Mesothelioma Treatments

Three traditional kinds of treatment exist for patients with malignant mesothelioma: surgery which removes the cancerous masses from the body, chemotherapy, which uses a variety of potent drugs to kill the cancer, and radiation therapy, which uses high doses of x-rays to kill the cancer cells. Often times, doctors use two or more of these treatment courses together to maximize the likelihood of success.

Mesothelioma Symptoms

1. chest pain and shortness of breath
2. abdominal pain
3. loss of appetite
4. nausea and abdominal swelling
5. bowel obstruction or further breathing obstruction

What is Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that grows on the mesothelium, the membrane or protective sac that surrounds the various organs of the body. It guards the organs by producing a special type of fluid to promote mobility of the organs. In the case of the lungs, mesothelium fluid allows ease in the movement when taking in air. Mesothelioma tumor can start on any area of the mesothelium which can be benign or cancerous. Known to be the cause of Mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos.

Asbestos is a heat resistant fibrous mineral used in the industry as the main material in making roofing,gasket compounds, floor tiles and patching compounds. Its versatility makes it a component of various products in the market but it is extremely dangerous once inhaled no matter how small the quantity may be. Inhaled asbestos fiber can pass through the air passages which can come in contact with linings of the lungs which can injure the cells and result to pleural Mesothelioma. Swallowed asbestos on the other hand can affect the fibers lined up on the abdominal cavity resulting to peritoneal Mesothelioma. There are also evidences that link Mesothelioma with Thorotrast, a component used for X-rays but its usage has been stopped for a long time.

David Arnold Livingston