General Introduction: Mesothelioma is a cancer of the mesothelium. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos. This name is given as the disease occurs in the mesothelioma protective lining that covers most of the body's internal organs.
Types of mesothelioma:
Pleural mesothelioma: Pleural mesothelioma is the most common mesothelioma. It is a rare cancer that grows in the mesothelial cells, membrane that lines body’s organs and cavities. In the case of pleural mesothelioma, the cancer develops in the lining of the lungs, called the pleura. Pericardial mesothelioma: Pericardial mesothelioma develops in the pericardium that covers and protects the heart. Some experts believe that during the inhalation of asbestos fibers into the lungs, some fibers through bloodstream may get stuck in the pericardium. Peritoneal mesothelioma: Lining of the abdomen is known as peritoneum. If the mesothelioma is in the peritoneum it is called peritoneal mesothelioma and causes thickening of the membranes surrounding the abdominal organs and a collection of fluid in the abdomen.
Causes and Diagnosis Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or they have been exposed to asbestos dust. Washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos can also put a person at risk for developing mesothelioma. Asbestos exposure causes mesothelioma
Most insulation material contain asbestos like-
Sites-Industrial sites like power plan, paper mills, refineries etc.
Signs and SymptomsMesothelioma treatment Surgery- either by itself or used in combination with pre- and post-operative adjuvant therapies, has proved disappointing. A pleurectomy is the most common surgery, in which the lining of the chest is removed in mesothelioma. Less common is an extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP), in which the lung, lining of the inside of the chest, the hemi-diaphragm and the pericardium are removed. Radiation therapy- radiation is often given post-operatively as a consolidative treatment. The entire hemi-thorax is treated with radiation therapy, often given simultaneously with chemotherapy. The necessary radiation dose to treat mesothelioma that has not been surgically removed would be very toxic.
Chemotherapy- Chemotherapy is defined as treatment of cancer using chemical substances .In mesothelioma cancers cells grows in the affected region. Using chemotherapy destroy the cancer cells by further multiplication. It destroys the cancer cells, to shrink the growth, and relief symptoms like pain which is very common in mesothelioma.