Malignant Mesothelioma and Its Adverse Effects on Life
Malignant mesothelioma affects the mesothelium, the protective lining of the internal organs like lungs, heart, abdomen etc. It is a rare form of cancer which is often confused with lung cancer. Mesothelioma affects the lining of the lung and the latter infects the lung itself. Mesothelioma patients are the ones who had breathed in asbestos for a considerable period of time.
Basically there are three types of malignant mesothelioma. The most common one which affects the pleura, or the outer covering of lings and internal chest wall is known as the pleural mesothelioma. The types of mesothelioma which affects the protective lining of the abdominal cavity and heart are called peritoneal and pericardial mesothelioma respectively. Though the cancer is definitely fatal, the death rates vary. The pericardial mesothelioma is known to be the most dangerous one.
Asbestos particles, when inhaled, inhabit the mesothelium and in the course of a several years, retard the normal functioning of its cells. The infection usually assumes frightening proportions only after several decades. This long latency period is the reason why many of our newly diagnosed mesothelioma patients are workers who were exposed to asbestos fibers in the 1940s to 1970s.
The primary symptom of the infection is shortness of breath. This is occurred due to excessive build up of fluid in the cavities known as pleural effusion. Shortness of breath along with continuous cough is a sure sign of malignant mesothelioma attack. Other symptoms include fever, fatigue, weight loss, pain around chest, inflammation o abdomen, night sweats etc. Sometimes the symptoms are misrepresented by doctors resulting in wrong diagnosis. This can result in death of the patient due to delay in starting the treatment.
Mesothelioma treatment is an individualized affair where doctors consider the type and stage of cancer and the overall physical health of the patient. The most common treatment presently is the combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation as in the case of most other cancers. This approach has its inherent risks due to the fact that most patients would be at the most advanced stage of malignant mesothelioma at the time of diagnosis. Many are administered only palliative treatment due to the hopelessness of the situation. But there is a ray of hope here as some promising modern therapies are undergoing clinical trials or at the research stage.
If you enjoyed this piece about relationship between mesothelioma and asbestos, then you should see this other website discussing mesothelioma information.
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