Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma-The Rare Cancer
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that affects the protective lining of most of the internal organs of the body. Its main cause is too much exposure of the victim to a substance called asbestos either in the place of work or at home. The dust and fibers of this asbestos are responsible for this condition.
The chest walls and the pleura is the most common site that is affected by this sort of cancer. The inner lining of the heart and the cavity of the abdomen are other parts of the body that are prone to attacks by mesothelioma. Research has also shown that one can get contaminated by washing clothes of a person who is infected by this disease. As much as smoking accelerates lung cancer, it has not been proven that it adds to the problems caused by mesothelioma.
Several symptoms will signify that a victim is suffering from mesothelioma. Running short of breath is one of them and is caused by the fact that the fluid that is found between the chest walls and the lungs gets effused. Severe chest pain is another of the signs that one might be suffering from mesothelioma. The more general and unclassified symptoms would include weight loss and loss of appetite.
Diagnosis of this form of cancer that is more or less rare can be done through chest X-ray or CT scan. Confirmation of the diagnosis is effectively done through tissue sampling which in more technical terms is referred to as biopsy and through a microscopic examination. The biopsy is done by inserting tube that has a camera in the chest and it gives room for pleurodesis that helps prevent effusion of the pleural fluid.
The only treatment that has been proven to work is chemotherapy. Surgery also works at time but the major problem is the fact that prognosis of mesothelomia is difficult. However, the research for ways to detect it early is ongoing.