Malignant mesothelioma affects the mesothelium, the protective lining of the internal organs like lungs, heart, abdomen etc. It is a rare form of cancer which is often confused with lung cancer. Mesothelioma affects the lining of the lung and the latter infects the lung itself. Mesothelioma patients are the ones who had breathed in asbestos for a considerable period of time.

Basically there are three types of malignant mesothelioma. The most common one which affects the pleura, or the outer covering of lings and internal chest wall is known as the pleural mesothelioma. The types of mesothelioma which affects the protective lining of the abdominal cavity and heart are called peritoneal and pericardial mesothelioma respectively. Though the cancer is definitely fatal, the death rates vary. The pericardial mesothelioma is known to be the most dangerous one.

Asbestos particles, when inhaled, inhabit the mesothelium and in the course of a several years, retard the normal functioning of its cells. The infection usually assumes frightening proportions only after several decades. This long latency period is the reason why many of our newly diagnosed mesothelioma patients are workers who were exposed to asbestos fibers in the 1940s to 1970s.

The initial symptoms of being affected are shortness of breath resulting from excessive build up of fluid in the cavities known as pleural effusion. Unrelenting dry cough coupled with shortness of breath is a definite indicator of malignant mesothelioma attack. Patients may even develop other symptoms like fatigue, fever, pain around the chest, weight loss, night sweats, inflammation of the abdomen etc. Sometimes doctors misdiagnose the type of malignant mesothelioma affecting a particular patient, which results in wrong treatment.

Mesothelioma treatment is an individualized treatment in which the doctors take into account the stage and type of cancer apart from the physical health of the patient. The popular treatment these days is the combination of radiation, surgery and chemotherapy. Certain risk factors are also involved in this approach due to the fact that most of the patients must have reached the final stage of the disease at the time of malignant mesothelioma diagnosis. When the doctors find the cure impossible, palliative treatment is administered to the patients. Still, modern researches going on in the field of finding effective treatment for the malady have given a new hope to the patients.

If you enjoyed this write up about mesothelioma law, then you should check over this different site discussing deadly mesothelioma characteristics.