What is Mesothelioma?

The rarest form of cancer that affects Mesothelium, the crust that wraps and saves almost all the organs within our body is known as Mesothelioma. It is usually found to be initiating near the bordering area of the lungs or abdomen, medically known as pleura and peritoneum respectively. Asbestos, the main cause of this cancer, causes 70-80% cases through its exposure to the workers at their workplace.

Mesothelioma is a tumor that may or may not be cancerous in nature which affects the covering of most of the internal organs of our body. Noncancerous tumor is also known as Fibroma and malignant Mesothelioma is the other name of cancerous tumor. These are further detailed with the place of their occurrence like peritoneum Fibroma. The inhaled asbestos particles at workplace normally cause the occurrence of Malignant Mesothelioma though the inhalation of asbestos particles may not be the cause of non-cancerous Mesothelioma.

Most of our internal organs are covered and protected by a membrane called Mesothelium which is made of dual cell layers. One of these layers wraps the organs immediately and the other one engulfs it as a case. A lubricant is produced by the Mesothelium which flows between the layers to allow a smooth movement of organs like expansion and contraction of lungs or beating of heart, to let them easily slide along other parts of the body.

Mesothelium is named differently alongwith the organ covered by it as peritoneum covers the most of the organs of abdominal area whereas pleura covers the organs of lungs and borders of chest and heart region is covered by pericardium. Tunica vaginalis testis is the mesothelial tissue that covers the male internal reproductive organs and female internal reproductive organs are covered by tunica serosa uteri.

Exposure to the asbestos particles at workplace is the main cause of exposure to the Mesothelium which ultimately cause Mesothelioma, usually cancerous in nature. The records have shown that more than 70-80% of cases of malignant Mesothelioma are caused by asbestos exposure, though it may cause without any exposure to asbestos.

Mesothelioma can be caused to family members and persons living with workers, who are exposed to asbestos particles, because they have more chances to get exposed to this fatal substance. The dust of asbestos, on the clothes of the worker, is the cause of such exposure. The shower and changing of clothes at the workplace may reduce the chances of such exposure. Smoking itself is not the causing factor of Mesothelioma but it can increase the chances of exposure in combination with asbestos particles. Smoking alongwith asbestos exposure increases the chances of early infection of lungs and development of lungs cancer.

Asbestos is a natural combination of strong fibrous minerals that can be divided into threads and can be woven. Since nineteenth century, asbestos is being mined and used in industrial products like roof shingles, textiles, cement, insulation, flooring, brake lining etc. and since then the workers working in the industrial units where asbestos is used get exposed to this dangerous stuff and become Mesothelioma patients.