The first reaction most people have when they hear about mesothelioma is "meso what?" The word is strange and unknown as cancer of the asbestos itself. in the book 100 Questions and answers about mesothelioma , we are told that malignant mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer found in the lining of the chest, lungs and abdomen. in medical terms, this is generally regarded as the lining of the pleura (lungs) and peritoneal (abdomen). the book also tells us that between 00 and 3000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed each year in the United States alone . most of these cases are diagnosed as pleural mesothelioma (mesothelioma of the lungs).
in my experience, most patients are so overwhelmed when given the diagnosis of mesothelioma they get into a stupor . They hear only the words; "Rare, chemotherapy and sometimes incurable." Needless to say, the pronunciation mesothelioma is a tongue-twister for most of us. When one is diagnosed with mesothelioma, its strange name may complicate the understanding of the disease.
However, if you understand the medical definition of mesothelioma, it can make it easier to say. "Mesothelioma" is derived from two medical terms. Mesothelium is the double-layer of flat cells that form a protective coating of the chest, lungs and abdomen. Oma means tumors. Thus, a diagnosis of mesothelioma refers to a cancer or tumor from one of the protective coatings in the body of a person. For simplicity, I refer to it as "meso" because in doing so it is easier for the patient's limb or family to talk to me.
When a loved one has been diagnosed with "meso" research of the disease usually becomes the responsibility of the spouse or another family member. You may find that even your primary care doctor knows little about the disease. Years ago, some doctors even recognized mesothelioma as a specific type of cancer, often using the generic term cancer lung in providing a diagnosis. In fact, mesothelioma cancer was not even recognized until 1960, when Dr. JC Wagner has made the link between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma cancer.
Today, because of a determined and dedicated group of people, many who have lost loved ones to meso, there is an effort to educate the public, the government and the medical community. There are many web sites that explain medical terms in the definition of mesothelioma. But the medical jargon is difficult to absorb when you are forced to learn about the consequences of mesothelioma.
thereyears, I had the opportunity to speak with the grand-son of a man who had been diagnosed with mesothelioma. The little son called me to ask me if properly explained the disease to his grandfather. Here is what he told me.
"Pretend your chest is an egg! Display the albumen (egg white) as the thin linings of the chest wall and lungs and yolk (egg yolk) as your lungs take in air and breathing. what happens when you boil an egg? Represent boiling water such as cancer cells that attack the egg white to make the tumor. as the egg white turns in the tumor, it is difficult for yellow (lungs) to operate. the tumor grows until your lungs stop working. "
Unfortunately, this is exactly what is mesothelioma . Abnormal and diseased cells of the mesothelium (lining of the breast, lung and abdomen) divide rapidly and form a solid tumor that invades and suffocates vital organs such as the lungs and heart.
