Mesothelioma cancer - Symptoms of mesothelioma cancer may take decades to develop, and by the time the illness is diagnosed, it may be in the later stages. mesothelioma cancer is most hopeful when the tumor can be surgically removed. Mesothelioma is a cancer associated with exposure to asbestos. Once a realatively obscure disease that meant little to the general public, mesothelioma is now known to be among the most aggressive and difficult to treat tumors oncologists yet have encountered.
Mesothelioma which is sometimes referred to as asbestos Symptom cancer, is an aggressive cancer caused primarily by the inhalation of asbestos fibers. The disease attacks the mesothelium, a protective, two-layered membrane that covers the internal organs of the body including the lungs, heart and abdominal organs. Between these layers, the cells produce fluid, which allows easy movement of the heart and lungs within the chest cavity. The layer that covers the lungs is called the pericardium, which is where pericardial mesothelioma is known to occur. The peritoneum lines the abdominal cavity. Mesothelium also lines the male and female reproductive organs. Mesothelioma can affect any of these cells, but is usually seen in the pleural or peritoneal mesothelium. The most commonly diagnosed form of this cancer is pleural mesothelioma.
Malignant mesothelioma, in general, is a very painful disease and because it is usually not diagnosed until it's in an advanced stage. For this reason, the mesothelioma symptoms are typically quite serious. Late diagnosis also means that the cancer is more likely to have metastasized, or spread, making successful mesothelioma treatment even more difficult.
Mesothelioma is most often diagnosed in its late stages, a diagnosis that is often devastating to the individual and his/her family. Though research into the disease has been ongoing, there is currently no cure for mesothelioma. Some patients may be candidates for surgery to remove tumors or even an entire lung, but most are better treated with radiation or chemotherapy. More often than not, these treatments are palliative, serving to lessen the severity of the symptoms of the disease rather than offering a cure.