Mesothelioma in Simple Terms

There are many types of cancers out there. Some are somewhat hereditary and cannot be guarded against; however, there are certain types of cancers that we can prepare for. One of these cancers is called mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a cancer that comes because of continual exposure to asbestos. I am sure that all of these terms are a little foreign to the average person, but I will do my best in explaining what they all mean.

Asbestos is a mineral that is used in many building projects because of its versatility and its ability to withstand heat. When kept unharmed, asbestos does no bad and is not harmful. However, when asbestos becomes disturbed its fibers are released into the air and can be inhaled by those in close proximity. The reason disturbed asbestos fibers are so dangerous is that over time they attach themselves to the lining of the lungs, thus slowly developing the cancerous tumor called mesothelioma.

In essence, mesothelioma is a lung cancer that occurs because of continual exposure to the mineral asbestos. Unfortunately, mesothelioma is relatively incurable and therefore very deadly. Persons who contract the disease do not normally notice the disease’s symptoms until years after they first contract it. This further exasperates the problem as it makes it hard to get treatment for the disease because you don’t even realize that you have it. There are, however, several treatment methods that help to give mesothelioma patients palliative care.