Mesothelioma Lung Cancer

“Mesothelioma lung cancer” is some sort of a misnomer or misconception. Though mesothelioma is often mistaken for a primary lung cancer, it is a cancer of the tissue or membrane that lubricates organs of the body such as the heart, lungs and abdomen. One of reasons people often refer to mesothelioma as a form of lung cancer is because 75 percent of mesothelioma cases affect the pleura or the lining around the lungs.

Mesothelioma Causes

Mesothelioma is a result of factors linked to the environment, the most significant one being exposure to asbestos in a workplace. Lung carcinoma is caused due to excessive active or passive smoking and other similar hazards. Smoking is not directly linked to mesothelioma, though smokers may be at a higher risk of catching the disease compared to non-smokers.

Individuals engaged in occupations related to ship-building, construction, plumbing and other such professions have the highest propensity of developing mesothelioma. The likelihood of an individual being affected by the disease is directly proportional to the duration and intensity of asbestos exposure. Though direct exposure to asbestos is the main cause of mesothelioma, there have been cases where the disease has been caused by incidental asbestos exposure, such as dust particles carried on the person of family members working in asbestos environments.

Mesothelioma Treatment

Mesothelioma treatment follows a different treatment plan than other lung and thoracic cancers. If diagnosed at an earlier stage, curative treatments such as surgery are most often the initial step of the treatment plan. They are aimed at surgically removing the tumor and preventing the cancerous cells from attacking other parts of the body. Radiation therapy is also widely used to combat mesothelioma. Chemotherapy is utilized to destroy the cells and stop them from multiplying. The oncologist may use a combination of these treatment methods depending on the patient’s unique requirements.

Mesothelioma is unfortunately due to its extended latency period is not generally discovered until it reaches the advanced stages. The application of curative treatment options become pointless at this stage, and the only option for the oncologist is to administer palliative treatment methods for lessening the patient’s discomfort for as long as he/she survives. At this stage, doctors usually recommend a combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Doctors may also suggest a number of alternative healing techniques such as acupuncture, yoga and meditation to reduce the patient’s stress and improve the quality of his/her life.

In addition to traditional treatment techniques for mesothelioma, a large number of clinical trials and research studies are being conducted to discover newer and more advanced methods of curing the disease. These clinical trials require the participation of mesothelioma patients and at times have known to have an encouraging effect on the individual’s life expectancy. The expansion of treatment options spells more hope for mesothelioma patients.

For those who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure, get an immediate checkup and contact a lawyer to determine the basis for a lawsuit.