Mesothelioma - malignant

 

Malignant mesothelioma is an uncommon cancerous tumor of the lining of the lung and chest cavity (pleura) or lining of the abdomen (peritoneum). It is due to long-term asbestos exposure.

Causes

Long-term exposure to asbestos -- a fire-resistant material -- is the biggest risk factor. Asbestos was once commonly found in insulation, ceiling and roofing vinyls, cement, and automotive brake materials. Although many asbestos workers smoked, experts do not believe smoking itself is a cause of this condition.

Malignant mesothelioma affects men more often than women. The average age at diagnosis is 60. Most people seem to develop the condition about 30 years after being in contact with the asbestos.

Symptoms

Symptoms may not appear until 20 to 50 years or longer after exposure to asbestos, and may include:

• Abdominal bloating
• Abdominal pain
• Chest pain, especially when taking a deep breath
• Cough
• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Weight loss

Mesothelioma - malignant

Exams and Tests

Exams and Tests

The doctor or nurse will examine you and ask about your medical history and symptoms. Tests that may be done include:

• Chest x-ray 

Chest x-ray 

• Chest CT

Chest CT

• Open lung biopsy

Open lung biopsy

• Pleural biopsy

Pleural biopsy

Mesothelioma is often hard to diagnose under the microscope. It can be hard to distinguish between this disease and similar conditions and tumors.

Mesothelioma - malignant

Malignant mesothelioma is an uncommon cancerous tumor of the lining of the lung and chest cavity (pleura) or lining of the abdomen (peritoneum). It is due to long-term asbestos exposure.

Mesothelioma - malignant

Causes

Long-term exposure to asbestos -- a fire-resistant material -- is the biggest risk factor. Asbestos was once commonly found in insulation, ceiling and roofing vinyls, cement, and automotive brake materials. Although many asbestos workers smoked, experts do not believe smoking itself is a cause of this condition.

Malignant mesothelioma affects men more often than women. The average age at diagnosis is 60. Most people seem to develop the condition about 30 years after being in contact with the asbestos.

Symptoms

Symptoms may not appear until 20 to 50 years or longer after exposure to asbestos, and may include:

• Abdominal bloating
• Abdominal pain
• Chest pain, especially when taking a deep breath
• Cough
• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Weight loss

Malignant Mesothelioma—Patient Version

Overview

Malignant mesothelioma is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the thin layer of tissue that covers the lung, chest wall, or abdomen. It may also form in the heart or testicles, but this is rare.

The type of malignant mesothelioma depends on the cell in which it began. The most common type of malignant mesothelioma is epithelial mesothelioma, which forms in the cells that line organs. The other types begin in spindle-shaped cells called sarcomatoid cells or are a mixture of both cell types. Epithelial mesothelioma may grow more slowly and have a better prognosis than other types.

The major cause of malignant mesothelioma is being exposed to asbestos over a period of time. This includes people who were exposed to asbestos in the workplace and their family members.

After a person is exposed to asbestos, it usually takes at least 20 years for malignant mesothelioma to form.                      

Malignant mesothelioma

Malignant mesothelioma forms in the thin layer of tissue that covers the lung, chest wall, abdomen, heart, or testicles.

How is Malignant Mesothelioma Treated?

How is Malignant Mesothelioma Treated?

Malignant Mesothelioma

Malignant mesothelioma prognosis is poor, as often the disease will be diagnosed in its later stages after symptoms have appeared. However, there are several treatment options for the management of this type of cancer. Among these are mesothelioma chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgical resection. Chemotherapeutic and radiation therapy methods are more common, but surgery is often an option for those whose disease is diagnosed early enough.

More aggressive therapies are now possible for patients with mesothelioma diagnosed in its earlier stages. For instance, extrapleural pneumonectomy is now an option for many pleural mesothelioma patients who are deemed eligible for aggressive surgery. Extrapleural pneumonectomy involves the removal of the entire affected lung, the pericardium, the pleura, and the diaphragm. This aggressive surgery is performed frequently in early stage mesothelioma patients by Dr. David Sugarbaker.

Patients who are eligible to receive an aggressive surgery, like an extrapleural pneumonectomy, will have a far more favorable prognosis than those diagnosed with advanced stage inoperable disease. However, there are treatment options for nearly all mesothelioma patients. Chemotherapy cocktails, such as the use of Alimta® in conjunction with Cisplatin, as well as numerous clinical trials being carried out, give mesothelioma patients the ability to slow the progression of the disease and extend survival rates.

               

Malignant Mesothelioma

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that affects the thin cell wall lining of the body's internal organs and structures. This lining is known as the mesothelium. Malignant mesothelioma has three known varieties: malignant pleural mesothelioma, malignant pericardial mesothelioma, and malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma occurs in the pleura, the lung's lining. Peritoneal mesothelioma occurs in the peritoneum, the abdominal cavity wall. Pericardial mesothelioma occurs in the lining of the heart, known as the pericardium.

                   Malignant Mesothelioma

What Causes Malignant Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is known only to be caused by asbestos exposure. Asbestos is a natural, yet toxic, mineral that was frequently used across a wide variety of industries. Microscopic asbestos fibers enter the body via the lungs or by means of ingestion. Once inside the human body, the durable asbestos fibers are unable to be broken down or expelled, resulting in a harmful inflammation and scarring of the mesothelium. This scarring lays the groundwork for malignant mesothelioma and other respiratory conditions, such as asbestosis.

There is a great deal of latency associated with asbestos exposure and the onset of mesothelioma. Patients often will not present with mesothelioma symptoms until 30-50 years following their exposure to asbestos. In many cases, those diagnosed with mesothelioma are not those who were directly exposed to asbestos in a jobsite setting. Spouses and children of those exposed to asbestos who frequently came into contact with the fibers on the clothing or person of those exposed have also developed malignant mesothelioma as a result.