Among types of mesothelioma there are generally three recognized forms in which it can manifest. The fist and most common is malignant mesothelioma pleural ,which develops in the pleural lining of the lung. The second and less common variety is maligant mesothelioma peritoneal a cancer of the abdominal lining . The rerest form of mesothelioma is maligantn pericardial mesothelioma a cancer of the pericardkial lining of the heart .
The only known cause for each of these three forms is exposure to asbestos . While there have been instances in which a patient's history did not include, or did not directly include asbestos exposure, it is blamed in the vast majority of cases . There is no known cure for mesothelioma and prognoses or generally poor .
Treatments are readily available in most caases , the most widely used being chemotherapy and radiation therapy . Surgeory may be an option but by the time mesothelioma manifests itself in terms of symptoms , stage at diagnosis may havae already ruled the mesothelioma treatment route out .
New treatments are being diligently pursued, including multi - faceted treatment programs incorporating two or more of the above treatment programs into a single patient's care . Through awareness of mesothelioma , asbestos, and the potential health consequences we can begin riddding our selves of this unfortunate dieseas .
MESOTHELIOMA PLEURAL :
When cancer strikes the lining of the lungs - obserwise known aas the pleura - the diesease that results is referred to as pleural mesothelioma . Technically speaking , the pleura is a sac which contrains the lungs as well as a thin membrance known as the mesothelium , which secreates a vital fluid that enables the lungs to expand and contract during the breathing process.Indeed , Mesothelioma Pleural is the most common of the 3 types of mesothelioma . Which also include the perioneal and pericardial varieties of the disease . More than 75 % of all diagnosed mesothelioma cases effect the pleura .
MESOTHELIOMA CASE ANOTHER DEVOLPING IS PLEURAL :
When an individual is exposed to asbestos on a regular basis , whether it be through job related activity or other environmental issues , inhalation of loose airbone asbestos fibers can occur . These fibres travel to the lungs and become imbedded in the lung lining , outside of the lungs and inside the ribs .
When these jagged particles settle in the pleura, they cause inflammation . The inflammation , in turn can lead to dangerous cancerous tumors . In some cases , these who've inhaled asbestos fibers will firtst develop the less - severe asbestosis , followed by mesothelioma several years later .
Upon diagnosis patients usually exhibit multiple tumor masses effecting both the visceral (further from the lung ) and parietal surfaces ( closer to the lung ) of the pleura . The parietal surface is more often affected than the visceral surface, and the right lung , due to its larger size , often suffers more damatge than the smaller left lung in addition , more asbestos tends to settle in the lower lungs then the upper lungs .
These tumors often grow quickly in size and can cover the entire lung cavity, making it very difficult, to breathe and causing excruciating pain . Also, in the advanced stages of pleural mesothelioma, the cancer may spread to other nearaby organs, including the heart, abdomen , and lymph node.
MESOTHELIOMA
PLEURAL SYMPTOMS :it's not always easy to diagnois pleural mesothelioma by examining its symptoms . All ltoo often, the symptoms of the disease may resemble those of other more common illnesses, including something as simple as the flu, a cold, laryngitis, pneumonia , or whopping cough . It often takes weeks or even months before a correct diagnosis is made, and because the disease usually takes between 20 and 50 years to surface, past exposure to asbestos often doesn't come to mind when attempting to make a diagnosis or when a patient is giving a medical history .
Common symptoms of pleaural mesothelioma often include :
. Chest pain . coughing . Wheezing. shortness of breath. Fluid around the lungs ( pleural effusion ) . Hoarsensess or difficulty speaking . Blood clots ( less common )Chest pain is usually the first indication of a problem , caused by the growing tumors that enlarge the pleural space and cause it to fill with fluid . Such chest pain is often mistaken for heart problems and many yet - to - be - diagnosed mesothelioma victims believe they are having a heart attack or suffering from heart disease .
The discomfort caused by the above symptoms can also result in loss of appetite and weight loss ,. Once mesothelioma is diagnosed , it's important for patients to maintain good eating habits in orter to better combat the disease .
DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT :
Ultimately , a definitive diagnosis of maligant pleural mesotheliama is achieved by the use of sophisticated x-rays such as CT scans and MRI , as well as biopsy , the sampling of tissue or fluid around the lungs . Scans can reveal the presence of pleural effusion and biopsies , preferable a needle biopsy , can complete the diagnosis . While some what un comfortable , this test is quick and offers a good success rate for accurate diagnosis .
Because pleural mesothelioma is often so difficult to diagnose , the disease is most often in an advanced stage when discoverd . That makes mesothelioma treatment options limited . Only a handful of mesothelioma patients afflicted with this form of the disease are candidated for surgery to remove tumors , especially since athe tumors are often large and widespread by the time of diagnosis . Surgery may be an option later, if the oncologist thinks the removal of a lung would benefit the patient .
More often , pleural mesothelioma patients are treated with radiation or chemotherapy ,. While advancements are being made in the treatment of the disease , especially with chemotherapy , such treatment is often palliative - meant to relieve the symptoms of the disease , make the patient more comfortable, and improve the patient's quality of life during the months ahead . Some doctors opt for what is commonly known as multi - modal therapy, which is a combination of two or more therapies, usually , chemo and radiation . Recent research has also prompted experimentation with different combinations of chemotherapy drugs , resulting in positive out comes when certain ones are used at the same time .
PROGNOSIS :
Curretly, the prognosis for those diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma is not good . Many patients die within six months of diagnosis , some last up to a year , but fewa survive much beyond that length of time . Clinical trials are constantly underway in hopes that a cure for the disease or a way to further prolong the life of a pleural