Mesothelioma Information

What is Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma (a.k.a Asbestos Cancer) is a highly aggressive and rare form of cancer usually of the lining of the lung (pleural). Mesothelioma can also occur in the lining of the heart (pericardial) and abdominal cavity (peritoneal). The only known cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos, it is almost certain that asbestos caused the cancer. About 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma cancer are diagnosed in the United State each year. Mesothelioma can appear in either men or women at any age but it does occur more often in men than women and the risk increases with age.

The Onset and Diagnosis of Mesothelioma

The onset of mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos can take anywhere from 15 – 45 years. The first symptom is usually a constant pain in the chest and is accompanied by shortness of breath, or pain or swelling in the abdomen. Other symptoms include persistent coughing, coughing blood, fatigue and significant weight loss. The doctor may order an x-ray of the chest or abdomen. The doctor may look inside the chest cavity with a special instrument called a thoracoscope. A cut will be made through the chest wall and the thoracoscope will be put into the chest between two ribs. This test is called thoracoscopy and is usually done in the hospital. The doctor may also look inside the abdomen with a peritoneoscope and this procedure is called a peritoneoscopy. The peritoneoscope is put into an opening made in the abdomen. This test is also done in the hospital. If tissue is not found to be normal, the doctor will perform a biopsy. The biopsy will be done during the thoracoscopy or peritoneoscopy and the doctor will cut out a small piece of tissue and have it looked at under a microscope to see if there are any cancer cells.

A person’s life span is typically 12 – 24 months after diagnosis of mesothelioma, but it depends on the size of the cancer, where it is, how far it has spread, how it responds to treatment, the health of the patient, etc.