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Mesothelioma Cancer
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which malignant cells are
found in the mesothelium, a protective sac that covers most of the
body's internal organs. The latest information indicates most people
who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos
particles.
The mesothelium is a membrane that covers and protects most of
the internal organs of the body. It is composed of two layers of
cells: One layer immediately surrounds the organ; the other forms
a sac around it. The mesothelium produces a fluid that lubricates
the area between these layers, allowing moving organs (such as the
beating heart and the expanding and contracting lungs) to glide
easily against adjacent structures.
This cancer of the mesothelium is a disease in which cells of the
mesothelium become abnormal and divide without control or order.
Information indicates they can invade and damage nearby tissues
and organs. Mesothelioma cells can also metastasize, or spread,
from to other parts of the body. Most cases begin in the pleura
or peritoneum, according to medical information.
Although information on reported incidence rates show an increase
in the past 20 years, it is still a relatively rare cancer. Information
indicates between 2,000 and 3,000 new cases of this cancer are diagnosed
in the US every year. It occurs more often in men than in women
and risk increases with age, but this disease can appear in either
men or women at any age, according to the latest information.
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