General information:

All the organs in the human body have a protective layer around them. It is this protective layer because of which the organs stay under protection from various diseases. These protective layers are made up of very thin tissues. They cover organs like the stomach, lungs, liver and heart etc. This tissue is actually known as Mesothelioma. The cancer that develops in these tissues is known as mesothelioma also known as Malignant mesothelioma.

Malignant mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer, is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the sac lining the chest (the pleura) or abdomen (the peritoneum). Most people with malignant mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they breathed asbestos.

The Mesothelioma Cell: 

A doctor should be seen if a person has shortness of breath, pain in the chest, or pain or swelling in the abdomen. If there are symptoms, the doctor may order an x-ray of the chest or abdomen. The doctor may look inside the chest cavity for mesothelioma with a special instrument called a thoracoscope. A cut will be made through the chest wall and the thoracoscope will be put into the chest between two ribs. This test, called thoracoscopy, is usually done in the hospital. Before the test, the patient will be given a local anesthetic (a drug that causes a loss of feeling for a short period of time). Some pressure may be felt, but usually there is no pain.

The doctor may also look inside the abdomen (peritoneoscopy) for mesothelioma with a special tool called a peritoneoscope. The peritoneoscope is put into an opening made in the abdomen. This test is also usually done in the hospital. Before the test is done, a local anesthetic will be given.

 If tissue that is not normal is found, the doctor will need to cut out a small piece and have it looked at under a microscope to see if there are any mesothelioma cells. This is called a biopsy. Biopsies are usually done during the thoracoscopy or peritoneoscopy. People can suffer from cancer and there are cases they can survive in the world for quite a long time. All the predictions and deductions that a person can make depend upon a few factors. These factors are as follows:                

• The size of the disease.
• How far has the disease spread?
• The location of the disease.
• The microscopic images of mesothelioma.
• The age factor.
• The response to treatment.

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