Mesothelioma - Cancer of the Lung Lining
Mesothelioma is a very rare form of lung cancer that arises in
the mesothelium. The mesothelium is made up of parietal and
visceral membranes, thin layers of tissue, which surround
organs and body cavities, such as the lungs or abdomen. The
visceral membrane immediately surrounds the organ, and the
parietal membrane is a sac covering the visceral membrane.
The visceral and parietal membranes that make up the mesothelium.
This fluid helps organs move easily among surrounding structures.
In the case of the lung, it helps reduce friction between
the lung and chest wall during normal breathing as the lung
expands.
The mesothelioma is referred to by different names, depending
on what part of the body it is found in. In the abdomen, it
is called the peritoneum, in the lungs, the pleura, and in
the heart, the pericardium. These correspond to peritoneum
mesothelioma (cancer of the abdomen/stomach), pleural
mesothelioma (cancer of the lung lining) and pericardium
mesothelioma.
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