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Emerging/Growing Care Needs – Cancer / Mesothelioma

With new cases, comes increased need for caregivers

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that settles in the mesothelium, which is a sac that protects the body’s internal organs. Each year 2,000 new cases of Mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States, and it is only going to get worse. The occurrence of the cancer has been steadily increasing over the years and is expected to reach its highest peak in 2010. It is expected that Mesothelioma cancer will reach its peak in the year 2010 when the generation of adults that were exposed to the minerals the most will begin to see symptoms of the cancer. Medical practitioners will be needed to diagnose, treat, and follow up with this mass of patients seeking help. Even after treatment, side affects can become permanent and patients will need to visit their doctor regularly.

With increased awareness, risks may be going down, but cases will continue to appear due to the delay in symptoms appearing

Mesothelioma cancer started in the 1940’s when people were unaware of the danger of working with abestos. People were exposed to this mineral in the workplace, on the job, and/or living with loved ones that worked with asbestos. All it takes is a small exposure to asbestos to develop mesothelioma later in life. The use of asbestos was not even limited or banned until the 1990’s. uThe US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) limited the level of the minerals that can be used in the workplace significantly and required that people working with asbestos wear protective clothing and use protective materials in handling it.

One of the dilemmas of mesothelioma cancer is that the symptoms don’t even begin to surface until 30 to 50 years after the exposure. Most people do not realize that they may have mesothelioma because the symptoms are easily mistaken for various other ailments. Most patients are diagnosed 2 to 3 months after the first occurrence of the symptoms, but one-fourth of patients aren’t diagnosed until 6 months later! Treatment can be performed through surgery, radiation thereapy, and/or chemotherapy. New treatments are being studied through the National Cancer Institute. Because the peak of this cancer will occur in 2010, medical practitioners need to be aware of the symptoms of mesothelioma so they can treat it quickly.

• Internships in Cancer Communications & Writing http://internship.cancer.gov/jobs.cfm
• Jobs in Cancer Surveillance http://surveillance.cancer.gov/jobs/
• Stats on Positions in Medical http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos103.htm
• Cancer Research Training Award http://web.ncifcrf.gov/careers/student_programs/internships/CRTA.asp