Mesothelioma:-
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos. In this disease, malignant cells develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most of the body's internal organs.
Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or they have been exposed to asbestos dust and fibre in other ways, such as by washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos. Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking.
Symptoms:-
These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions.
Mesothelioma that affects the pleura can cause these signs and symptoms:
* chest wall pain
* pleural effusion, or fluid surrounding the lung
* shortness of breath
* fatigue or anemia
* wheezing, hoarseness, or cough
* blood in the sputum (fluid) coughed up (hemoptysis)
Tumors that affect the abdominal cavity often do not cause symptoms until they are at a late stage. Symptoms include:
* abdominal pain
* ascites, or an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen
* a mass in the abdomen
* problems with bowel function
* weight loss
Intro About Chemotherapy:-
Chemotherapy uses anti-cancer or 'cytotoxic' drugs to destroy cancer cells. They work by disrupting the growth of cancer cells. As they circulate in the blood, they can reach cancer cells wherever they are in your body. So unlike radiotherapy, chemotherapy treats the whole body. Doctors call this a 'systemic' treatment, because it treats your whole system.
You may have chemotherapy for mesothelioma alongside surgery and radiotherapy, as a combined treatment. This approach gives the best control of mesothelioma. Even if your mesothelioma is not suitable for surgery, chemotherapy may help you to feel better. But you will have to be fit enough to cope with the side effects of the chemo and you will need to talk this over with your cancer specialist.
Chemotherapy drugs may be given as single agents, but often, two or more drugs are given simultaneously. This is called "combination therapy". Such is the case with the investigational drug, Alimta, (now in an expanded access program for mesothelioma patients), where it is combined with "standard" drugs such as cisplatin or gemcitabine.
When cancer occurs, abnormal cells in the body multiply out of control. Anticancer drugs destroy cancer cells by preventing them from multiplying. Unfortunately, healthy cells can also be harmed, and it is the damage to the healthy cells that may ultimately cause side effects. The cells most likely to be affected are the fast-growing normal cells such as the blood cells forming in bone marrow, and cells in the digestive tract which includes the mouth, stomach, intestines, and esophagus. Hair follicles may also be affected, hence, hair loss during chemotherapy. Some drugs affect cells of vital organs, such as the heart, kidney, bladder, lungs, and nervous system.
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