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Pleural mesothelioma is a form of lung cancer
By far, the most common type of mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma. It is responsible for 75% of all
mesothelioma cases. Pleural mesothelioma affects the lungs and the respiratory areas of the body.
More specifically, the cancer attacks pleura, the lining of the lungs and ribs, hence the name pleural
mesothelioma.
Pleural Mesothelioma and in its malignant form is the direct consequence of exposure to asbestos fibers.
You can get benign tumors with mesothelioma, but the malignant type is by far the most common. Only a
couple of months of unprotected exposure to the deadly fibers and dust of asbestos can result in pleural
mesothelioma thirty to fifty years later. And the risks can be heightened by smoking as well as exposure
to another hazardous gases and dusts.
Due the long latency period of pleural mesothelioma (30-50 years), as well as the fact their symptoms
can appear very non-specific and could be put down to a number of common diseases or illnesses, an early
detection of this lung cancer disease is very difficult.
The common symptoms associated with pleural mesothelioma are persistent coughing, facial swelling, weight
loss, fever, difficulty swallowing, rasping and coughing up blood. Additionally sufferers may experience
shortness of breath. This happens because the tumor on the lining of the lungs expands causing less and
less room for the properly function of the lungs. Some patients also can feel strong chest pains and this
is due to the spreading of cancerous cells.
As I said before, many of these symptoms are very typically to conditions and diseases which are far more
common than lung mesothelioma, making it very difficult to diagnose until it is too late. But people should
have more concerns in case they where exposed to asbestos in the past. A special mention for elderly men
of ages sixty to seventy because this was the generation which worked with asbestos having just a little
protection against the asbestos dust and fibers.
Treatments for pleural mesothelioma include chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery, but the truth
is there is no proper cure. Generally, chance of survival is higher if pleural mesothelioma is treated
aggressively in its early stages. The patient's age, medical record, weight and other such factors are
taken into account to recommend the effective treatment.
NOTE: The Information on this site is provided for information only,
and is not meant to substitute for the advice of a professional.
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