Mesothelioma is a condition that is not very common and is still seen in people who are at a high risk of getting it. It is a cancer that affects the mesothelial layer in the body. There are different kinds of cancer that can affect you, but this cancer is unique because it not only affects any specific part of the body, but affects various organs. The reason for this is that the mesothelial layer or the mesothelium as it is better known, is the layer of cells that surround the various organs of the body including the lungs and the heart.
The disease has attained great importance because of the cause of mesothelioma cancer. The cancer is usually seen in people who work with asbestos. In fact the fine dust particles from asbestos start accumulating in the person and slowly cause the cells of the mesothelium to mutate. This mutation causes an abnormal growth of these cells and they slowly cause tremendous damage to the person.
The asbestos usually affects the mesothelium of the pleura or the covering of the lungs and this leads to various complications. The person is short of breath at all times since the lungs are affected and difficulty in breathing is one common sign of the disease. There are also various other signs that can be seen, but these signs may vary from one person to another.
There are various instances of lawsuits to sue companies that have caused people to suffer from this kind of cancer because of inadequate safety awareness and protective gear to the workers. In fact there are separate compensation packages for those affected because of the asbestos dust. Other than industries that deal mainly in asbestos, there are also many other people who are living with those who are working with asbestos and so are in indirect contact with asbestos, may also be at risk of being affected by mesothelioma cancer.
Once the cancer of the mesothelium has been identified, immediate treatment is very important. Any delay in the treatment of this cancer can be fatal. There are certain important treatments that are available for those who suffer from this cancer. These treatments include the removal of the mesothelium tissue. If the lungs are affected, then the mesothelial layer removal along with the pleura of the lung is called as pleurectomy.
There are also other kinds of treatments that are available for a person suffering from this rare form of cancer. The common treatments for other kinds of cancer like the chemotherapy, where drugs are given to kill the abnormal growth of the tissue help to decrease the growth of the cells. Similarly, there is also radiation therapy that is commonly administered to those who suffer from this disease. The radiation therapy also helps to kill the abnormal cells. Each of these methods are very common and almost all cancer patients would have had these as part of their routine therapy for the disease and are also used in those suffering from mesothelioma cancer.
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