Mesothelioma of the Pleura or Pleural
Mesothelioma Pleura
Mesothelioma of the Pleura is the most common form of Mesothelioma, which is a rare form of cancer that affects the lining that protects many of the body’s organs, including the heart, abdomen and the lungs. Mesothelioma can be more accurately called Malignant Mesothelioma. Mesothelioma’s most common occurrence is in the pleura, which account for as much as 75% of mesothelioma cases. The disease is called Pleural Mesothelioma. There is a common misconception that Pleural Mesothelioma is lung cancer. The term lung cancer is reserved for cancers that originate in the lung, so technically, a cancer that originates in the pleura is not lung cancer.
What is the Pleura?
The human body (and the body of other animals) has a way of protecting internal organs using membranes. Each organ is surrounded by a membrane extension. The membrane that protects the lungs is single celled and is called the Pleura. The Pleura is the outer lining of the lungs that encase and protect them. The Pleura is actually like a thin tube. It is comprised of an outer layer known as the Parietal Area which attaches to the chest wall. There are two types of parietal plura: the Costal and the Mediastinal Pleura. The inner layer of the pleura called the Visceral Area and it fors a protective barrier that wraps around the lung. Between the inner and outer lining is a space known as the pleural cavity that normally contains a small amount of pleural fluid that fills the gap between the inner and outer walls.
Causes of Mesothelioma of the Pleura (Pleural Mesothelioma)
The single cause of Mesothelioma of the Pleura (Pleural Mesothelioma) is exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is a material used in construction, insulation and many other applications for thousands of years and it was first found in Scandinavian pottery dating back to 3000 BC. Asbestos was first recognised as a health hazard and recorded in writings from as far back as the first century, but it was not until the 1960′s that the asbestos as the cause of mesothelioma became known.
Asbestos is a dangerous substance that contributes to several serious terminal illnesses such as pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma and cancers such as lung, colon, throat, stomach and larynx. It has an unusually long latence period, usually stretching anywhere from 20-40 years and Mesothelioma of the Pleura therefore usually strikes individuals from middle to old age.
Mesothelioma of the Pleura (Pleural Mesothelioma) developes through inhalation of the flakes, fibres and dust from the asbestos. The body is not able to eliminate the asbestos naturally, so it stays in the Pleural area and accumulates. Over time, the body responds with several cancerous tumors that can be found in both the parietal (external) and the visceral (internal) pleura.
Symptoms of Mesothelioma of the Pleura
Diagnosis of Pleural Mesothelioma can be tricky as its symptoms closely resemble those of other common cardio-vascular diseases such as asthma, tubercolosis and pneumonia. These include:
The prognosis for mesothelioma of the pleura is not encouraging with patients barely living beyond eight months after diagnosis. This is due in part to the long latency period meaning the asbestos could be embedded in the pleura for decades before diagnosis.
Mesothelioma of the Pleura is the most common form of Mesothelioma, which is a rare form of cancer that affects the lining that protects many of the body’s organs, including the heart, abdomen and the lungs. Mesothelioma can be more accurately called Malignant Mesothelioma. Mesothelioma’s most common occurrence is in the pleura, which account for as much as 75% of mesothelioma cases. The disease is called Pleural Mesothelioma. There is a common misconception that Pleural Mesothelioma is lung cancer. The term lung cancer is reserved for cancers that originate in the lung, so technically, a cancer that originates in the pleura is not lung cancer.
What is the Pleura?
The human body (and the body of other animals) has a way of protecting internal organs using membranes. Each organ is surrounded by a membrane extension. The membrane that protects the lungs is single celled and is called the Pleura. The Pleura is the outer lining of the lungs that encase and protect them. The Pleura is actually like a thin tube. It is comprised of an outer layer known as the Parietal Area which attaches to the chest wall. There are two types of parietal plura: the Costal and the Mediastinal Pleura. The inner layer of the pleura called the Visceral Area and it fors a protective barrier that wraps around the lung. Between the inner and outer lining is a space known as the pleural cavity that normally contains a small amount of pleural fluid that fills the gap between the inner and outer walls.
Causes of Mesothelioma of the Pleura (Pleural Mesothelioma)
The single cause of Mesothelioma of the Pleura (Pleural Mesothelioma) is exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is a material used in construction, insulation and many other applications for thousands of years and it was first found in Scandinavian pottery dating back to 3000 BC. Asbestos was first recognised as a health hazard and recorded in writings from as far back as the first century, but it was not until the 1960′s that the asbestos as the cause of mesothelioma became known.
Asbestos is a dangerous substance that contributes to several serious terminal illnesses such as pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma and cancers such as lung, colon, throat, stomach and larynx. It has an unusually long latence period, usually stretching anywhere from 20-40 years and Mesothelioma of the Pleura therefore usually strikes individuals from middle to old age.
Mesothelioma of the Pleura (Pleural Mesothelioma) developes through inhalation of the flakes, fibres and dust from the asbestos. The body is not able to eliminate the asbestos naturally, so it stays in the Pleural area and accumulates. Over time, the body responds with several cancerous tumors that can be found in both the parietal (external) and the visceral (internal) pleura.
Symptoms of Mesothelioma of the Pleura
Diagnosis of Pleural Mesothelioma can be tricky as its symptoms closely resemble those of other common cardio-vascular diseases such as asthma, tubercolosis and pneumonia. These include:
- A terribly dry and harsh cough
- Shortness of Breath
- Inexplicable weight loss
- Constant Fatigue
- Night Fever
- Chest pain specificall located under the rib cage
- Unusual lumps under skin in the chest area
The prognosis for mesothelioma of the pleura is not encouraging with patients barely living beyond eight months after diagnosis. This is due in part to the long latency period meaning the asbestos could be embedded in the pleura for decades before diagnosis.
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