Thursday, November 12, 2020

WHAT IS MESOTHELIOMA

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that develops from cells of the mesothelium, the protective lining that covers many of the internal organs of the body. Mesothelioma is most commonly caused by exposure to asbestos. The most common places in the body for mesothelioma is the outer lining of the lungs and internal chest wall other places are in the lining of the abdominal cavity and the sac that surrounds the heart. Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked in jobs where they inhaled or ingested asbestos fibers, or were exposed to airborne asbestos dust and fibers in other ways. Washing clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos can expose someone to developing mesothelioma. Unlike lung cancer, there seems to be no association between mesothelioma and tobacco smoking. Signs and symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath, chest wall pain, and unexplained weight loss. The diagnosis can be by chest X-ray and CT scan but confirmation normally requires a biopsy (removing a sample of the suspicious tissue). A thoracoscopy (inserting a tube with a camera into the chest) can be used to obtain the biopsy material, Despite treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or sometimes surgery, mesothelioma carries a poor prognosis. Research about screening tests for the early detection of mesothelioma is ongoing.

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