Regular viewers of Fox News and similar channels have probably heard the word mesothelioma. Although it may go in one ear and out the other for many because most people have never heard the word before, it does exist. Mesothelioma is a rare and often fatal form of cancer in which tumorous cells form along the pleura, a layer of tissue that protects the chest and abdomen.Part of the reason the disease is rarely found is that it takes along time and develop and often requires repeated exposure to asbestos. Asbestos used to be widely used in construction, shipbuilding, and in many household appliances according to the web site of the cancer back up organization. Many car brakes still use a small amount.

Mesothelioma Causes

Asbestos is mined in many countries around the world. Its strong fibers can be woven into sheets that are heat resistant and make good insulation. When the substance gets broken up, strands become airborne. Inhaling the broken strands for long periods of time can lead to fibrosis or mesothelioma. Fibrosis is simply scar tissue that forms inside the lungs. The symptoms of lung fibrosis can include shortness of breath, a chronic dry cough, fatigue, weakness, chest discomfort, loss of appetite, and rapid weight loss according to the Wise Geek web site..

Pulmonary Lung Fibrosis can be problematic for those who suffer from it, but mesothelioma the other condition that results from asbestos exposure is often deadly. Asbestos has been known to be a cause of mesothelioma since the 1960s, but the product continued to be mined and sold without governmental restrictions in the United States until the 1980s.. Symptoms for mesothelioma, which may show up anywhere from ten to sixty years after exposure, are similar to lung cancer. Doctors must take careful steps to distinguish between the two diseases. Family members of people who worked around asbestos may also contract the disease, although the rate of incidence from second hand exposure is lower is lower. In rare cases, patients who have never been exposed to asbestos can develop mesothelioma. Causes for these cases are unknown, although some patients have been exposed to radiation.

Treatment

The prognosis for patients with mesothelioma may not be good, although the survival rate of has improved dramatically in recent years. Early detection can further improves the chances of survival.. The three common treatments for mesothelioma are chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery to remove the tumor.

The purpose of surgery is to remove cancerous cells and prevent the disease from progressing. Not all mesothelioma patients are candidates for such operations. In some patients, the lung must be removed along with the cancer cells. Patients who need to have their lung removed are advised to seek out specialists who routinely this kind of operation.

Mesothelioma patients who cannot undergo surgery may be treated through the chemotherapy The goals of chemotherapy are to stop the production of new cancer cells and shrink existing tumors to the point where surgery can be allowed.

The final common treatment for mesothelioma is radiation therapy. A combination of surgery and radiation therapy can be used to improve the health of some mesothelioma patients. Rather than cutting the cancerous tissue out, as surgery does, radiation therapy directs a small beam of energy at the cancerous cells to kill them.

People who develop mesothelioma as a result of long term exposure to asbestos may be able to pursue legal action against their former employers. Lawyers often run advertisements looking to represent clients with asbestos related health problems. Patients who win legal damages may be able to help pay their doctor bills, but th first goal of all patients should be improved health.

Sources:

http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk

http://www.webmd.com/

http://www.mesotheliomaweb.org/

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