Understanding of Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma on

Friday, 3 April 2015

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is almost always caused by asbestos exposure. In this disease, malignant cells develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most of the organs. The most common site is the pleura (outer lining the lungs and internal chest wall), but it may also occur in the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity), the heart,

[1] the pericardium (a sac that surrounds the heart) or tunica vaginalis.

Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or they have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in other ways. It has also been suggested that washing the clothes of family members who worked with asbestos can put a person at risk for developing mesothelioma.

[2] Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking, but smoking greatly increases the risk of other asbestos cancer.

[ 3] Compensation via asbestos funds or lawsuits is an important issue in mesothelioma (see asbestos and the law).

The symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath due to pleural (fluid between the lung and the chest) or chest wall pain, and general symptoms such as weight loss. The diagnosis may be suspected with chest X-ray and CT, and is confirmed with a biopsy (tissue sample) and microscopic examination. A thoracoscopy (inserting a tube with a camera into the chest) can be used to take biopsies. It allows the introduction of substances such as talc obliterate the pleural space (called pleurodesis), which prevents more fluid from accumulating and pressing on the lung. Although chemotherapy, radiation or sometimes surgery, the disease carries a poor prognosis. Research about screening tests for the early detection of mesothelioma is ongoing.

If you have any problems with the disease Mesothelioma and you want to consult about Mesothelioma please to www.mesotheliomaweb.org

Labels: Mesothelioma

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