Pleural Mesothelioma Cancer - An Overview
Sometimes referred to as mesothelioma of the pleura
, pleural mesothelioma affects the lung's lining or lung pleura. Many people believe that mesothelioma is a kind of primary lung cancer although it isn't. Rather, it's a cancer of the membranes that enclose the lungs as well as a number of other organs that are in the midsection of a person's body.
Pleural mesothelioma is the most common form of mesothelioma and affects the lungs' membranes. It represents approximately 75% of all cases of mesothelioma.
The disease is caused by inhaling asbestos dust or asbestos fibers. After the asbestos settles in the lungs it becomes embedded in the pleura. Then, as the decades pass, the asbestos fibers begin to cause chronic inflammation. The inflammation eventually leads to the formation of cancerous tumors. Sometimes it causes asbestosis.
Pleural mesothelioma cancer usually can be recognized by the many tumor masses that affect the parietal surface of the lung. This is the area that's outside and furthest from a person's lung. These tumor masses also appear on the inside surface, the visceral surface, which is closer to the person's lung.
Most mesothelioma occurs in the right lung. That's apparently because the right lung is larger than the left lung and therefore has a larger amount of pleural surface area.
In addition, the lower part of the lung usually shows more tumor masses than the upper part of the lung. Gravitational factors may be the reason this happens because the asbestos fibers probably settled in the lower lung after they were inhaled.
When a patient is first diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma he or she usually has large growths in their pleura. Over the next several months the growths ultimately completely obliterate the lung cavity.
In addition, the lung pleura tumors can spread to other organs including the abdomen and the heart. The disease can also invade the circulatory system as well as the lymph nodes.
What Are The Symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma?
The most common symptom is chest pain. However the pain often appears in the upper abdomen or the shoulder. Dyspnea, or a shortness of breath, is also likely.
Once the tumors have enlarged and filled the pleural space they cause it to become full of fluid. Known as pleural effusion, this fluid buildup causes the pain or discomfort that occurs when the disease is first detected.
What Is The Prognosis For Pleural Meosthelioma?
The prognosis is rather bleak. One study of 167 pleural mesothelioma patients showed that the median survival rate was 242 days after the diagnosis.
by: Wendy Moyer
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