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Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a rare form of
cancer in which malignant (cancerous) cells are found in the mesothelium, a
protective sac that covers most of the body's internal organs. Cells of the mesothelium
become abnormal and divide without control or order. They can invade and damage
nearby tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also metastasize from their
original site to other parts of the body. Most cases of mesothelioma begin in
the pleura or peritoneum.
Most people who
develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles.
Mesothelium
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 lubricating fluid
that is released between these layers, allowing moving organs (such as the
beating heart and the expanding and contracting lungs) to glide easily against
adjacent structures.
The mesothelium has
different names, depending on its location in the body. The peritoneum is the
mesothelial tissue that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity. The
pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest
cavity. The pericardium covers and protects the heart. The mesothelial tissue
surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis
testis. The tunica serosa uteri covers the internal reproductive organs in
women.
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