Pleural plaques are the most common injury caused by asbestos exposure. Pleural plaques are areas of fibrosis on the inner surface of the rib cage and diaphragm and are often calcified. While the development of extensive pleural plaques has been shown to restrict lung function; pleural plaques themselves are benign and do not become cancerous. …
Monthly Archive: November 2009
Nov
04
How is the Prognosis of Mesothelioma?
In the United States more than 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed every year and most of the cases are due to exposure to asbestos due to presence of asbestos in the work place of some indirect exposure to asbestos. It is only natural for the patient to know about the possible prognosis of the disease he/she has developed. The disease may be mild simple viral fever or a cancer like mesothelioma. Even it becomes a duty of the doctor diagnosing the mesothelioma or treating the disease to discuss the possible prognosis of mesothelioma or any other disease and also the probable influence mesothelioma will have on the normal functioning of the patient of mesothelioma.
The factors which may influence the prognosis of mesothelioma are many. The most important factor that influence the prognosis of mesothelioma is detection time, the earlier it is diagnosed the better is the prognosis; unfortunately most of the mesotheliomas are diagnosed when they are in late stage.