What is Malignant Mesothelioma?

Written by Alan Allport


Mesothelioma is a disease in which malignant cancer cells are found inrepparttar mesothelium. The mesothelium is a protective sac that covers most ofrepparttar 114355 bodies major organs.

The mesothelium is made up of two layers of cells:

One layer immediately surroundsrepparttar 114356 organ; The other layer forms a sac around it.

The mesothelium produces a lubricating fluid that is released between these layers. The purpose of this lubricating fluid is to allow moving organs, such asrepparttar 114357 heart and lungs to glide against adjacent structures.

Malignant mesothelioma is a disease in which cancerous cells inrepparttar 114358 mesothelium grow to an abnormal size and divide uncontrollably. During this process these malignant mesothelioma cells will invade and contaminate nearby organs and tissues.

Cases of malignant mesothelioma have increased overrepparttar 114359 last 20 years, but despite this, mesothelioma is still a comparatively rare form of cancer with about 2000 new cases a year being diagnosed inrepparttar 114360 United States.

Malignant mesothelioma occurs much more in men than in women and you're much more likely to contract it when you're old than young.

How is Mesothelioma Treated?

Written by Alan Allport


Treatment for mesothelioma depends onrepparttar location ofrepparttar 114354 cancer,repparttar 114355 stage ofrepparttar 114356 disease, andrepparttar 114357 patient's age and general health. Standard treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Sometimes, these treatments are combined.

Surgery is a common treatment for mesothelioma. The doctor may remove part ofrepparttar 114358 lining ofrepparttar 114359 chest or abdomen and some ofrepparttar 114360 tissue around it. For cancer ofrepparttar 114361 pleura (pleural mesothelioma), a lung may be removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy. Sometimes part ofrepparttar 114362 diaphragm,repparttar 114363 muscle belowrepparttar 114364 lungs that helps with breathing, is also removed. Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, involvesrepparttar 114365 use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy affectsrepparttar 114366 cancer cells only inrepparttar 114367 treated area. The radiation may come from a machine (external radiation) or from putting materials that produce radiation through thin plastic tubes intorepparttar 114368 area whererepparttar 114369 cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy).

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