Pleural Mesothelioma is a cancerous condition that develops in the outer linings around the lungs and inside the chest wall. Exposure to asbestos has been cited as the main cause for the development of this cancer. Early detection of the disease helps in treatment, but there still remains no known cure.
There is protective tissue found in the human body that covers most of the internal organs. This tissue is called mesothelium. The cancer that develops attacks this tissue and breaks it down. The cancer typically attacks the mesothelium around the lungs and inside the chest wall.
Symptoms of this disease may not appear for 20 to 50 years years after exposure to asbestos. A person can have a limited amount of exposure or they could have worked in a setting where asbestos was utilized on a daily basis. People first notice shortness of breath when the area of the chest cavity begins to fill with fluid and impedes the ability of the chest to expand enough to fill the lungs with air.
As the disease progresses other symptoms can start to appear. These include coughing, fatigue, hoarseness, anemia, and chest wall pain. Unfortunately, there are many other causes for these kind of symptoms that are much less serious and often allow the person to believe they are not gravely ill.
Doctors and scientists are trying to discover methods that will let them know when a person is developing this cancer much earlier than they can now. Currently, once they are alerted to the disease the prognosis for recovery is very poor. Some patients have shown promising results with chemotherapy in the early stages of cancer development.
On the bright side for people who have been exposed to asbestos over the years is that the cancerous condition that can develop vary rarely happens. However, for those who are susceptible to the effects from the exposure of asbestos, their odds of long term survival are extremely limited. Very few people survive longer than a year or two after diagnosis and only a handful live over five years.
Have a quick look at our website to learn all you need to know about Pleural Mesothelioma, now. You can also get a summary of the symptoms of asbestos cancer at http://www.mesotheliomaquestions.org/ today.