Mesothelioma – A Rare Cancer
Mesothelioma, specifically malignant mesothelioma is cancer of the mesothelium, the layer of flattened cells (epithelium) lining the serous cavity, pleura, heart, stomach and most of our internal organs. Mesothelioma may be rare, but is one of the most aggressive and serious types of malignant neoplasm or cancer.
The leading cause of malignant mesothelioma is exposure to and inhalation of asbestos, a fibrous mineral commonly used and incorporated in a variety of materials to make them fireproof. Asbestos naturally occurs as microscopic fibers that can be easily inhaled, and can therefore lodge in the thin membrane lining the lungs called pleura, causing malignant neoplasm within, leading to pleural mesothelioma, the most common type of mesothelioma. Other types include pericardial (surrounding the heart) and peritoneal (surrounding the abdominal cavity) malignant mesothelioma.
Early symptoms of mesothelioma cancer include chest pain, though some patients may be asymptomatic with the disease being discovered in the late stage by an abnormal chest x-ray and physical exam and diagnosed by thoracoscopy (for pleural mesothelioma), peritoneoscopy or laparoscopy (for peritoneal mesothelioma) and biopsy. In the late stages of the disease, symptoms may include progressive shortness of breath, night sweats, and weight loss due to poor appetite.
Prognosis for mesothelioma patients may be favorable if the disease is detected early, but since this disease is often times discovered in its late stages, prognosis is rarely good. Mesothelioma is difficult to treat. As most cancers, treatment options for this disease would traditionally include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, with patients commonly opting to undergo a combination of these, depending on the stage of mesothelioma they have. Sadly, for many mesothelioma patients, a cure is not possible though some survivors of this deadly disease have proven that curing illnesses can go beyond medical treatment with prognosis becoming better with other alternative forms of therapy. Traditionally though, mesothelioma treatment is centered on palliative therapy.