Xray Pictures of Mesothelioma Cancer

Mesothelioma is a rare and fatal form of cancer that attacks the mesothelium, the protect sac lining the lungs, stomach and/ or heart. Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that is directly caused by exposure to asbestos. Malignant pleural mesothelioma is an uncommon type of cancer that begins in the mesothelial cells of the pleura. The pleura is a thin membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the chest cavity. The pleura consists of a visceral surface, which covers the lungs and a parietal surface, which lines the walls of the chest cavity and covers the upper surface of the diaphragm and lungs. The two layers are one continuous sheet of tissue that contains mesothelial cells. There is normally a very small amount of watery fluid within the pleural cavity that lubricates the pleural surfaces and allows the lungs to move freely over the inner surface of the chest wall during breathing.

Types of Mesothelioma
There are different types of mesothelioma cancer, including:

1. Pleural Mesothelioma: affects the lining of the lungs (most common type of mesothelioma, accounting for nearly 70 percent of cases)
2. * Peritoneal Mesothelioma: attacks the lining of the stomach
3. * Pericardial Mesothelioama: attacks the lining of the heart (rarest form of mesothelioma cancer, only accounting for about 5 percent of cases)

Mesothelioma Symptoms
The symptoms of mesothelioma can take up to 50 years to develop after initial asbestos exposure. Although each individual case is different, the most common mesothelioma symptoms include:

1. * Shortness of breath
2. * Chronic cough
3. * Fatigue
4. * Loss of appetite
5. * Weight loss