Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma disease is a form of severe cancer that is virtually always caused by a previous exposure to asbestos materials. In mesothelioma disease, malignant cells develop in the mesothelium which is a protective lining that is a covering of most of the body's internal organs.

Its most common location is the pleura which is the outer lining of the lungs but it also occurs in the peritoneum whic is the lining of the abdominal cavity or the pericardium which is a sac that surrounds the heart.

Mesothelioma: is classified as a tumor of the mesothelium which can be either benign (localized) or malignant (diffusely spread) and that is usually caused by the ingestion of asbestos product particles.

Mesothelium is the thin layer of mesodermal epithelial cells that forms the pleura, peritoneum and pericardium.

Mesothelioma is a very unusual but no longer very seldom cancer that is usually very difficult to diagnose, treat and responds very poorly to typical therapy. Mesothelioma is a known cancer in which cancerous and/or malignant cells begin appear around the heart, chest or abdominal region of the human body. It is believed that the main cause is usually from exposure to asbestos. It takes about 30 to 40 years after asbestos exposure for mesothelioma cancer symptoms to start appearing.

Most people working for asbestos manufacturing firms have been exposed to the asbestos substance which then lead to Mesothelioma Cancer. Once the mesothelioma symptoms are then detected the patient usually has a maximum life span of 18 months - give or take. This is a very heart-breaking fact. So who are the people or persons responsible for this mesothelioma disease?

Mesothelioma Disease

The most severest form of mesothelioma cancer which is usually caused by exposure to asbestos is called malignant mesothelioma. The ones who have worked for years in the industries where asbestos products were used are most often diagnosed with this terrible and fatal form of cancer. Mesothelioma is not so easily detectable and is usually very difficult and hard to diagnose. The early symptoms of mesothelioma disease are frequently dismissed by suffering patients as common everday ailments until the effects of mesothelioma disease increase in severity. By then the mesothelioma disease has progressed to a stage where a cure is virtually not possible at all.

About three/fourths of mesothelioma disease symptoms start in the chest area cavity and are usually known as pleural mesotheliomas. Another 10% to 20% begin in the abdomen or stomach area and are called peritoneal mesotheliomas. Pericardial mesotheliomas, are those starting in the cavity around the heart and are very, very rare cases. The outter covering layer of the testicles is also actually an outpouching of peritoneum that goes into the scrotum area. We have found that mesotheliomas that can affect that covering of the testicles are usually quite rare.

Mesothelioma Disease in the lungs

Although the mesothelioma disease is much more commonly seen in people how are 60 years old and are usually men it has been commonly been diagnosed in women as well and in early childhood. The common cause of mesothelioma disease is not so well understood as of yet in these latter two groups but there is some new evidence of the possible asbestos exposure in many of these cases as well.

Pleural Mesothelioma Symptoms

One of the most common symptoms known for pleural mesothelioma patients is chronic chest pain but the chest pain is often not associated directly with the lung pleura. It often appears in the shoulder or the upper abdomen area. Other known symptoms are shortness of breath which is called dyspnea and is also a symptom of mesothelioma disease.

Chronic coughing, rapid weight loss and anorexia are present in some mesothelioma disease patients but are less common. The rapid growth of the pleural mesothelioma cancer tumors tend to enlarge the pleural space which causes it to be filled with fluid which leads to painful discomfort or pain associated with first detection of the mesothelioma disease.

There was a study involving over 167 patients with proven pleural mesothelioma disease and they found that the median survival rate of mesothelioma disease patients following diagnosis was numbered at 242 days. The survival rate for mesothelioma disease patients was also affected by the type of mesothelioma disease cancer cells and patients with biphasic cell types tend to have the shortest life expectancy known.

Pleural Mesothelioma

Pleural mesothelioma is a disease that affects the lining of the lungs, or the lung pleura. Sometimes doctors refer to this disease as mesothelioma of the pleura.

It is a common notion and misconception that mesothelioma disease is a kind of primary lung cancer but it's is not at all. Mesothelioma disease is a cancer of the serous membranes.

These membranes enclose many of the internal organs spread all throughout the midsection of the human body including but not limited to the lining of the lungs.

One of the most common types of mesothelioma disease is known as pleural mesothelioma which generally affects the serous membranes of the human lungs.

What is known as Pleural mesothelioma cancer usually represents around 75 percent of all mesothelioma disease cases. mesothelioma disease is caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibers which eventually settle themselves and stay in the lungs forever. Tiny asbestos fibers eventually become permanently imbedded in the inner lining of the lung (the pleura) and over time they can cause what's known as chronic inflammation and eventually will lead to growth of severe cancerous tumors and in some cases asbestosis.

Pleural mesothelioma cancer will normally appear as a multiple tumor with masses that affect the parietal surface of the lung which is inside and closer to the lung and the visceral surface which is outside and further from the lung of the pleura. Usually the parietal surface has a much more greater involvement than the visceral.

There is usually a slightly higher incidence of mesothelioma disease in the right side lung apparently due to the overwhelming fact that the right lung is generally larger and has a far greater amount of pleural surface area within it.

The very large growths in the pleura are normally noted in mesothelioma disease patients upon diagnosis. As mesothelioma disease progresses these growths tend to lead to a complete obliteration of the human lung cavity. These tumors then spread from the lung pleura to other organs including the heart and the abdomen. mesothelioma disease usually also invades the lymph nodes and the circulatory system.

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos. In this disease, malignant cells develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most of the body's internal organs. 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 heart, the pericardium (a sac that surrounds the heart) or tunica vaginalis.

Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or they have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in other ways. Washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos can also put a person at risk for developing mesothelioma. Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking, but smoking greatly increases risk of other asbestos induced cancer. Compensation via asbestos funds or lawsuits is an important issue in mesothelioma.

The symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath due to pleural effusion (fluid between the lung and the chest wall) or chest wall pain, and general symptoms such as weight loss. The diagnosis may be suspected with chest X-ray and CT scan, and is confirmed with a biopsy (tissue sample) and microscopic examination. A thoracoscopy (inserting a tube with a camera into the chest) can be used to take biopsies. It allows the introduction of substances such as talc to obliterate the pleural space (called pleurodesis), which prevents more fluid from accumulating and pressing on the lung. Despite treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or sometimes surgery, the disease carries a poor prognosis. Research about screening tests for the early detection of mesothelioma is ongoing.

Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath, cough, and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleural space are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma.

Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and cachexia, abdominal swelling and pain due to ascites (a buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity). Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.

These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions.

Mesothelioma that affects the pleura can cause these signs and symptoms:

• chest wall pain
• pleural effusion, or fluid surrounding the lung
• shortness of breath
• fatigue or anemia
• wheezing, hoarseness, or cough
• blood in the sputum (fluid) coughed up (hemoptysis)

In severe cases, the person may have many tumor masses. The individual may develop a pneumothorax, or collapse of the lung. The disease may metastasize, or spread, to other parts of the body.

Tumors that affect the abdominal cavity often do not cause symptoms until they are at a late stage. Symptoms include:

• abdominal pain
• ascites, or an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen
• a mass in the abdomen
• problems with bowel function
• weight loss

In severe cases of the disease, the following signs and symptoms may be present:

• blood clots in the veins, which may cause thrombophlebitis
• disseminated intravascular coagulation, a disorder causing severe bleeding in many body organs
• jaundice, or yellowing of the eyes and skin
• low blood sugar level
• pleural effusion
• pulmonary emboli, or blood clots in the arteries of the lungs
• severe ascites

A mesothelioma does not usually spread to the bone, brain, or adrenal glands. Pleural tumors are usually found only on one side of the lungs.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma Cancer

Peritoneal mesothelioma cancer is found in 10% to 20% of the mesothelioma patients. The only known cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. For pleural mesothelioma (cancer of the lung lining), the disease process is fairly well understood. It is caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibers that settle in the lungs. These asbestos fibers become inserted in the lung lining (or pleura). Asbestos fibers are very durable and cannot be eliminated through the body's processes. Over time, they cause chronic inflammation that eventually leads to growth of cancerous tumors or in some cases asbestosis.

For peritoneal mesothelioma, it is not clearly understood how the asbestos fibers become lodged in the abdomen's peritoneum lining. It is possible that asbestos fibers, after being broken into smaller pieces in the lungs, are carried from the lungs into the blood stream, and lodge from the blood stream in the abdomen lining.

A more probable cause is that asbestos fibers were ingested with food or drink. Most asbestos mining or processing facilities had constant clouds of asbestos fibers. These fibers could have settled on the food of the workers. Also, it is well established that many of the workers' clothing became infiltrated with asbestos dust. This dust could have contaminated the kitchens of the workers as they arrived home with the dirty clothing. Once lodged in the peritoneum, the chronic inflammation process leading to cancerous growths is similar to that occurring in pleural mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma of the Testicles

A rare form of peritoneal mesothelioma affects the male testicles. The covering layer of the scrotum is actually an outpouching of the peritoneum. It is thought that the asbestos fibers migrate from the stomach area to become lodged in the portion of the peritoneum surrounding the scrotum.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma Symptoms

Once the cancerous tumors start to grow in the peritoneum, fluid begins to rapidly accumulate in the abdominal area. This fluid causes swelling and discomfort and leads to the first common symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma: upper abdominal pain. Less common symptoms include cough and shortness of breath. Many patients have symptoms four to six months before diagnosis.

Peritoneal mesothelioma patients can exhibit all three kinds of mesothelioma cancer cells: epithelioid mesothelioma, sarcomatoid mesothelioma and biphasic mesothelioma. The type of cancer cells can affect the prognosis. It is thought that patients with biphasic mesothelioma cancer cells have a shorter life expectancy, than that for epithelioid or sarcomatoid.

Peritoneal mesothelioma

Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is an extremely rare condition. Only 100 to 500 cases are diagnosed in the US each year, making up less than 30% of all mesothelioma cases.

Peritoneal mesothelioma is a cancer affecting the abdominal lining, or peritoneum (paira-tin-e-um), which is why is is sometimes referred to as abdominal mesothelioma. This membrane supports and covers the organs of the abdomen.

The peritoneum is made of two parts, the visceral and parietal peritoneum. The visceral peritoneum covers the internal organs and makes up most of the outer layer of the intestinal tract. Covering the abdominal cavity is the parietal peritoneum.

Cells in these linings secrete a fluid which allows organs to move against one another. For instance, as the intestines move food through the body. The cells of the mesothelium are designed to create fluid, but the cancer causes them to overproduce, creating a build up of excess fluid in the abdominal cavity.

Because pleural mesothelioma is more common and often spreads to the peritoneal cavity, it is important to determine if pleural mesothelioma is the primary cancer.

Peritoneal mesothelioma is a disease that affects the lining of the abdomen, or peritoneum. Sometimes doctors refer to this disease as mesothelioma of the peritoneum. It is a common misconception that mesothelioma is a type of primary lung cancer; it is not. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the serous membranes. These membranes enclose a number of organs throughout the midsection of the body, including the abdomen. The most common type of mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma, which affects the serous membranes of the lungs.

Peritoneal mesothelioma is a disease that affects the lining of the abdomen, or peritoneum. Sometimes doctors refer to this disease as mesothelioma of the peritoneum. It is a common misconception that mesothelioma is a type of primary lung cancer; it is not. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the serous membranes. These membranes enclose a number of organs throughout the midsection of the body, including the abdomen. The most common type of mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma, which affects the serous membranes of the lungs.

The second most common form of mesothelioma cancer is peritoneal mesothelioma. Peritoneal mesothelioma can spread to the lungs and when this occurs, it is considered secondary lung cancer. Mesothelioma is also sometimes referred to as an asbestos lung cancer. Technically, this is also incorrect, since it does not originate in the lungs. Asbestosis is a type of asbestos lung disease that does originate in the lungs and is often confused with mesothelioma.

mesothelioma survival rate

The mesothelioma survival rate indicates the percentage of people with a certain type and stage of mesothelioma who survive the disease for a specific period of time after their diagnosis. In most cases, statistics refer to the 5-year mesothelioma survival rate. The 5-year mesothelioma survival rate is the percentage of people who are alive 5 years after a mesothelioma diagnosis, whether they have few or no signs or symptoms of mesothelioma, are free of disease, or are receiving treatment for mesothelioma.

The mesothelioma survival rate is based on large groups of people, and it cannot be used to predict what will happen to a particular patient. No two patients are exactly alike, and mesothelioma treatment and responses to treatment vary greatly.

Overall Mesothelioma Survival Rate

Survival rates can be calculated by different methods for different purposes. The survival rates presented here are based on the relative survival rate. The relative survival rate measures the survival of mesothelioma patients in comparison to the general population to estimate the effect of cancer. The overall 5-year relative mesothelioma survival rate for 1998-2002 was approximately 9 percent.

Below are the relative survival rates for each year following a mesothelioma diagnosis:

• Year 1 mesothelioma survival rate: 39 percent
• Year 2 survival rate: 20 percent
• Year 3 survival rate: 11 percent
• Year 4 survival rate: 10 percent
• Year 5 survival rate: 9 percent.