Mesothelioma Information

MESOTHELIOMA AND ASBESTOS-RELATED DISEASES

Asbestos exposure is strongly associated with several potentially fatal diseases and illnesses, the most serious of which is malignant mesothelioma. Asbestos fibers are smaller than other airborne particles and cause serious long-term consequences by penetrating the lung and infiltrating organ tissues. Asbestos-related diseases generally develop many years, even decades, after initial exposure.

MESOTHELIOMA

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that affects the mesothelial cells lining the lung, chest cavity, abdominal cavity or heart cavity. These mesothelial cells also cover the outer surface of most internal organs forming a tissue called mesothelium that helps protect the organs. Although tumors of the mesothelium can be benign (noncancerous), most cases are malignant (cancerous). Virtually all cases of malignant mesothelioma are attributable to asbestos exposure and are both difficult to diagnose and poorly responsive to therapy. As this form of cancer can occur 20 to 60 years after the initial exposure, it is important to recognize the most common symptoms which include:

• Anemia
• Back pain
• Chest pain
• Cough
• Enlarged abdomen
• Fever
• Hoarseness
• Recurrent build-up of fluid in the lungs
• Shortness of breath
• Weight loss

TYPES OF MESOTHELIOMA

Pleural mesothelioma spreads within the chest cavity, sometimes involving the lung. Metastases can occur in any organ, including the brain, and the onset is typically very slow with the most common presenting symptom being persistent pain localized in the chest. Sometimes the pain is accompanied by severe difficulty breathing, coughing, weight loss and fever.

Peritoneal mesothelioma involves the abdominal cavity and infiltrates the liver, spleen or bowel. As with pleural mesothelioma, pain is the most common complaint. In addition, patients may also experience nausea, vomiting, swelling of the feet, fever, difficulty in moving their bowels and fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity resulting in an enlarged abdomen.

Testicular and ovarian mesothelioma are rare forms of mesothelioma. Testicular mesothelioma develops in the scrotal sac as the covering layer of the testicles is actually an out pouching of peritoneum into the scrotum during embryonic development. Mesothelioma can also arise from the surface of an ovary. Ovarian mesothelioma is very rare.

Cystic mesothelioma is a rare form of benign mesothelioma involving a thin membrane of mesothelial cells that envelopes many of the organs in the abdomen. This type has been diagnosed primarily in young women, and most patients must undergo surgery.