|
The National Cancer Institute states that "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), the lining of the abdominal cavity (the peritoneum) or the lining around the heart (the pericardium)."
Mesothelioma is pronounced as "mez-o-thee-lee-omah" and begins in the lining of several organs. This lining is a tissue called mesothelium that protects organ by secreting specific fluid that allows the organs to move. Essentially, it is this specific fluid that allows the lung to move while breathing. In a way, this lining, the mesothelium acts as a lubricant between organs.
This lubricant surrounds our vital organs such as the lungs, stomach, and the heart. Mesothelioma can start in any of these places; the resulting tumor can be benign or cancerous. More often than not, mesothelioma starts in the chest cavity. This specific mesothelioma is called “pleural mesothelioma”. The remaining form of mesothelioma originate in the abdomen, these certain mesothelioma is called “peritoneal mesothelioma”. The rarest of these are the one that starts near the heart.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to diagnose mesothelioma due to large latency in time before the diagnosis and the rate of progression of mesothelioma.
|
