What
is Cancer?
First of all it is significant to recognize that cancer is
not a single illness, there are very many diverse types and mesothelioma is
just one type.
Our bodies are made of miniature or tiny building blocks that
called cells, cancer is a disease or infection of these cells. Cells from special
parts of the body look and work in a different way and millions of new cells
are made day by day to replace those lost through old age or wear and tear. all
through the body new cells are produced when existing cells divide into 2 and
there is generally a perfect balance between those that are dividing and those
that are dying. This essential balance is controlled by a very complicated procedure,
if control of this procedure is lost it can direct to too many cells being
produced which results in a tumour. Most tumours are not cancerous (sometimes described as the benign) and
they continue in the area where they first developed. for example: A wart .
The improvement of cancer involves a change in the value of
the cells as well an enlarge in the quantity. They become more violent, independent
and destructive of normal cells. They
are capable to invade surrounding tissues, glands and blood vessels and thus broaden
away from where they started to divide and grow. When the cancer cells reach a fresh
site they may go on dividing and form a new tumour, this is often referred to
as a metastasis or secondary.
Pleural
Mesothelioma
The pleural lining have two layers: (1)the visceral (inner) layer is next
to the lung and (2)the parietal
(outer) layer lines the chest wall.
The pleura creates fluid that lubricates
the space between two layers, this permits two layers to slide at ease over
each other like we breathe in and out.
Pleural mesothelioma causes pleura
to thicken. This thickening of pleura might start to press onto the lungs or
attach itself to inside of the chest wall. In either case the expansion of lung becomes increasingly restricted by the
tumour. Fluid, sometimes several litres, can gather between the two layers of
the pleura; this affects the lungs ability to expand and causes the person to
feel breathless. This is known like a pleural effusion.
Peritoneal
Mesothelioma
The peritoneum also has two layers like (1)the inner (visceral) layer
which is next to the abdominal organs and (2)
Outer (parietal) layer which lines
the abdominal wall.
Peritoneal mesothelioma causes to peritoneum to thicken and
fluid to collect in the abdomen. This compilation of fluid is called ascites
and causes abdomen to swell. Since pleural
mesothelioma is more general and often spreads to peritoneal cavity, it is
sometimes essential to find out if pleural mesothelioma is the crucial cancer.
Picture Source -
www.mesotheliomacenter.org
