Malignant Mesothelioma is a rare cancer of the lining of the lung (pleural) or abdomen (peritoneal) caused by inhalation of asbestos fibers. Mesothelioma is a tumor of the mesothelium, which is the tissue made up of a layer of cells called mesothelial cells that line the chest cavity, abdominal cavity, and the sac around the heart. Mesothelium tissue also makes up the surface of most internal organs and serves to protect the organs from damage. Information below discusses the link between asbestos and mesothelioma as well as early symptoms, diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of the disease.

Asbestos and Mesothelioma

The vast majority of mesothelioma patients are people with a history of asbestos exposure in factories, foundries, shipyards, mines, and aboard U.S. Navy and maritime vessels. The elapsed time from initial exposure until the first symptoms of mesothelioma (latency period) may be several decades long. Professions with a higher risk of developing mesothelioma include:

Navy Veterans, Mariners, and Shipyard Workers
Insulators, Roofers, and other Construction Trades
Boilermakers, Plumbers, and Pipefitters
Asbestos Miners and Millers
Electricians, Mechanics, and Welders
Foundry Workers and other Industrial Trades
Custodians, Janitors, and Maintenance Mechanics

Not everyone with heavy exposure develops a mesothelioma; nor is prolonged, heavy exposure required to develop the disease. In rare cases, individuals have developed mesothelioma from exposure that occurred when a parent or spouse brought microscopic asbestos fibers into the home on their clothes, shoes, skin, and hair.

For frequently asked questions about asbestos, go to:National Cancer Institute - Asbestos

Early Symptoms of Mesothelioma

Malignant Mesothelioma is diagnosed in approximately 3,000 Americans are annually.

The most common form is pleural mesothelioma, arising from the lung lining. Symptoms may include:

Chest pain
Accumulation of fluid (pleural effusion)
Shortness of breath
Persistent cough
Loss of weight
Fever

Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma, arising from the abdominal lining, may include:

Abdominal pain and swelling
Accumulation of fluid (peritoneal effusion)
Loss of weight
Bowel obstruction
Anemia
Fever

For frequently asked questions about mesothelioma, go to: National Cancer Institute - Mesothelioma

Diagnosis and Evaluation

Diagnosis:

Proper diagnosis of mesothelioma may require an examination of the sac lining of the chest (thoracoscopy) or abdomen (peritoneoscopy) by inserting a thin, lighted tube (endoscope) through a small incision.

Pathology

If abnormal tissue is found, a small piece will be removed (biopsy) and examined by a pathologist expert in mesothelioma detection. Although some mesothelioma can be diagnosed from cells collected when excess fluid is drained from the pleura (thoracentesis) or peritoneum (paracentesis), the best method is to use tissue collected from a biopsy because of the relatively large amount of cellular material needed for proper diagnosis.

Evaluation

Cancer Centers expert in the treatment of mesothelioma consult and evaluate the patient for the proper treatment protocol. This includes expert review of the tissue samples collected, careful radiographic imaging, evaluation of the extent of disease (staging) and thorough evaluation by both surgeon and radiation oncologist.

Malignant mesothelioma moves through four stages, each one more serious than the next. Doctors and health care professionals consider it localized if it has not spread past the lining surface where it originated. In cases where the cancer has spread beyond the original site to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, chest wall, or abdominal organs, the disease is in the advanced stages. At this point, doctors consider the cancer inoperable, and the patient’s life expectancy falls somewhere between four (4) and twenty-four (24) months.

Mesothelioma Treatment

Treatment options for mesothelioma range from aggressive approaches involving surgery and radiation to palliative (comforting) care. Application of the proper treatment method or combination of methods depends on many factors including the stage of the disease, its location, and the patient’s general health. For more information on cancer and the latest treatment options, go to National Cancer Institute and select “cancer information”.

Surgery

Surgery for mesothelioma may involve the removal of the lining of the chest (pleurectomy) or abdomen. This procedure should alleviate pain, prevent the recurrence of fluid accumulation (effusions), and slow the progression of the disease. A diseased lung or one that will be damaged during radiation may also be removed (pneumonectomy). An extrapleural pneumonectomy involves removal of the lung and the lining, the diaphragm on the affected side, and the lining around the heart (pericardium).

Radiation

Radiotherapy involves the safe administration of gamma or x-rays directed at destroying cells at known or suspected sites of cancer.

Chemotherapy

Anticancer drugs may be administered either systematically or at the site of the cancer to destroy additional cancer cells.

Clinical Trials

Clinical trails are studies that attempt to improve an existing treatment or develop an effective new treatment. For a list of clinical trials, search for “mesothelioma” at National Institute of Health - Clinical Trials

Immunotherapy

Some new and evolving techniques involve immunotherapy or biological response modifier (BRM) therapy, stimulating or restoring the body’s immune system to fight mesothelioma cells.
Common BRM drugs are interferon and Interleukin, which are naturally produced in the body. These drugs are developed in the laboratory and administered to help slow cancer growth.
In the future, vaccine therapy may be used to alert the body’s immune system to better recognize and fight cancer cells.

Alternative Medicine and Mesothelioma

Alternative medicine is a tempting option when presented with a devastating diagnosis such as mesothelioma. Whenever someone tries to sell you an alternative treatment, simply ask for copies of the studies that prove its effectiveness. A proper study should meet three criteria:

Be a credible clinical trial (not just claim to be a clinical trial)
Part of a peer-reviewed paper in a reputable medical journal
Show statistically significant improvement in the population studied

Individual patient statements are heart warming, but they do not account for the unsuccessful treatments administered to patients that no longer speak. Discuss any alternative medical treatments with your physician and do your own research. A good place to start is by visiting Quackwatch website.

Finally, if anyone tells you that their treatment is a “natural” alternative to standard medicine, inform them that inhaling the natural fibers of the mineral asbestos resulted in your mesothelioma.