Mesothelioma , the Most Terrible Cancer

What is Mesothelium? 
 

To understand Mesothelioma let us first understand what mesothelium is. The mesothelium is a membrane that covers & protects most of the internal organs of the body, the mesothelium is composed of two layers of cells, one layer immediately surrounds the organ the other forms a sac like covering around it. The mesothelium membrane produces a lubricating fluid that is released between these layers, allowing moving organs such as the beating heart and lungs to slide easily against adjacent structures. The pericardium covers and protects the heart. The mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis testis. The tunica serosa uteri covers the internal reproductive organs in women. 

 
What is Mesothelioma?  

Mesothelioma or the cancer of the mesothelium is a disease in which cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide without control or order. Cancerous cells can also spread called metastasizing from their original place to other parts of the body. Most cases of Mesothelioma begin in the pleura or peritoneum, i.e. the lining surrounding the chest and the lungs. 

  In malignant Mesothelioma, which is a rare form of cancer, the cancerous or malignant cells are found in the sac lining the chest (the pleura), the lining of the abdominal cavity (the peritoneum) or the lining around the heart (the pericardium). 
How do you get Mesothelioma? 

  The single largest cause of Mesothelioma is working with asbestos; it is a major risk factor for Mesothelioma. A history of asbestos exposure at work is reported in about 70 percent to 80 percent of all cases. Most people with malignant Mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they breathed asbestos.

What is Asbestos?  

Asbestos has been widely used in many industrial products, including cement, brake linings, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles, and insulation. If tiny asbestos particles float in the air, especially during the manufacturing process, they may be inhaled or swallowed, and can cause serious health problems. In addition to Mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer, asbestosis (a non cancerous, chronic lung ailment), and other cancers, such as those of the larynx and kidney. 

  The risk of asbestos-related disease increases with heavier exposure to asbestos and longer exposure time. There is some evidence that family members and others living with asbestos workers have an increased risk of developing Mesothelioma, and possibly other asbestos-related diseases. This risk may be the result of exposure to asbestos dust brought home on the clothing and hair of asbestos workers. 

Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer in the general population. However, in individuals that were exposed to asbestos, it is not as rare. There are incidences of Mesothelioma with no known asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma is not a lung cancer. It is a cancer of the mesothelial cells. 
Causes of Mesothelioma 

  The only known, established cause of Mesothelioma is asbestos. The asbestos fibers are breathed in, travel through the lung and become lodged in the pleura, the thin, saran wrap-type membrane that lines that encases the lung. The pleura, produces a special lubricating fluid that facilitates the ability of the lungs to move inside the chest during breathing. The process of irritation from the infiltration of the asbestos fibers creates changes in the cells, which causes the Mesothelioma. This is known as pleural Mesothelioma. Less common is peritoneal Mesothelioma, which is a cancer of the membrane that encompasses the lining of the abdomen. 

Mesothelioma is a deadly cancer

Healthy Lung and Diseased Lung

Mesothelioma is a deadly cancer of the lungs and the abdominal cavities. Unlike other diseases, the cause of mesothelioma is not natural. In most of the cases, it is a cancer of lungs inflicted on the human beings by the modern economic factors, which are also credited to bring prosperity to the corporate world. 
The disease has left many dead and many more fighting for the failing health. The common symptoms related to the disease are breathlessness, dry cough and pain in the respiratory tracts followed by vomiting. The prime Cause of mesothelioma is the exposure to asbestos. 
Asbestos is a natural fibrous material that was widely used in various industries and building materials because of its stability and heat resistant properties. However, asbestos is also a deadly contaminant and responsible for serious diseases such as asbestosis, mesothelioma cancers and lung cancer. Most of the diseases are caused by inhalation of asbestos fibers that could settle in the internal body organs and cause serious diseases. Mesothelioma and other asbestos related diseases can lie dormant in the body for decades before diagnosis. The worst part is that after diagnosis the patient has hardly any left for fighting these diseases. 
Asbestos has extensively been mined in South Africa and exported to UK & US factories for reprocessing. For many years, the industrialists enjoyed the benefits of asbestos as a cheap substitute to wood in Building Material Industry and an integral part of Brake Lining material used extensively in vehicles during the World Wars. Asbestos was also widely used as an Insulation material in the buildings and industries in the US and Europe. 
The victims of mesothelioma can file lawsuits for seeking compensation against the companies responsible for asbestos exposure. They can seek compensation for medical expenses, loss of income, lost earning capacity, pain and sufferings. The family members and relatives of the people who die because of mesothelioma cancers can also file lawsuits for compensation to recover the loss of consortium care. A dozen of companies who made an exit from the business decades ago are still fighting the huge compensation bills pending against them for causing a major biological disorder. The courts have ordered huge amounts as compensation in most of the mesothelioma lawsuits. 

Symptoms of Mesothelioma 

 
An individual with Mesothelioma experiences chest pain usually caused by a build-up of fluid in the pleural space called an effusion and shortness of breath. Since many doctors may not have expertise in the area of asbestos-related diseases, these symptoms are often believed, at first, to be attributable to other medical problems. A biopsy of the pleural tissue or fluid may reveal the cancer of the mesothelial cells and a proper diagnosis can thus be established. Since there is no “safe” level of exposure to asbestos, even brief, low level exposures may be enough to cause Mesothelioma. 

Occurrence of Mesothelioma 
 

Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer and its incidence is actually increasing day by day. There is presently no known cure for Mesothelioma. As the disease progresses, the cancerous cells harden the pleura and spread. As time passes, breathing, sleeping and eating become more difficult and eventually it becomes increasingly more challenging for the victim to engage in normal activities and enjoy life. 

Treatments of Mesothelioma 
 

A number of treatments have been established to help contain the spread of the disease and reduce the pain associated with it. Chemotherapy, radiation and radical surgery to remove the lung and pleura are among the options that have been explored by the treating physician. 

Prevention is better than Cure 
 

Mesothelioma is a preventable disease. Many of the corporations that manufacture and make profit from the sale of asbestos-containing products are aware of the hazards of asbestos. Alternative fibers are available that could be used instead of asbestos. Make sure that your physician is aware of any previous asbestos exposure, and occupational risk factors.