Pleural Mesothelioma – Cancer of the Lung Lining
Pleural Mesothelioma is caused due to exposure to blue asbestos for a
longer period of time, say 20 years, in which time the disease incubates
only to show its fearful countenance via certain symptoms.
What is Pleural Mesothelioma?
Pleural Mesothelioma or malignant pleural mesothelioma is cancer in the
layer of the lungs that can spread to the lungs. The spread of the tumor
over the pleura results in pleural thickening. This hinders the
reflexivity of the pleura and encases the lungs in an increasing
restrictive belt. With the lungs thus restricted, they get constricted in
no time and a person is always out of breath.
Pleural mesothelioma can be:
- Diffuse and malignant (carcinogenic)
- Localized and benign (non-cancerous)
Benign pleural mesothelioma can be removed surgically, but the malignant
tumors are the real terror heads.
Most common among other mesothelioma cases, Pleural Mesothelioma is
caused due to exposure to blue asbestos for a longer period of time, say
20 years, in which time the disease incubates only to show its fearful
countenance via certain symptoms.
The symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma
The symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma include difficulty in breathing,
difficulty in sleeping, pain in the chest and abdominal regions, blood
vomits, weakness, weight loss, loss of appetite, lower back pains,
persistent coughing, hoarseness of voice, sensory loss and difficulty in
Diagnosis of Pleural Mesothelioma
The first step is to go through a chest X-ray or a CT scan (computed
chest tomograph), which will reveal a pleural thickening and an effusion.
This is followed by a bronchoscopy. However, it should always be left to
a medical practitioner for a better understanding of the respective
cases. Another method is a biopsy, which can be a needle biopsy, an open
biopsy, or a thoracoscopy, where a mini camera is inserted inside the
body and with that a tissue sample is attained for further diagnosis.
Treatment of Pleural Mesothelioma
Treatment is directly proportional to the time of the revelation of the
disease, i.e., at an early stage the tumor can be removed through
A pioneering mesothelioma treatment option is immunotherapy, e.g.,
intrapleural inoculation of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is a useful
mesothelioma treatment in which an effort is made to intensify the immune
Radiation treatment and chemotherapy is probably then the answer to the
malignant pleural mesothelioma, but this can aid the pain management
only; there's no escaping death with Pleural Mesothelioma.
Side effects of Treatment
The side effects and penalty of mesothelioma lung cancer treatment are
more than its treatment, which is damaged healthy tissues, a state of
absolute fatigue ness; excessive radiation causes the skin to become red,
dry and itchy.
Other side effects of radiotherapy are nausea and vomiting, diarrhea,
urinary discomfort and a sudden reduction in the number of white blood
The average life span of a person with Pleural Mesothelioma is up to 6
months to a year and the maximum can reach up to 5 years - the magnesium-
silicate mineral fibers take its toll that's more than painful.
Other factors that may accelerate the possibility of pleural mesothelioma
are chronic lung infections, tuberculous pleuritis, radiation
(Thorotrast), exposure to the simian virus 40 (SV40) or mineral fibers
(Zeolite) and tobacco smoking to a certain extent.
Pleural Mesothelioma does not give a person the avenue for fair play.
Though the existence depends much on the various stages of the disease,
it is an ultimate killing menace that sucks out the life of the common