Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a cancer of the mesothelial cells that cover the outlines of the lungs and abdomen. This rare cancer is caused by exposure to the fibers of asbestos.

Asbestos is a fire and heat resistant insulator that was previously used widely in ship building, motor industry, etc. but because of its harmful effects, it has been banned in many countries.

Though mesothelioma is rare, men are more likely to develop this disease because they are the ones who are usually exposed to asbestos because of the nature of some of their jobs such as construction.Asbestos poses dangers because of the fibers that it is composed of which can be inhaled or swallowed. Such is the case during the removal of a drywall or anything that may scatter the particles of asbestos.

Pleural mesothelioma could be developed when fibers of asbestos are inhaled. It affects the mesothelial cells that cover the lungs. It may also pose a threat to the heart because it is close to the pericardium or the tissue that covers the heart.

Peritoneal mesothelioma is less likely to develop than pleural mesothelioma. It is caused by swallowing particles of asbestos. Benign or non-cancerous mesothelioma could also be developed but chances of that are very rare.

The symptoms of mesothelioma include weight loss, pain in the abdomen, difficulty in breathing, cough, hoarseness, coughing up blood, and difficulty in swallowing. There have been speculations about the simian virus as being the cause of mesothelioma but as of yet there is still no solid evidence regarding this matter.

Although many experts say that there's no real cure for mesothelioma, the medical industy has been trying out different methods that might work against this disease such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, depending upon the type of mesothelioma that a person has. After undergoing treatment, a patient still has to maintain regular check-up for the doctors to observe the development of the treatment.