The Devastating Effects Of Mesothelioma Cancer?

Answer 1

Mesothelioma cancer is a rare disease that effects the mesothelium of the internal organs, most commonly that of the lungs. The mesothelium is the protective layer around the organs that provide the proper lubrication and fluid levels of our internal organs.

When a diagnosis of mesothelioma occurs, the first question many patients ask is how they developed it. One of the suspected causes of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. Asbestos was frequently used in industry especially during the 1940’s and 1950’s. While there are current stringent guidelines regarding asbestos in the present, individuals who may have previously worked with or inhaled asbestos particles in the workplace are at the greatest risk of developing mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is the radical changes in cell activity and formation that cause the cells to abnormally divide. This abnormal cell division creates malignancies that quickly develop with the pleura or peritoneum of the body. The most likely area of the body that seems to be largely affected by mesothelioma is the lungs and the lining known as the pleura.

Treatment options for mesothelioma cancer may vary depending upon the severity and stage of the illness. The most common type of treatment use in cases of mesothelioma is chemotherapy. Certain variations of the disease may also be treated with radiation therapy and surgery. There are several alternative treatment options that have shown promise for mesothelioma. Alimta is relatively newer class of chemotherapy drug that appears to lengthen the survival rate of individuals stricken with this disease.

Gene therapy has also been showing some promise in slowing down the progression of mesothelioma in many patients. Along with gene therapy, immunotherapy, which is a process in which the patient’s cells are removed and paired with cytokines and subsequently replaced back into the patient’s body is also a treatment option being provided by certain oncologists who specialize in the disease.

Mesothelioma does not have a definitive prognosis timeline for survival as such. Survival depends greatly upon the stage the disease was in when diagnosed as well as how rapidly the cancerous cells continue to grow. Many of the treatments are showing much promise in the area of survival.