Pleural Mesothelioma - Mesothelioma Lung Cancer
What is commonly known as mesothelioma lung cancer in most cases points to either Pericardial or Pleural mesothelioma. Pericardial mesothelioma affect the mesothelium that lines the heart but the cancer has been known to spread to the lung lining from there. Otherwise, this type of lung cancer is almost always pleural mesothelioma. The pleura is the membrane responsible for holding the walls of our chest and our lungs. Over 60 percent of all mesothelioma instances are pleural while the two other forms make up the left over percentage. It is essentially mesothelioma cancer of the lung, more precisely, the lung lining. It is thought that asbestos exposure is the central cause of all kinds of mesothelioma. It is the most common type of mesothelioma.
People who have been exposed to asbestos and who are also smokers run a dangerous possibility of getting this variety of mesothelioma. Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include weight loss, chest pain, shortness of breath and lumps in the chest area. Breathing can be impaired and even painful. It is a difficult cancer to spot mainly because the symptoms resemble many other conditions. A full examination including CT scans and even a biopsy is needed to confirm if the patient really does have pleural mesothelioma.
Survival rates are associated to time of detection, the earlier, the better. In such instances, surgery is an option as it attempts to eradicate all observable tumors from the affected areas. Chemotherapy is commenced with its chief aim of shrinking all remaining tumors that were not removed. Radiation can be used as a means to ease pleural mesothelioma symptoms. Patients who are younger and healthier typically undergo aggressive treatments of all three methods. In instances where the cancer is sent into remission, the chances of mesothelioma recurring is very high. Research and new techniques have been looking to improve on patients lifespans as well as quality of life even though there is no cure for pleural mesothelioma. Dr.David Sugarbaker along with other top physicians from various states have been at the forefront of mesothelioma research.
Mesothelioma along with Pericardial Mesothelioma are two topics that are covered in the authors homepage. For further information please click the highlighted links above.
