Is Mesothelioma a type of Lung Cancer?

Mesothelioma is a cancer that starts in the pleural tissue all around lungs and chest, rather than the lungs. The cells that form the pleural lining secrete a fluid that allows organs to slide around and with each other more easily. Each year, people discover about 3,000 new instances of malignant mesothelioma.  Mesothelioma lung cancer happen by exposure to asbestos, which is most commonly found in the workplace. Asbestos fibers can discharge into the air and people may inhale it when it is disturbed. These fibers may become lodged in the lung’s and chest’s pleural lining causing lung cancer. Since mesothelioma grows slowly, it may not be identified for years after a person has been exposed to asbestos.

Renovation, insulating, and shipbuilding workers are particularly sensitive, as they might be exposed multiple times. It is generally discovered in its late stages, one’s average lifespan after a diagnosis is usually short. Even with the finest treatment options, the rate of survival has not improved significantly over the last few years.

Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is less usually detected early, though it is changing because of the introduction of CT scanning. People, particularly those who have smoke more may believe symptoms like exhaustion and breathing difficulties are due to smoking issues

Unlike mesothelioma, lung cancer progresses to other places of the body by the time it reaches stage 4. Around 80% of lung cancer is becby active and passive smoking. People who smoke and have been exposed to asbestos may be at an even greater risk of developing lung cancer.

Lung cancer can be caused by smoke exposure, radiation, or other poisons including air pollution and diesel fumes in people who don’t smoke.

Symptoms of Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer

Mesothelioma symptoms usually appear slowly over time. They usually don't show up until many
decades following asbestos exposure.
The following are symptoms of mesothelioma in the lungs' lining:

  • Chest pain
  • Tiredness
  • BreathlessnessChronic cough
  • High fever
  • Irritable bowel syndrome
  • Unexplained weight loss
    scampered fingertips

Lung cancer symptoms range from person to person. Some persons with lung cancer who have
spread to other parts of their bodies (metastasized) experience symptoms unique to that area. Some
merely experience an overall sense of being unwell. The majority of people with lung cancer do not
have indications until the disease has progressed.

Symptoms of lung cancer include:

  • Coughing that grows worse
  • Pain in the chest
  • Breathing problems
  • Gasping for breath
  • Coughing blood
  • Exhaustion
  • Weight reduction that has no identified reason

How is Mesothelioma different from Lung Cancer?

While both a malignant mesothelioma tumor and lung cancer can result from asbestos exposure, they affect different parts of the body. Lung cancer occurs in the lung itself, whereas mesothelioma occurs in the lung’s lining. Mesothelioma can grow in the lining of the gut, heart, or testes, among other places.

Lung cancer has a proclivity for spreading or metastasizing to other organs early on, whereas mesothelioma is a more locally aggressive illness that only affects one bodily cavity. Another significant distinction is the recurrence rate of the two diseases. Lung cancer is the second most frequent cancer, with around 222,500 new cases diagnosed in US alone, each year. Whereas, every year, doctors detect approximately 2,800 cases of malignant mesothelioma, which encompasses all
four kinds of asbestos-related cancer.

While smoking has no effect on the risk of mesothelioma, it does dramatically raise the chance of lung cancer. Smokers with a background of asbestos exposure have the greatest risk of getting cancer. Mesothelioma is also caused solely by exposure to asbestos, whereas most of the of lung cancer cases are caused by smoking and chemical exposures such as radioactive particles in the atmosphere.

Outlook for Mesothelioma

Unfortunately, the prognosis for mesothelioma is usually bleak. This is because it normally doesn’t show symptoms until late in the process and can develop swiftly once it reaches a certain level. Around 50% of mesothelioma patients live for at least a year after detection. Around one out of every ten persons diagnosed with mesothelioma will live for at least five years after their diagnosis. In the United Kingdom, over 2,500 people die from mesothelioma each year.

Outlook for Lung Cancer

Lung cancer has a poorer five-year rate of survival (18.6%) than several other common cancers, including colorectal (64.5%), breast (89.6%), and prostate (89.6%). (98.2 percent). Lung cancer cases discovered while the illness is still isolated have a five-year survival rate of 56 percent. Only 16 percent of lung cancers, on the other hand, are detected early. The five-year survival rate for tutors that have spread to other areas is barely 5%. Lung cancer kills more than half of patients within a year.

Conclusion

It’s critical to remember that both tumors are usually fatal, especially if its late in diagnosis, as is the situation with mesothelioma. By getting regular screenings, it is possible to find out about a lung disease before it is too late. Finding a medical specialist with extensive experience identifying and treating disorders caused by asbestos exposure is critical too, as they are able to provide with the most accurate diagnosis and, as a result, the most successful treatment.

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