Mesothelioma Facts

What is Mesothelioma?

Cancer of the mesothelium is a rare disease that occurs when the cells in the mesothelium - or the protective membranes surrounding the body's organs - become abnormal, causing them to divide uncontrollably and without order. They then invade and cause damage to other tissues nearby, and can invade a patient's organs. These cancer cells also have the ability to metastasize, or spread, from where they first developed, into other parts of the patient's body. In almost all cases of mesothelioma, the cancerous cells begin in the pleura or the peritoneum.
How Common is It?

Every year in the United States, over 2,000 new cases of the disease are diagnosed. Mesothelioma is more prevalent in men than in women, and risk of the disease increases the older the person gets. However, the disease can develop in both sexes, at any age.
Risk Factors

The major and most well-known factor for those that develop mesothelioma is working around or with asbestos. Asbestos exposure at the workplace has been reported in almost all cases of mesothelioma. The disease is more common in men who are exposed to asbestos, although women can contract it from secondhand exposure.
Increased Risk

Since the 1940's, millions of workers have been consistently and carelessly exposed to asbestos fibers and dust. Those at an increased risk for developing mesothelioma are those who worked with asbestos in mines and mills, shipyard workers, and workers who had a hand in producing the material. Today, OSHA, or the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, has set limits as to how much exposure to asbestos is allowed in the workplace. Personal protective equipment is now a requirement for workers who must deal with the material.
Secondhand Exposure

Family members and others who live with workers who have been exposed long-term to asbestos have an increased risk of developing the disease second-hand. Asbestos dust can be carried home on clothing, hair and personal items, and breathed in by other people in the home.
Symptoms of Mesothelioma

Unfortunately, the latency period for mesothelioma can be 30 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Symptoms are often mistaken for other problems such as pneumonia or the flu, often leading to the slow detection of the cancer. Symptoms include shortness of breath, pain in the chest, abdominal pain, and swelling. Other symptoms can include blood clotting, anemia and a fever, as well as bowel obstruction. Cancer that has spread past the mesothelium can cause the patient to have trouble with swallowing, and swelling in the neck or the face.
Diagnosing Mesothelioma

Since the symptoms of mesothelioma mimic other diseases and illnesses, it can be difficult to diagnose right away. A review of the person's medical history is the first step, and any history of asbestos exposure will be included. A physical exam will be performed, which will include thorough x-rays of the chest, abdomen, and/or lungs. CAT scans or an MRI can also help diagnose the disease. A biopsy, which is the removal of a sample piece of tissue, will confirm the diagnosis of mesothelioma.
Treatment

Treatment of mesothelioma will depend on what stage the disease is in, as well as the patient's health and age. Surgery is an option for most patients, although older men and women may not be strong enough or healthy enough to go through with it. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy are the other two main treatments offered to possibly cure the cancer or prolong a patient's life expectancy. All three treatments may or may not be combined to treat the disease.

Reference:

American Cancer Society

Mesothelioma Applied Research Society

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Mesothelioma Information

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that attacks cells in the tissue that lines the body cavity called the mesothelium. The only known cause of this disease is exposure to asbestos.
Mesothelioma doctorsIncidence of Diagnosis

Between 2,500 and 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed each year in America. This indicates that it is still a fairly rare disease, but incidence will rise in the next several decades, according to projections.
Age at Diagnosis

Mesothelioma is typically first diagnosed in patients between the ages of 50 and 70 years. Though some diagnoses occur earlier or later, these cases are considered statistical outliers.
Mesothelioma in Particular Sexes or Races

Men are more commonly diagnosed with mesothelioma than women, mostly due to higher risk of occupational exposure to asbestos. However, there is no evidence to suggest that men are more prone to the disease than women. African Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma much less frequently than Caucasian Americans. Researchers are still investigating the cause of this disparity.
Typical Patient Survival Rates

Mesothelioma is often diagnosed in its late stages, in which case the prognosis is typically very poor. Many patients are given little more than a year to live after diagnosis. Earlier diagnosis may improve prognoses dramatically. As alternative mesothelioma treatments are developed, it is likely that survival rates will increase.
Mesothelioma Latency

The latency period for mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos is quite long, usually 20 to 50 years. Over extended periods of time, asbestos fibers lodged in the lungs inflame the lungs' external tissue. This is often a precursor to mesothelioma disease.
Mesothelioma Remission

Mesothelioma is an extremely aggressive form of cancer. Therefore, very few patients experience remission. Mesothelioma often metastasizes quickly into the lungs, lymph nodes, or abdominal cavity.
Mesothelioma Cure

There is no cure for mesothelioma despite recent positive strides in the treatment of the malignant cancer. Patients who are diagnosed during early stages can often survive for many years when treated with chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy. Alternative treatments in conjunction with traditional cancer treatments have had a positive effect for many mesothelioma patients as well.
Mesothelioma Survivors

Traditional treatments, nutritional supplements, palliative therapies, and body-stress reduction techniques have helped many mesothelioma patients survive many years longer than their original prognoses predicted.
Mesothelioma Survival Rate

Since there is no current cure for mesothelioma, survival rates are very low. However, extra-pleural pneumonectomy and other aggressive treatments have extended patients' life expectancies well past the original predictions of mesothelioma researchers.
Mesothelioma Life Expectancy

General health, cancer stage at diagnosis, and the eligibility of a patient for various aggressive treatments affect his life expectancy. Those diagnosed at early stages of the cancer and who are in generally good health are given the best prognoses.
asbestos buildingMesothelioma Prevention

The only known cause of mesothelioma disease is exposure to asbestos. Therefore the avoidance of asbestos and buildings which contain asbestos is the best possible course of prevention.
Adult Mesothelioma

Most mesothelioma occurs in adults who have been exposed to asbestos.
Childhood Mesothelioma

Diagnosis in children in extremely rare, and the cause of childhood mesothelioma is unknown.
Mesothelioma and Women

Many women diagnosed with mesothelioma have not been directly exposed to asbestos. They often discover they were exposed through washing or handling clothes in which their husbands had been exposed to asbestos at work.
Mesothelioma Vaccine

Using cancer-fighting antigens within the body's immune system, most patients have responded positively when given the mesothelioma vaccine. Soon this therapy can hopefully be applied to those who are at risk of developing mesothelioma, particularly those who have been exposed to asbestos but have yet to develop cancer.

References:

Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation

National Cancer Institute

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

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Mesothelioma Causes

Mesothelioma is a very deadly form of cancer. There are three different types of mesothelioma. The first is pleural mesothelioma. It is a cancer that grows in the lining of the lungs. This cancer in the lungs can cause many serious side-effects. These side effects include hoarseness, a lack of breath, a buildup of fluid in the lungs, sharp chest pains, coughing up of blood, a loss of muscle function, and extreme swelling.

The two less common kinds of mesothelioma are peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma. Peritoneal mesothelioma is a cancer that affects the lining of the abdomen. Symptoms of this cancer include intense stomach pain, unnatural weight loss, ruptures of the abdomen, vomiting, and a build of fluid in the abdomen. Pericardial mesothelioma is a cancer that affects the lining of the heart. Symptoms of this disease include a lack of breath and sharp chest pains.

Causes of Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is caused by an exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is a kind of material that is created through the amalgamation of several different minerals with fiber like structures. For a time, asbestos had many uses and was a very popular material in the construction of buildings and many different products. It was used because asbestos has a very strong resistance to heat.

In the 1960’s, however, the extreme negative effects that exposure to asbestos can have on an individual’s health were discovered and publicized. Of these negative side effects, occurrences of mesothelioma were certainly some of the most serious.

Exposure to Asbestos

Exactly how asbestos causes mesothelioma has yet to be fully explained. A number of competing theories have been introduced by scientists to account for this causation. One theory states that asbestos fibers may scar certain cells in the lining of organs of the body, eventually leading to cancer.

Another popular theory states that asbestos fibers have properties that can change the normal structure of cells in the body. The theory states that the fibers can corrupt the natural ability of these cells to divide at a healthy rate. This new unnatural cell division produces cancer.

What is not disputed, however, is the fact that exposure to asbestos causes every form of mesothelioma. This much has been proven scientifically by a staggering amount of evidence.

Who Is at Risk for Developing Mesothelioma?

Studies have shown that certain individuals are at a higher risk of developing mesothelioma than others. One such group of people is individuals who have been exposed high amounts of radiation. Even people exposed to radiation who cannot recollect being exposed to asbestos have developed the cancer.

Tobacco Use and Mesothelioma

It has been proven that smoking does not cause mesothelioma. However, smoking can damage the lungs. When the lungs are damaged by smoking, they have less ability to stave off the negative effects of asbestos exposure including mesothelioma. For this reason, smokers also have a high risk of suffering from the cancer.

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designated Healthy Lung Month

The smell of burning leaves, an apple pie baking in the oven, or a wood fire in a neighbor's fireplace often evoke memories of special people and experiences from past autumns. While we may be mindful of inhaling deeply to enjoy these scents, we seldom give thought to what happens to the air we breathe in.

We all know we need the oxygen in the air to live, but unless we experience breathing difficulties, most of us rarely think about our lungs at all.

The lungs are complex organs, considered far more complicated than the heart. They not only take the oxygen from the air and send it into the bloodstream for delivery throughout the body, but the lungs filter out substances like dust, pollen, viruses, and bacteria from the air we breathe. They are also responsible for eliminating waste from the bloodstream. It is clear lung health is important, and October has been designated Healthy Lung Month in recognition of this fact.

If all types of lung disease are combined, it is the 3rd highest cause of death in the United States. Over 35 million Americans live with an ongoing lung disease like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Lung disease is the cause of 1 in 7 deaths annually in this country.
Unfortunately, it can be easy to overlook early signs of lung disease. At first, many people simply realize they do not have much energy. But as the lung condition worsens, other symptoms become more apparent. Trouble breathing, shortness of breath, reduced ability to exercise, feeling like you are not getting enough air, a chronic cough, coughing up blood or mucus, or pain when inhaling and exhaling, are among the signs of lung disease.

Common lung conditions include:
* Asthma, which affects 20 million Americans. It causes inflammation and swelling of the airways in the lungs. The narrow airways limits the flow of air in and out of the lungs, causing wheezing, coughing, tightness in the chest, and difficulty breathing.

* COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic obstructive bronchitis. Both conditions cause inflammation of the bronchial tubes that carry air to the lungs. This leads to thickening and scarring of the lining of the bronchial tubes and the production of excess mucus, making breathing difficult. COPD is the 4th leading cause of death in the United States.

* Lung cancer, now the leading cause of cancer deaths in American women, is characterized by the abnormal, uncontrolled growth of malignant lung cells.
These cells invade and destroy normal cells in nearby tissues and can spread to other parts of the body.

Fortunately, the risk of developing lung disease can be reduced. First, if you are a smoker, quit. Whether a smoker or a non-smoker, everyone should try to avoid second-hand smoke.
Second, eating a healthy diet, rich in fruits and vegetables, lowers the risk of cancer. Drinking plenty of water helps to replace moisture lost when we exhale, keeping the lung tissue moist and healthy.
Exercise is also important for healthy lungs, stimulating the blood flow required for the lungs to function optimally.
Lung health also benefits from getting vaccinated against the flu every year. Influenza (and pneumonia, often a complication of the flu), damages lung tissue and leads to a number of adverse health effects.
In addition to the above, avoiding environmental hazards such as asbestos and radon is also important in protecting lung health. Protective clothing and a face mask are required for anyone working in a job that entails exposure to asbestos. Radon in the home can be measured with a test kit to determine if remediation is advised.
The Central Connecticut Health District, serving the towns of Berlin, Newington, Rocky Hill, and Wethersfield, sponsors a number of flu shot clinics where pneumonia shots are also available. The Health District also sells low-cost radon test kits. For further information about flu clinics, radon kits, and other public health concerns, contact the Health District at 860-721-2822 (www.ccthd.org). Specific information about lung health and lung disease is available through the American Lung Association at 1-800-548-8252 (www.lungusa.org) and the National Women's Health Information Center at 1-800-994-9662 or 1-888-220-5446 for the hearing impaired

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Malignant mesothelioma risk increased after radiation treatment for HL

Patients with Hodgkin’s lymphoma who have been treated with radiation may be at an increased risk for malignant mesothelioma.

Although malignant mesothelioma is relatively uncommon, previous research indicated it may be associated with radiation exposure.

Results of several recent epidemiological studies showed that radiation for lymphoma may be linked with an increased risk for malignant mesothelioma. However, these studies involved only a small number of patients and the results needed to be confirmed in larger studies.

For this study, the researchers examined risk for malignant mesothelioma in 2,567 patients who had reached at least five-year survival after treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Patients included in the study had been treated with radiation alone, chemotherapy alone or a combination of both.

Median follow-up period was 18.1 years. At this time, 13 patients had malignant mesothelioma at least five years after being treated for Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Five-year survivors of Hodgkin’s lymphoma were about 26 times more likely than the general population to develop malignant mesothelioma, according to the results. Those treated with radiation alone were about 30 times more likely to develop malignant mesothelioma.

There were no cases of the disease among the 232 patients treated with chemotherapy alone, but patients treated with both radiation and chemotherapy were almost 44 times more likely to develop malignant mesothelioma.

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Mesothelioma and Early Lung Cancer Identified by Screeningm

Sing computed tomography scans to screen former asbestos workers can detect both early and late-stage lung cancer and late-stage mesothelioma, according to a study in the May Journal of Thoracic Oncology. However, it’s still not clear whether screening for these cancers might improve patients’ prognoses.

Exposure to asbestos fibers is a known risk factor for lung cancer and the cause of mesothelioma. Although asbestos is still not completely banned in the U.S., it was phased out of American industry to a large degree beginning in the 1970s. However because asbestos-related diseases can take 20 to 40 years to emerge after people have been exposed, former asbestos workers and those exposed to products containing this carcinogen continue to be diagnosed with asbestos caused cancers.

As researchers search for better treatments and even a cure for these diseases, they are also focusing on new diagnostic methods that might identify the cancers earlier. Early diagnosis is particularly crucial with mesothelioma, because many patients survive only one year after they first start to show signs, and symptoms are often difficult to distinguish from those of other lung diseases.

One potential screening method uses low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) to evaluate the lungs and their lining (pleura). LDCT can locate plaques in the lungs, which are a sign of asbestos exposure and have been linked to an increased cancer risk.

Currently, there are no recommendations about using LDCT or any other method to screen people who have been exposed to asbestos, and screening isn’t routinely done. “There are currently no methods for the early detection of mesothelioma available,” says lead author Heidi Roberts, MD, Associate Professor of Radiology at the University of Toronto. “This is why we are doing the research.”

To determine the effectiveness of LDCT as a screening tool for asbestos-related lung cancers, Dr. Roberts and her colleagues recruited 516 people (most of them men) who had been exposed to asbestos at least 20 years before, or who had known plaques. Participants were given LDCT scans of the chest. Patients who had abnormal scans were given follow-up tests. Those with normal test results were invited to have an annual LDCT scan.

Of the 516 participants, 357 had evidence of plaques. Based on the results of the first scan and annual scans, six of the patients were diagnosed with lung cancers and four were diagnosed with mesothelioma.

Although LDCT was able to detect advanced mesothelioma, as well as early- and late-stage lung cancers, it was not able to diagnose early mesothelioma. The study authors say they need to continue screening patients to help them get a better idea of what early mesothelioma looks like. Also, they say adding biomarkers (substances in the blood that indicate the presence of cancer) to the screening process may provide greater sensitivity to help diagnose those at very high risk for mesothelioma.

Even as techniques are fine-tuned, screening is just one step of a three-tiered effort to combat these cancers, according to Dr. Roberts. “The second step is the parallel development of biomarkers, and the third step is the parallel development of treatment strategies,” she says. “These have to be developed hand-in-hand in order to make this a useful and meaningful tool.”

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What is Mesothelioma?

Structure of our Lung

What is Mesothelioma?



1) Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos.

 2)In this disease, malignant cells develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most of the body's internal organs.

 3) Its most common site is the pleura (outer lining of the lungs and internal chest wall), but it may also occur in the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity), the pericardium (a sac that surrounds the heart) or tunica vaginalis.

4) Exposure to asbestos occurs primarily in occupational settings. Plumbers and insulation workers were widely exposed for many years.

5) Each year about 3,000 people will die from mesothelioma as a result of asbestos exposure.

6) This cancer was very rare a few decades ago; however, it is being seen more frequently as men and women who were born in the 1920's and beyond advance into the older age group.



Structure after Mesothelioma :-

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