Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma disease is a form of severe cancer that is virtually always caused by a previous exposure to asbestos materials. In mesothelioma disease, malignant cells develop in the mesothelium which is a protective lining that is a covering of most of the body's internal organs.

Its most common location is the pleura which is the outer lining of the lungs but it also occurs in the peritoneum whic is the lining of the abdominal cavity or the pericardium which is a sac that surrounds the heart.

Mesothelioma: is classified as a tumor of the mesothelium which can be either benign (localized) or malignant (diffusely spread) and that is usually caused by the ingestion of asbestos product particles.

Mesothelium is the thin layer of mesodermal epithelial cells that forms the pleura, peritoneum and pericardium.

Mesothelioma is a very unusual but no longer very seldom cancer that is usually very difficult to diagnose, treat and responds very poorly to typical therapy. Mesothelioma is a known cancer in which cancerous and/or malignant cells begin appear around the heart, chest or abdominal region of the human body. It is believed that the main cause is usually from exposure to asbestos. It takes about 30 to 40 years after asbestos exposure for mesothelioma cancer symptoms to start appearing.

Most people working for asbestos manufacturing firms have been exposed to the asbestos substance which then lead to Mesothelioma Cancer. Once the mesothelioma symptoms are then detected the patient usually has a maximum life span of 18 months - give or take. This is a very heart-breaking fact. So who are the people or persons responsible for this mesothelioma disease?

Mesothelioma Disease

The most severest form of mesothelioma cancer which is usually caused by exposure to asbestos is called malignant mesothelioma. The ones who have worked for years in the industries where asbestos products were used are most often diagnosed with this terrible and fatal form of cancer. Mesothelioma is not so easily detectable and is usually very difficult and hard to diagnose. The early symptoms of mesothelioma disease are frequently dismissed by suffering patients as common everday ailments until the effects of mesothelioma disease increase in severity. By then the mesothelioma disease has progressed to a stage where a cure is virtually not possible at all.

About three/fourths of mesothelioma disease symptoms start in the chest area cavity and are usually known as pleural mesotheliomas. Another 10% to 20% begin in the abdomen or stomach area and are called peritoneal mesotheliomas. Pericardial mesotheliomas, are those starting in the cavity around the heart and are very, very rare cases. The outter covering layer of the testicles is also actually an outpouching of peritoneum that goes into the scrotum area. We have found that mesotheliomas that can affect that covering of the testicles are usually quite rare.

Mesothelioma Disease in the lungs

Although the mesothelioma disease is much more commonly seen in people how are 60 years old and are usually men it has been commonly been diagnosed in women as well and in early childhood. The common cause of mesothelioma disease is not so well understood as of yet in these latter two groups but there is some new evidence of the possible asbestos exposure in many of these cases as well.