The most common anatomical site for the
development of mesothelioma is the pleura (the outer lining of the lungs and
internal chest wall), but it can also arise in the peritineum (the lining of
the abdominal cavity), and the pericardium (the sac that surrounds the heart), or
the tunica vaginalis (a sac that surrounds the testis).
Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked
in jobs where they inhaled asbestos, or were exposed to asbestos dust and
fibers in other ways. It has also been suggested that washing clothes of a
family member who worked with asbestos increases their risk for developing mesothelioma.
Unlike lung cancer, there seems to be no association between mesothelioma and
tobacco smoking, but smoking greatly increases the risk of other
asbestos-induced cancers. Some people who
were exposed to asbestos have collected damages for asbestos-related disease,
including mesothelioma. Compensation via asbestos funds or class action
lawsuits is an important issue in law practices regarding mesothelioma (see
asbestos and the law).
Signs and symptoms of mesothelioma include
shortness of breath due to pleural
effusion (fluid between the lung and the chest wall) or chest wall pain, and
constitutional signs such as unexplained weight loss. The diagnosis may be
suspected with chest X-Ray and CT Scan, but must be confirmed pathologically,
either with serous effusion cytology or with a biopsy (removing a sample of the
suspicious tissue) and microscopic examination. A thoracoscopy (inserting a
tube with a camera into the chest) can be used to acquire biopsy material, and
allows the introduction of substances such as talc to obliterate the pleural
space (a procedure called pleurodesis), preventing more fluid from accumulating
and pressing on the lung. Despite treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy
or sometimes surgery, the disease
carries a poor prognosis. Research about screening tests for the early
detection of mesothelioma is ongoing.(wikipedia)
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