Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer. The cells of the mesothelium, the protective membrane that has developed most of the body's internal organs covered Mesothelioma is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos. The most common anatomic site for mesothelioma is the pleura, but can also occur in the peritoneum, pericardium or vaginal.

Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled or swallowed asbestos or asbestos workers exposed to dust and fiber in other ways dust fibers. Clothing of a family member who worked with asbestos washing creates a risk of developing mesothelioma. Unlike lung cancer, there appears to be no association between mesothelioma and smoking, but smoking increases the risk of other cancers caused by asbestos.

Signs and symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath due to pleural effusion, pain in the chest wall, and constitutional symptoms such as unexplained weight loss. The diagnosis may be suspected on the basis of X -ray and CT findings, but must be confirmed by examining serous effusion cytology or biopsy.

Thoracoscopy is available for biopsy and allows the introduction of substances such as talc to obliterate the pleural cavity, prevents fluid from accumulating more pressing in the lung. Despite treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or sometimes surgery mesothelioma has a poor prognosis. Research on testing for early detection of mesothelioma is ongoing.