The mesothelium is a membrane that covers many of the body’s internal organs. The mesothelium is comprised of two cell layers with fluid between the two. The fluid allows the organs to move against other structures in the body easily.

Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer originating in the membrane. It affects the pericardium membrane which surrounds the body’s heart, the peritoneum which covers the abdominal cavity, the body’s reproductive organs and also the pleura which covers the lungs. According to the Mayo Clinic, Pleural Mesothelioma is the most common form of mesothelioma. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mesothelioma/DS00779 Between 2,000 and 3,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with some form of mesothelioma each year.

While mesothelioma can strike anyone, people who have worked around asbestos at some point in their lives have an increased risk of contracting the illness. Some people may have only had brief exposure to asbestos while others may have lived with a family member who worked near asbestos in their jobs. Those individuals could have carried asbestos dust home on their clothes or in their hair thus exposing others living in the home to the asbestos. Once you have received a diagnosis, it’s important to take care of your health and learn how to treat pleural mesothelioma.

The pleura consists of two layers that protect the chest cavity and the lungs. The top or outer layer is called the parietal layer and the inner is known as the visceral layer. Patients usually develop mesothelioma in one of the layers of the pleura; however, even though it develops in one layer, it can spread to the other.

Once asbestos fibers are trapped in the patient’s body, they cause cancer cells to abnormally divide. This can cause fluid build-up in the lungs and respiratory system. Once this occurs patients may begin to experience symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. The patient may have a cough which is dry or raspy and can also cough up blood. They may also experience difficulties swallowing or have shortness of breath. This can occur even when the patient is resting. Painful breathing may occur along with persistent pain in the patient’s chest or rib area. Sometimes lumps may occur under the skin along the patient’s chest area. They may also suffer from night sweats, fever, fatigue or unexplained weight loss. http://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma/pleural.php? gclid=CIGR2YiU5J8CFctY2god9m7VGg/ref>

Patients who are suffering from any of the above symptoms should seek a medical opinion particularly if they have had asbestos exposure.

Patients who begin to suffer from some or all of the above symptoms should seek a medical diagnosis, especially if they have had exposure to asbestos at some point in their lives. The asbestos exposure may have occurred many years ago; however, symptoms may not show up for many years. If that is the case, someone patients may attribute their symptoms to the flu or to pneumonia. http://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma/pleural.php?gclid=CIGR2YiU5J8CFctY2god9m7VGg/ref> In order for a physician to diagnose pleural mesothelioma, they will conduct an exam to check for the lumps that appear under the chest’s skin or other signs of the disease. They may order certain tests such as an X-ray of the chest or a CT Scan of the chest and/or abdominal area to see if there are any abnormalities therein.

A physician may also want to biopsy certain areas to determine if the patient indeed has contracted mesothelioma. Biopsies are performed in several ways such as a fine-needle aspiration where a doctor will insert a small needle into an area of the body and remove either fluid or a small piece of tissue.

If it has been determined that a patient does indeed have mesothelioma, the doctors will need to determine the stage of the illness. Since, unfortunately, mesothelioma is not usually diagnosed until the cancer is in the advanced stages, removing the cancer by an operation may not be possible. According to the Mayo Clinic, mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer as well; therefore, a cure is not generally a possibility. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mesothelioma/DS00779/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs

Some of the options that may be available for patients with pleural mesothelioma are surgery to remove the build-up of fluid in their lungs. This fluid makes it difficult for some patients to breath. In this case, a surgeon can insert a catheter into the patient’s chest to drain the fluid. Medications can also be injected into the chest to stop these symptoms from recurring. Other options are surgeries to remove the affected tissue or surgery to remove the lung all together. This would allow increased amounts of radiation to be given to a patient if that is part of the treatment plan.

Doctors may also prescribe chemotherapy, radiation therapy or a combination of the two. Clinical trials may also be available for certain patients to test the effectiveness of certain targeted drugs. Check with your doctor to see if there are clinical trials available in your area and if you may be able to participate in the trials.