An Overview Of Mesothelioma

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Mesothelioma is identified as a rare, yet highly life-threatening form of cancer, it affects mesothelium membranes that act as a protective covering for most internal organs of the human body. With a two layer cell structure, the mesothelium membranes play an important role by releasing a lubricating fluid between the two layers. The lubricating fluid helps vital organs such as the heart and the lung in their constantly expanding and contracting motion.

In a Mesothelioma-outbreak, these membranes start acting abnormally, something that adversely affects normal functioning of internal organs. Cancer afflicted cells are programmed to spread and their behavior is often associated with invasion of surrounding tissues, resulting in slow, but constant damage to internal organs.

This cancer can affect internal organs such as those in the abdominal cavity and others such as lungs, heart, and male and female reproductive organs. Mesothelium membranes protecting each of these internal organs have been given different names to aid proper diagnosis and treatment.

As compared to other types of cancerous outbreaks, occurrence of this cancer has been fairly limited with only around a couple of thousand new cases reported in 2008. Exposure to suspended asbestos particles has been identified as one of the main causes for this cancer in humans. However, outbreaks of this type of cancer have also been reported in individuals without known exposure to asbestos particles.

Around 70% of patients diagnosed with this type of cancer have admitted potential exposure to suspended asbestos particles while working in industrial units. The worrying thing about Mesothelioma is that it has a long gestation period. A cancerous growth in the mesothelium membranes can occur 30 to 50 years after the time when an individual might have actually been exposed to suspended asbestos particles.

Although the prognosis for cancers like this are not always good, it can be cured if diagnosed timely and given the right treatment. Clinical biopsy is commonly used for confirming its outbreaks. Treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. These are administered depending on the severity of detected outbreaks and the specific organ that has been affected.

Individuals with known exposure to asbestos should not ignore symptoms such as shortness of breath, pain in chest, weight loss, fever, anemia etc. It is advisable that individuals with similar conditions consult a doctor immediately.

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