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Malignant Pleural mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which cancer cells are found in the sac lining the chest, the lining of the abdominal cavity or the lining around the heart.
Malignant Peural mesothelioma is cancer which is found in the lining of the chest.
In Malignant Pleural mesothelioma the cancer cells are found in a sac lining in the abdominal cavity or the lining around the heart. Found in the lining of the chest its a swift and painful killer for as the cells begin to divide and spread they affect the organs around them leading to complications that become life threatening.
The majority of individuals who develop malignant pleural mesothelioma have experienced chronic exposure to asbestos during the course of their lives. This type of cancer is considered to be resistant to most therapies, which consist of surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. Patients with this disease often have a decreased quality of life from symptoms caused by the cancer, such as shortness of breath, cough, pain, fatigue and the inability to eat. Unfortunately, patients typically are not diagnosed with mesothelioma until the cancer has spread to distant sites in the body. Patients with this advanced form of mesothelioma often are not eligible for surgery. Advanced mesothelioma is often treated with chemotherapy in order to improve quality of life or duration of survival for these patients.
When pleural mesothelioma cancer spreads, the cells of the mesothelium become abnormal. These malignant cells begin to divide and spread without order and can begin to affect organs and tissues in the immediate area. This often leads to complications in the surrounding organs.
The National Institute of Cancer cites working with asbestos as the major risk factor for pleural mesothelioma. While almost 80 percent of those that have mesothelioma have been exposed to asbestos, there are still reported cases where there is no known exposure. Smoking alone has not been shown to increase the risk of mesothelioma but smoking in conjunction with asbestos exposure does increase risk. The heavier the exposure to asbestos, the greater the chance of pleural mesothelioma, although not everyone exposed is afflicted with the cancer.
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