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Mesothelioma is not a disease of this decade but has its roots as back as the beginning of 19th century. But it came into limelight in the recent past. Mesothelioma results in tumours in and around vital organs of the body. The word mesothelioma literally means cancer of the mesothelium (oma is a medical term for cancer). The mesothelium is the sac that protects vital organs of our body and this disease affects the cells of the lining and makes them malevolent.

Mesothelioma exists in three forms:

<a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’);” href=”http://mesotheliomastraight.net”><b>Pleural Mesothelioma</b></a> is the most common form of mesothelioma that affects the pleura of the lungs and ribs. Due to this disease pleura gets thickened. Some of the common symptoms of pleural mesothelioma are regular coughing, difficulty in swallowing, difficulty in breathing, shortness of breath, facial swelling, and weight loss, fever, rasping and coughing up blood.

<a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’);” href=”http://mesotheliomastraight.net”><b>Peritoneal Mesothelioma</b></a> affects the lining of the abdomen. It starts in the abdominal area and spread to other parts of the body. The sufferers may show some or all of the following symptoms: pain and swelling in abdomen, loss of appetite, problem in breathing, chest pain, bowel obstruction, anemia and blood clotting abnormalities.

<a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’);” href=”http://mesotheliomastraight.net”><b>Pericardial Mesothelioma</b></a>, the rarest of all affects the heart and the cavity that surrounds the heart. The following symptoms are generally seen: pain in chest, shortness of breath, trouble in breathing, persistent coughing, and palpitations.

The symptoms for all three types of mesothelioma are non-specific, which means that there exist various other diseases with the same symptoms. Hence it becomes very difficult to diagnose any form of mesothelioma. There is a great possibility that a doctor might not found that a patient has mesothelioma and the disease is often mistaken for something else. Moreover long latency period also makes it very much difficult for the doctors to diagnose the same and it becomes too late for them to do any constructive treatment. Hence it advisable to people to let their doctors know if you are exposed to asbestos or any other similar substances regularly. Otherwise they are likely to look at other options before even contemplating mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is a certain type of cancer most commonly caused by an exposure to asbestos. However, mesothelioma may not show up for many decades after the asbestos exposure. There are three types of mesothelioma: Pleural, peritoneal, and pericardial, and they all have devastating effects on the victim and their family.

Mesothelioma is the most uncommon form of cancer and it is also the most serious of all diseases related to asbestos exposure. Keep in mind that just because it is uncommon, it is not considered a rare type of cancer. Because of the symptoms mesothelioma exhibits, it is often difficult to diagnose. By the time a diagnosis is finally reached, treatment may no longer be effective. It is one of the lease responsive cancers to treatment.

Pleural mesothelioma affects the chest and lungs of its victim. From the chest and lungs, it spreads to different organs in the body, including the brain. Pleural mesothelioma is often not easy to detect. Survival rates are usually about a year and a half from the onset of their symptoms. A very small percentage may survive three to five years.

Pleural mesothelioma symptoms include:

· Pain in a specific area of the chest that doesn’t seem to go away.

· Shortness of breath or breathing problems due to fluid buildup in the chest.

· Weight loss

· Fever

· Anemia

· Fatigue

· Coughing up blood

· Jaundice

· Low blood sugar

· Blood clots

· Tumor masses

Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the abdomen and many times spreads to nearby organs, such as the spleen, liver, or bowels. The survival rate is very low, with most patients surviving about ten months after the development of symptoms.

Common peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms include:

· Severe abdominal pain

· Excessive fluid in the abdomen area

· Difficult bowel movements

· Nausea and vomiting

· Fever

· Swollen feet

Pericardial mesothelioma affects the heart and is the rarest of the mesothelioma-related cancers. This type of cancer invades the pericardium, the sac surrounding the heart. When the disease progresses, the heart is unable to deliver the proper amount of oxygen to the rest of the body. The health of the victim declines very rapidly during the progression of the disease. The most common symptoms resemble a heart attack, with nausea, shortness of breath, and pain in the chest.

Mesothelioma is most often treated with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, though there are some experimental treatments that are taking place while the disease is still in their earlier stages. This serious disease affects more than just the victim; it affects their loved ones as well. Having seen firsthand the devastating effects of this disease, we work hard to protect the rights of working men and women.

Mesothelioma, or the cancer of mesothelium, is a fatal tumor that affects pleura, peritoneum, and pericardium – linings around lungs, abdomen, and heart respectively. It is a fatal disease caused by exposure to asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral.

Mesothelioma cancer be benign, i.e. it can be non-cancerous and non-spreading or it can be malignant i.e. cancerous and spread to other parts of the body leading to death. Its primary cause is prolonged exposure to asbestos and it has a latency period of about 30 to 50 years.

Types of Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma can be classified into three types depending on the area of body affected by it. There are 3 common types of mesothelioma:

1. Pleural Mesothelioma

2. Peritoneal Mesothelioma

3. Pericardial Mesothelioma

Pleural Mesothelioma

The most common form of mesothelioma, Pleural Mesothelioma (cancer of pleura) is a tumor of the protective lining around the lungs. It can be either benign or malignant.

The pleura is a sac-like membrane made of two layers between which the pleural fluid is released. This fluid in turn acts like a lubricating agent and helps the lungs to function smoothly during breathing.

Symptoms

Common symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma are:

* Shortness of breath

* Chest pain

* Back pain

* Pain in the rib cage

Other symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma, for both benign and cancerous forms, include:

* Fluid build-up in the lung lining

* Hoarseness

* Coughing up blood

* Swelling of the face and arms

* Muscle weakness

* Paralysis

* Sensory loss

Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Another common form of mesothelioma is peritoneal mesothelioma or cancer of the peritoneum that causes tumor in the abdominal lining. Like pleural it can be benign or malignant.

The peritoneum is the membrane that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity and also includes:

* Tunica Vaginalis Testis (mesothelial tissue lining the male internal reproductive organs)

* Tunica Serosa Uteri (mesothelial tissue lining the female reproductive organs)

Symptoms

The fluid released in the peritoneum helps in the smooth functioning of these organs. When the peritoneum is affected, some common symptoms experienced are:

* Stomach pain

* Weight loss

* Nausea

* Vomiting

* Hernia

* Bowel obstruction

* Fluid in the abdominal cavity

If the cancer spreads beyond the abdominal cavity, additional symptoms can be found, such as:

* Anemia

* Blood clotting abnormalities

* Trouble swallowing

* Swelling of neck, face or arms

Pericardial Mesothelioma
Pericardial Mesothelioma or the cancer of pericardium is a tumor of the protective sac-like lining around the heart.

Pericardium protects the heart by:

* Smoothening its motion against surrounding organs

* Limiting its motion so that it stays in the chest cavity

* Preventing it from over-expansion during excess influx of blood

Symptoms

When pericardium’s function is affected by mesothelioma, the following symptoms may occur:

* Chest pain

* Shortness of breath

* Fluid accumulation in the lining

If the mesothelioma cancer spreads to other organs of the body, it can affect their normal functioning and cause painful symptoms. Thus, it is important that mesothelioma cancer is diagnosed on time and proper treatment is given to save the patient’s life.