Inhaling asbestos filled air for longer durations result in a kind of cancer, which is called Mesothelioma. It is mainly classified into three categories. The most common among these is pleural mesothelioma and it is responsible for majority of the cases reported. In pleural mesothelioma, the protective membrane of our internal organs called mesothelium gets covered with the malicious loose asbestos fibers. This gradually damages the cells and affects its functioning. Mainly this type of cancer affects pleura, the protective lining around lungs and internal chest wall.
The pleura consist of parietal and visceral pleura. While the former covers the chest wall, the latter sheaths the lungs. A fluid between these two linings allows easy expansion and contraction of lungs. The inhaled asbestos gets into the minute passages of the lungs and later enters the pleura. A chemical reaction, which is still unknown to the medical world, takes place, which results in formation of cancerous cells. Cells start dividing unnaturally resulting in the pleural lining becoming thicker and accumulation of excess fluid. The thickening of pleura reduces breathing process, thereby causing breathlessness.
The first symptom of is of course shortness of breath. Chest pain, weight loss and night sweats follow. The seriousness of the disease is directly related to the number of years a person was exposed to asbestos. The first visible symptoms may come forth only many years after he was exposed to asbestos particles. An added disadvantage here is that physicians may wrongly diagnose the problem, thereby compounding its seriousness. It is advisable that if a person with a history of working with asbestos feels any of these symptoms, he may contact a mesothelioma doctor immediately and get diagnosed properly.
There are traditional treatment methods like radiation therapy, chemotherapy and surgery available for the disease. But these methods are not completely successful. The five different surgical treatment followed is intra-operative photodynamic therapy, immunotherapy and gene therapy.
Chemotherapy is the widely accepted medicated treatment. Usage of high energy gamma rays, X-rays or neutrons is involved in radiation therapy. Other options like intra-operative photodynamic therapy, immunotherapy and gene therapy are also resorted. In any case the final success will depend on the determination of the patient and the level of pleural mesothelioma infection.
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