MESOTHELIOMA Facts

So what is MESOTHELIOMA?
If you would search the web, you will find several answers, some write about how mesothelioma is cured, how mesothelioma has been acquired, where mesothelioma come from. And many more about mesothelioma. But what exactly is mesothelioma?

I find it interesting, cause the word is something that you would not read every day and very uncommon. So here it is. Mesothelioma is a rare kind or form of cancer that is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos . In this case, malignant cells develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most of the body's internal organs. Most common site is the pleura ( outer lining of the lungs), but may also occur in other body organs.

Most people people who develop mesothelioma have been expose to asbestos particles, where they have inhaled tiny particles of asbestos dust. Most of them inhaled asbestos working from their work sites. Others have been cross contaminated or get it indirectly, specially family members. Washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos can also put a person at risk for developing mesothelioma. Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking. Compensation via asbestos funds or lawsuits is an important issue in mesothelioma.

Symptoms
The symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath due to pleural effusion (fluid between the lung and the chest wall) or chest wall pain, and general symptoms such as weight loss. The diagnosis may be suspected with chest X-ray and CT scan, 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 to obliterate the pleural space (called pleurodesis), which prevents more fluid from accumulating and pressing on the lung. Despite treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or sometimes surgery, the disease carries a poor prognosis. Research about screening tests for the early detection of mesothelioma is ongoing.

Source
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page