Contracting Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a cancer in which there is a defined cause and effect model. Some types of cancers are more likely to occur in patients due to certain factors. For example, smokers are more likely to contract lung cancer, but that is not the sole cause of lung cancer. Mesothelioma is different in that almost every case can be traced to some degree of asbestos exposure. Although mesothelioma occurs in different areas of the body, nearly every instance of the disease will be the result of some prior asbestos exposure. Like many cancers, mesothelioma has different varieties, depending on the tumors origins. These are malignant pleural mesothelioma, malignant pericardial mesothelioma, and malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. While each of these is caused by asbestos exposure, the way the asbestos acts within the body is somewhat different for each.
Malignant pleural mesothelioma occurs within the pleura, which is a thin lining that lubricates most of the body's mobile internal structures or in this case, the lung. When the microscopic asbestos fibers are inhaled, they often become lodged directly in this lining around the lungs. These fibers are quite durable so they are typically resistant to the body's chemical breakdown or other expulsion mechanisms. Over a period of time these fibers will cause a chronic inflammation within the pleura, causing a type of scar tissue to develop. It is within this scar tissue that the groundwork is laid for mesothelioma to develop. Malignant pleural mesothelioma is the most common variety of the disease.
Malignant pericardial mesothelioma occurs somewhat differently in its initial mechanisms. The pericardium is a thin lining, very much like the pleura, that protects the heart as it expands and contracts within the chest cavity. It is within this lining that pericardial mesothelioma occurs. While the precise route of the asbestos fibers is not totally identified by researchers, it is surmised that microscopic asbestos fibers will enter the bloodstream through newly oxygenated blood from the lungs. This travels to the heart and then becomes lodged in the pericardium, where the process of inflammation and scar tissue development mimics that of the pleura. Malignant pericardial mesothelioma is the rarest form of mesothelioma.
Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma occurs within the peritoneum, which is a thin lining, much like the pleura and pericardium, which surrounds the abdominal cavity and diaphragm. This tissue allows the organs and structures in this part of the body to move freely within the abdominal cavity. Like pericardial mesothelioma, the exact route by which the asbestos fibers reach the peritoneum is unknown, but most believe that they are transferred through the digestive system. Ingested asbestos fibers would then become lodged in the peritoneum as they maneuver the digestive tract. From there, the inflammation and scar tissue development mimics the process of pericardial and pleural mesothelioma.
