A rare type of cancer that affects the lungs is called mesothelioma, the reason behind this disease is asbestos exposure. Asbestos is a silicate mineral which is used in various industries such as the construction industry, tyre industry and some others. This illness is commonly found in the workers who are related to the mentioned industries. Asbestos exposure is extremely fatal and this is so well known that there are many laws regarding the diseases caused by its exposure. With time mesothelioma has become a billion dollar industry as the governments have devised laws and regulations for the victims to claim compensation from their employers whose negligence caused this disease.
This disease is a silent killer as it shows its symptoms after decades of the substance exposure thus making the victim so helpless that he only has less than a year survival time. The treatment for this lung cancer is an expensive one with low survival rates, consequently the victim once diagnosed with mesothelioma has less time to think and has to take action immediately.
As the name suggests mesothelioma, derives its name from the word mesothelium, which is the membrane lining that guards the internal vital organs like heart, lungs, liver and stomach and holds them in place against the chest walls. This membrane is very important to the body and a damage to this lining can result in life threatening diseases and is considered critical. In mesothelioma this lining is damaged as a result of exposure to the asbestos as it gets stuck in the lungs when inhaled with air, the air that we breathe goes to our lungs and there it gets filtered, if asbestos is present in the air that we inhale it is stuck in the lungs and doesn't come out when exhaled. If there are large amounts of asbestos in the inhaled air it will damage the lungs and afterwards the mesothelium permanently, consequently the victim will face mesothelioma.
This disease can only be slowed down with medicine but it can't be fully cured, if it is diagnosed at early stages, there are treatments that will slow down the damage and increase the life expectancy, but there isn't any permanent cure, death from this disease is inevitable, its only a matter of time. If someone is diagnosed at the start of the disease they are suggested to undergo surgical resections before the tumor spreads to other parts of the body, acting fast at this stage and getting surgical resections can slow down the spread of the tumors and prolong the life of the victim to some years.
Source by Khuram Malik
