What Is Lung Mesothelioma And How Is It Treated

Lung mesothelioma is a mortal type of cancer resulting from the pleural mesothelium, which is the protective lining of the lungs, getting infected by asbestos fibers. The cancer is rare and affects people who had the misfortune to be in constant contact with asbestos at either their workplaces or homes. In medical terms, the disease is described as a rare cancerous development affecting the mesothelial tissues that surrounds and protects our vital organs. Three different types of this cancer have been identified and are named as the pleural, peritoneal and pericardial mesothelioma according to the area of our body they inhabit.

Mesothelium is a membranous sac found around vital organs like abdomen, lungs and heart. The lining also aids indirectly the functioning of these organs too. Asbestos particles, after entering and settling in the layers of mesothelium, cause abnormal cell function resulting in cancerous growths. In most mesothelioma cases, the cancer shows up only after decades of exposure to asbestos. This prolonged latency period adversely affect timely diagnosis and treatment and limits the prospect of complete cure.

Lung cancer and lung mesothelioma are two entirely different types of cancers. The former attacks the inside of the lung while the latter its protective lining. The prognosis of the disease is very poor and most patients die within 24 months after diagnosis. As in the case of any other cancer, this kind is also classified into four depending on its severity. Timely detection has saved many patients, but it never materializes in most cases because the disease attacks when it is not at all expected.

Exposure to asbestos is the villain in the case. The silicate mineral was considered a wonder material earlier due to its multifaceted properties like resistance to heat and electric shock, capability to withstand chemical reactions etc and was used to manufacture a wide range of products like insulation products, construction material etc. But workers who inhaled the toxic air containing asbestos suffered and are suffering the adverse erects of asbestos exposure.

In the present context, the emphasis is almost totally on taking proper precautions while handing the material to avoid future infections and providing suitable compensation to patients who are suffering from the cancer for no fault of theirs. Additionally, experiments and field trials are going on to explore more potent curse for lung mesothelioma as existing therapies have been proved to be ineffectual in a number of cases.