer depending on the scarring of the tissues
Cancer: abnormal or uncontrolled cell growth that is caused by mutation of cellular DNA. Cancer is benign or malignant/fatal
Chemotherapy: a form of cancer treatment by drugs given in form of pills or injected in the veins. It helps to kill the cancerous cells
CT scan: a type of x-ray that takes cross sections pictures of the body and shows mesothelioma affected areas
Curative treatment: treatment that aims to produce a cure of the disease
Gene therapy: of mesothelioma treatment that affects the way the body recognizes cancer
Immunotherapy: a new kind of treatment that induces a pro-inflammatory response
Latency period: the time period between the actual exposure to a harmful agent like asbestos and the appearance of cancer symptoms like mesothelioma
Malignant: cancerous growth of cells that can prove fatal if not controlled on time
Mesothelium: tissues formed by the special cells lining the chest, abdominal cavities and lungs. Mesothelium produces a lubricating fluid that helps organs to move freely
Mesothelioma: a cancer of the lining of the lungs, chest and stomach caused by inhalation of asbestos dust and fibers or asbestos exposure
Metastasize: a cancerous growth that invades a healthy organ or tissue from an already affected organ
Multimodal therapy: use of more than one kind of treatments to kill the mesothelioma cells
Pericardium: the lining of the chest or the sac that contains the heart and produces fluid that allows the heart to beat easily
Peritoneum: the lining that surrounds the abdominal cavity or the stomach and secretes fluid needed to ensure proper movement of stomach and intestine
Pleura: the lining of the lungs that secretes a fluid which allows the lungs to move as they inhale and exhale
PET scan: (Positron Emission Tomography Scan); a procedure in which a small amount of radioactive glucose is injected in the body and a scanner is used to make detailed pictured of the area where glucose is injected to detect the cancer cells
Pleural effusion: accumulation of fluid between the lining of the lungs and the chest cavity that causes pain and shortness of breath
Radiation therapy: use of high energy rays to destroy the mesothelioma cells inside the body
Vermiculite: a naturally occurring mineral used for insulation and other purposes. Sometimes vermiculite is contaminated with asbestos that can cause asbestos related diseases
Source: mesoblog.org