Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a cancerous disease that is a direct result of regular and unprotected exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma attacks the cells of the mesothelium – the lining protecting major body organs like the stomach, heart and lungs. Today’s treatment for mesothelioma is coming along, but current treatment is not very effective.

Mesothelioma usually becomes active in people ages 40+, and men are more prone to it than women. Due to the poor regulations and worker protection 40+ years ago, workers were exposed to asbestos, a material known to be hazardous by dishonest companies. Due to the nature of the Mesothelioma disease, mutated cells were not noticed until 30 to 50 years later, but action is being taken against these companies by the workers and family’s of workers in the form of multi-million dollar law suits.

Exposure to asbestos is the main reason why people develop mesothelioma. Of all patients with mesothelioma exposure at work to asbestos is seen in about 70 percent to 80 percent. Regardless of this, mesothelioma might develop in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos.

Asbestos is not a single substance. It is the name of a group of minerals that occur naturally. It consists of strong, flexible fibers that can be separated into thin threads and woven. In the past asbestos has been widely used in a number of industrial products, including cement, brake linings, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles, and insulation. It is natural for tiny asbestos particles to float in the air, particularly during the manufacturing process. These floating particles may be inhaled or swallowed, and can cause serious health problems.

Surprisingly smoking does not increase the risk of mesothelioma development. But this is not a relief since smoking and asbestos exposure significantly increases a persons risk of developing cancer of the air passageways in the lung.

Did your work involve the possible inhalation of asbestos dust about 30-50 years ago ? Are you an elderly man (or woman) ? Do you have any of the following symptoms; shortness of breath, coughing, or chest pains ? You may possibly have mesothelioma cancer.

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that arises from inhaling asbestos dust or fibres. Why is it called mesothelioma, you may ask yourself ? There is a protective lining that covers most of our organs. This lining is called the mesothelium. When mesothelioma cancer strikes, malignant cells develop within this lining. It is most common in the pleura (outer linings of the lungs and chest cavity), hence the name pleural mesothelioma. Other places it may occur are the peritoneum (lining of the abdominal cavity) and the pericardium (lining that surrounds the heart). This leads to peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma respectively.

Mesothelioma has got absolutely nothing to do with smoking. However, if you smoked the Kent brand of cigarettes during the 1950's, there is a chance that you may have developed mesothelioma because of that. This is because Kent used asbestos in its filters.

Even if you were exposed to moderate amounts of asbestos dust and fibre, or came in contact with the clothes of somebody who worked with asbestos, you may still contract the disease. Even if you weren't exposed to asbestos you may still get diagnosed with mesothelioma, although this is rare. (The asbestos fibres embed themselves in lung tissue and cannot be removed naturally by the body's immune system). Mesothelioma cancer has also been associated with irradiation, intrapleural thorium dioxide, and inhalation of other fibrous silicates.

Mesothelioma is most often found in men, but women can also be diagnosed with it. Close to a third of all mesotheliomas are peritoneal (actually just under a third - upto 20%).