Mesothelioma Basic

Mesothelioma Basic
Mesothelioma is , thank fully, a rare form of cancer. If consists of cancerous cells developing in the mesothelium.
mesothelioma is a cancer of the mesothlium which is a 2ply protective covering for the internal organs .

The mesothelium has different names, depending on what organ it covers .
The peritoneum is protects the organs in the abdomen. The pleura protects the lungs and the well of the chest cavity The pericardium protects the heart. Protecting the male internal reproductive organs in women.

Mesothelioma, like other cancers, involves the uncontrollable division of cell of the mesothelium These cancer cells then invade & damage nearby tissues and organs.

Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma.
Asbestos exposure work is reported in 70 - 80% of all cases.
However,mesothelioma has been reported in some people without any known exposure to asbestos .
Smoking does not seem to increase the risk of mesothelioma but the combination of smoking & asbestos exposure increases a person's risk of developing cancer of the lungs.

  • How is mesothelioma treated ?
Treatment for mesothelioma depends on the cancer, the stage of the disease, and the patient's age and general health. Standard treatment options include surgery,
radiation therapy,
and chemotherapy .Sometimes, these treatments are combined .

  • Surgery is a common treatment for mesothelioma. The docter may remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it. For cancer of the pleura(pleural mesothelioma).a lung may be removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy. sometimes part of the diaphragm, the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing, is also removed.
  • Radiation therapy , also called radiotherapy, involves the use of high - energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors Radiation therapy affects the cancer cells only in the treated area The radiation may come form a machine (external radiation) or form putting materials that produce radiation through thin plastic tubes into the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy)

  • Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Most drugs used to treat mesothelioma are give n by injection into a vein (intravenous, or IV).Doctors are also studying the effectiveness of putting chemotherapy directly into the chest or abdomen(intracavitary chemotherapy).http://mesothelioma2alls.blogspot.com/