Mesothelioma Defined

Definition of Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a benign (non cancerous) or malignant (cancerous) tumor affecting the lining of the chest or abdomen. Exposure to asbestos particles in the air increases the risk of developing malignant Mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is one of the deadliest diseases known to man, the average life span of an inflicted person from the time of diagnosis until death is less than 6 months.

Mesothelioma is called by different names, depending on where it is located in the body. For example the peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity. The pericardium covers and protects the heart. The pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. The mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis testis. The tunica serosa uteri covers the internal reproductive organs in women.

What is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer in the general population. However, in individuals that were exposed to asbestos, it is not as rare. There are experts who have speculated on other causes. There are incidences of Mesothelioma with no known asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma is not a lung cancer. Smoking does not cause it. It is a cancer of the mesodefinedthelial cells. Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer and its incidence is actually increasing day by day. There is presently no known cure for Mesothelioma. As the disease progresses, the cancerous cells harden the pleura and spread. As time passes, breathing, sleeping and eating become more difficult and eventually it becomes increasingly more challenging for the victim to engage in normal activities and enjoy life. Mesothelioma or the cancer of the mesothelium is a disease in which cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide without control or order.

How do you get infected to Mesothelioma?
The single largest cause of Mesothelioma is working with asbestos; it is a major risk factor for Mesothelioma. A history of asbestos exposure at work is reported in about 70 percent to 80 percent of all cases. However, there have been cases where Mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos. Most people with malignant Mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they breathed asbestos. Others have been exposed to asbestos in a household environment, often without their knowledge.

What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is soft and flexible, and has been widely used for many years for a variety of things. The modern use for this mineral is for insulation, and it has been used in a wide range of items and structures, from ceilings and walls to toasters and hairdryers. The risk of asbestos-related disease increases with heavier exposure to asbestos and longer exposure time. There is some evidence that family members and others living with asbestos workers have an increased risk of developing Mesothelioma, and possibly other asbestos-related diseases. This risk may be the result of exposure to asbestos dust brought home on the clothing and hair of asbestos workers.