Monday, December 21, 2009

Some Information On Benign Mesothelioma

By Heidi Wingrain

A non-cancerous form benign mesothelioma occurs in the pleura, which is the lining of the lung and chest cavities. Benign mesothelioma is very rare, as mesothelioma infection lies dormant for a long duration of time before the very first sign appears. Over-exposure to asbestos particles is responsible for this type of cancer. Asbestos particles get accumulated in the mesothelium causing extreme pain. Though non-malignant tumor is found locally, it can compress the lung, if allowed to grow to greater size. Shortness of breath will be the result of this.

Being a curable disease, surgery is highly beneficial for treating benign mesothelioma, provided the growth is only local. The only complication that can happen during surgery is the pleural effusion. The situation occurs when pleural fluid is leaked into the cavity around the lung. It is not life-threatening since the fluid can easily be drained. By examining this non-cancerous growth thoroughly, it can be found out whether the patient is exposed to asbestos, thereby preventing the contraction of malicious forms of mesothelioma cancer.

It is true that benign mesothelioma is not fatal. But it can create troubles in your life by inducing localized pain, shortness of breath etc. The overall health of the victim will be spoiled and mental peace destroyed. Chronic cough, chest pain, breathing problem etc are the major symptoms of benign mesothelioma. The presence and spread of this evil can be revealed through an open lung biopsy, x-ray or CT scan.

Surgery is the best treatment option for benign mesothelioma and it should be done as early as possible. Postponing consultation with the doctor can make the situation worse. It is better to consult a doctor as soon as the symptoms appear. Men fall prey to benign mesothelioma far easily than women. It is also noticed that sometimes the presence of the tumor is noticed without any symptoms. Seeing the clubbed appearance of fingers, an expert doctor can identify the disease.

There is the possibility of the situation to recur after ten years in at least 10% of the cases. But the good news is that it can also be cured through proper treatment. Apart from this benign mesothelioma may prompt you for detailed check ups, which will help you to prevent malignant mesothelioma.

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