Types of Mesothelioma

On where the asbestos fibres are trapped in the body, determines the nature of mesothelioma that a person develops. There are three main types of mesothelioma.

Of the pleural Mesothelioma is the most common type. In this case, asbestos particles are inhaled and are embedded in the wall of the ribcage.

Peritoneale Mesothelioma is the second most common. Below are the particles of asbestos welcomes direct way or another caught in the wall of the trachea and eat in this way. They traveled to the stomach and in their integration into the abdominal wall.

Pericardique mesothelioma, a rare form of the disease, accounting for less than 10% of patients diagnosed mesothelioma. The pericardium is the bag of tissues that the heart and foundation of the main arteries. Its unknown how many particles leave the area of the chest, but the current theory believes that the particles are somewhat divided and the body can be transported through the blood in the heart where is the pericardium.

Commonness and Risk Factors in Mesothelioma

Reported incidence rates have increased in the past 20 years, mesothelioma is still a relatively rare cancer. About 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year. Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and risk increases with age, but this disease can appear in either men or women at any age.

Then, working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma. A history of asbestos exposure at work is reported in about 70 percent to 80 percent of all cases. However, mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos.

Smoking does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma. However, the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure significantly increases a person's risk of developing cancer of the air passageways in the lung.

Source: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Sites-Types/mesothelioma

What is Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos.

Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or they have been exposed to asbestos dust and fibre in other ways, such as by washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos. Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking. Compensation via asbestos funds or lawsuits is an important issue in mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma that affects the pleura can cause these signs and symptoms:

1. chest wall pain
2. pleural effusion, or fluid surrounding the lung
3. shortness of breath
4. fatigue or anemia
5. wheezing, hoarseness, or cough
6. blood in the sputum (fluid) coughed up (hemoptysis)

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesothelioma