Pleural mesothelioma is the most common among three categories of mesothelioma cancer affecting people inhaling asbestos filled air for long periods. The loose asbestos fibers enter in the protective membrane of our internal organs known as mesothelium and affect the cells and their functioning. In the case of pleural mesothelioma, the protective lining around lungs and internal chest wall called pleura gets affected.
The pleura consists of one which covers the chest wall called parietal pleura and another which covers the lungs known as visceral pleura. The easy expansion and contraction of lungs is possible because of a fluid present between these two linings. Asbestos which is inhaled enters into the minute passages of the lungs and then the pleura. The consequence is the formation of cancerous cells, due to a chemical reaction which the medical world still cannot explain. The pleura lining becomes thicker and thicker as the cells start dividing unnaturally. Excess fluid also gets accumulated. Breathing process is reduced by the thickening of the pleura resulting in breathlessness.
Other than shortness of breath which is the first symptom the patient suffers from chest pain, weight loss and night sweats. The severity of the disease will increase with the number of years a person is exposed to asbestos. After the patient is exposed to the malicious asbestos it may take years for the symptoms to appear. There is also the possibility of wrong diagnosis in the case of this disease. This may add to the severity of the condition. If the symptoms appear in a person who has been in contact with asbestos, it is advisable to consult a mesothelioma specialist immediately.
Traditional treatments like surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy have limited success against pleural mesothelioma. There are five different surgical treatments followed, namely, pleorodesis, pleurectomy, decortication, pneumonectomy and extra pneumonectomy.
Chemotherapy is the widely accepted medicated treatment, while radiation therapy uses high energy gamma rays, X-rays or neutrons. Other therapies for the disease are intra-operative photodynamic therapy, immunotherapy and gene therapy. Above all the will power of the patient and the level of infection determine the success of treatment.
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