A Brief Information About Mesothelioma Cancer

What is Mesothelioma?

Most of people known that mesothelioma is an

acronym of mesothelium which is thin membranes

lining the chest, lungs, abdomen and sometimes

the heart. Mesothelieum protects these organs

with a dual layered membrane called visceral and

parietal membranes which surround organs and body

cavities, such as the lungs or abdomen. The

visceral membrane surrounds the organ, and the

parietal membrane is a sac covering the visceral

membrane. There is a lubricating fluid between it

that allows the organs to move. This fluid helps

organs move easily between surrounding structure

and reduce friction between the lung and chest

wall during normal breathing.

So What Is Mesothelioma Cancer?

Mesothelioma Cancer is a form of cancer which

occurs in mesothelium. This cancer cells become

abnormal and replicate without control. They will

invade and damage tissues and organs and spread

throughout the body causing death. It

metastasizes and at an advanced stage the disease

reach to the other parts of the body like the

lymph nodes, lungs, chest wall, or abdominal

organs. Mesothelioma cancer will cause fluid to

accumulate between the lung lining and the chest

cavity.

The Cause of Mesothelioma Cancer

There are a lot of cases that indicate the cause

of mesothelioma cancer but most of them are

caused by exposure to asbestos. Asbestos can be

found in insulation in many buildings. Asbestos

can also be found in floor tiles, roofing, dust,

rocks, cement, brake linings, roof shingles,

flooring products, and textiles. Asbestos

consists of fibers that can enter the body

through the skin, the mouth, and, subsequently,

enter the lungs, or blood stream. When a person

breathes in, the fibers then travel to the ends

of the narrow air passages reaching the lining of

the lungs and destructing the mesothelial cells

(the lining of the lung cells). If swallowed,

these fibers can get in to the lining of the

abdominal cavity where they play a part in

causing a mesothelioma cancer.

The Patients of Mesothelioma Cancer

People in the construction jobs such as in

shipyards, insulation, boilermaking, milling

plants, fireproofing and heating, automotive

repair, and pipefitting are at the risk of

contracting mesothelioma cancer. Common cases are

found from workers such as Factory workers,

miners, railroad laborers, gas mask makers,

insulation workers and ship builders. People who

have received asbestos exposure of as little as

one or two months to very low doses are at risk

of mesothelioma cancer. People who wash clothes

of asbestos exposed people are at risk.

The Chance of Recovery

It depends on size and location of the cancer, age

of the patient and their response to the

treatment. According to the American Cancer

Society, the five year survival rate is about 10

percent. Most patients only survive for a year

after diagnosis or 4 to 24 months from the

observance of the symptoms. Some physicians find

it hard to detect mesothelioma cancer because its

symptoms are akin to other diseases like lung

cancer and pneumonia. The average age of patients

is between 50 and 70 years, three-fourths of

patients diagnosed are over 65.

Three Types of Mesothelioma Cancer

Primarily, mesothelioma cancer occurs in three

areas, and categorized into:

1. Pleural mesothelioma (lung cancer),

mesothelioma of the membrane covers the lungs and

chest cavity as well as the lungs

2. Peritoneal mesothelioma (abdomen organs),

mesothelioma of the peritoneum. Peritoneum is the

mesothelial tissue that enfolds the organs in the

abdominal cavity.

3. Pericardial mesothelioma, mesothelioma of the

pericardium. Pericardium is the sac enclosing the

heart.

Symptoms of Mesothelioma Cancer

The symptoms of mesothelioma cancer occur owing to

the deposition of fluid in the pleura. The

patient would generally feel a pain in the chest

region, accompanied by shallow breathing. The

other symptoms are include : respiratory problem,

continual cough and pneumonia, weight loss due to

accumulation of fluid, abdominal problems and

swelling of the neck or face, fever, anemia,

difficulties in bowel movements, abnormalities

observed during blood clots, fibrosis, pleural

effusion, calcified plaques, bronchial cancer,

and difficulty sleeping.