Mesothelioma, more precisely known as malignant mesothelioma is a rare cancer of the mesothelial cells, most commonly those in the lining that covers the lungs (pleura). Mesothelial cells exist in the lining (membrane) that covers the outer surface of our body organs. The majority of people with mesothelioma have been exposed to asbestos at some time during their life.
Doctors usually divide mesothelioma into three types:
Pleural mesothelioma - affects the pleura, the lining surrounding the lungs. This is the most common form.Peritoneal mesothelioma - the cancer attacks the lining of the abdomen, the peritoneum. This is the second most common form.
Pericardial mesothelioma - the cancer attacks the protective layer covering the heart. This is the rarest form.
All three forms of mesothelioma are nearly always caused by asbestos exposure.
Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer.
For the majority of patients there is no cure. Doctors usually focus on improving the quality of life as the disease progresses - making the patient as comfortable as possible.
In the United Kingdom, approximately 2,000 patients are diagnosed with mesothelioma annually. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), mesothelioma kills over 2,700 people in the USA every year. According to the Mesothelioma register, deaths from this type of cancer rose more than tenfold from 1969 to 2009 in the UK. About four-fifths of all deaths are among men.
What are the signs and symptoms of mesothelioma?
A symptom is something the patient feels and describes; while a sign is something other people can see, including doctors and nurses. For example, a symptom may be pain, while a sign could be a rash.Exposure to asbestos and asbestos dust can take up to thirty years to show symptoms. Often, patients are diagnosed when the disease is already advanced. Outcomes depend on how early the malignancy can be diagnosed.
Mesothelioma signs and symptoms vary, depending on where in the body the cancer is.
Pleural mesothelioma (tissue surrounding the lungs)
- Shortness of breath
- Coughing, often painful
- Unexpected and unexplained loss of weight
- Pain under the rib cage
- Sometimes lumps may be detectable under the skin in the chest area
- Lower back pain
- Discomfort in the side of the chest
- Exhaustion
- Some people may experience sweating, fever, or difficulty swallowing
Peritoneal mesothelioma (lining in the abdomen)
- Unexplained weight loss
- Pain in the abdomen
- Swelling in the abdomen
- Lumps in the abdomen
- Nausea, some patients may experience vomiting
Pericardial mesothelioma (lining in the heart area)
- Low blood pressure
- Shortness of breath
- Fluid retention (edema), often in the legs
- Heart palpitations
- Fatigue, extreme after light exertion
- Chest pain
What are the causes of mesothelioma?
Experts say that prolonged exposure to asbestos particles is the primary cause of mesothelioma. The risk of developing the disease is closely linked to asbestos particle dosage - i.e. the likelihood of developing mesothelioma is directly proportional to how long a person was exposed, and how much they inhaled.People in jobs where exposure to asbestos fibers are common have the highest risk of developing the disease. Asbestos was commonly used for insulation, soundproofing, fireproofing, roofing, and ironing board covers.
Industries that may have involved asbestos exposure for some of their workpeople include constructions sites, steel mills, shipyards, oil refineries and power plants.
When the asbestos particles or fibers are inhaled or ingested, they build up in the lining of the abdomen, chest or lungs. This accumulation considerably increases the chances of cancerous cells developing.
When asbestos is damaged and particles or fibers are released into the air, the environment can become hazardous to human health. The fibers can be breathed in or swallowed, they get embedded in tissue, and eventually lead to mesothelioma.
Asbestos is a group of minerals that occur naturally. They exist as fibers or bundles. These fibers may be found in soil or rocks and exist in many parts of the world naturally. Asbestos is made of silicon, oxygen and some other elements.
There are two principle types of asbestos fibers:
Serpentine asbestos - this is the most common type used in industry. It is known as white asbestos, or chrysotile. The fibers are curly.
Amphibole asbestos - these include anthophyllite, amosite, actinolite, crocidolite, and tremolite. The fibers are
Although asbestos is much less used today than it used to be, exposure is still possible, and continues to be a serious problem. Older materials containing asbestos can break down, releasing a dust composed of tiny particles than can be inhaled or ingested. Exposure can occur when older buildings are demolished or renovated.
Even family members who never set foot in a working environment that contained asbestos can be exposed. The fibers can be carried home in the workers clothing, and then breathed in by other members of the household.
Asbestos can also be swallowed, as may occur when water flows through asbestos cement pipes. Inhaled asbestos can be coughed up, and then swallowed (when the person swallows the saliva).
WHO (World Health Organization) in 2005 said that approximately 125 million people globally were exposed to asbestos at work in that year, despite their employers having known about the link to cancer and other lung diseases for over six decades. Most work-related exposure today occurs in developing nations.
In much rarer cases, mesothelioma may be linked to irradiation, the inhalation of eronite or some other fibrous silicate, and intrapleural thorium dioxide (Thorotrast - a suspension containing radioactive particles, used in X-ray diagnostics during the 1930s and 1940s, and even in the 1950s in some nations including the USA). Some experts believe that SV40 (simian virus 40) could be involved in the development of the disease.
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