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Asbestos | Asbestos Diseases

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma Treatment Update

What is mesothelioma?

The most severe form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos is called malignant mesothelioma. People who have worked in industries where asbestos containing products were used are often diagnosed with this fatal form of cancer. Mesothelioma is not easily detectable and is usually difficult to diagnose. Early symptoms are frequently dismissed by patients as common ailments until they increase in severity. At that point the disease has usually progressed to a stage where a cure is not possible.

Malignant mesothelioma affects the tissue surrounding the internal organs in the body called the mesothelium. This mesothelium tissue layer is created by mesothelial cells that line the chest, stomach and heart area. The mesothelium plays a very important function in the body in that it helps to lubricate organs and facilitate movement (i.e. helping the lungs to easily expand and contract). The mesothelium that exists in the chest cavity is referred to as the pleura. The mesothelium of the stomach is called the peritoneum and the mesothelium of the area around the heart is known as the pericardium.

Mesothelium tumors are either cancerous (malignant) or non cancerous (benign). If a tumor is malignant the disease is considered malignant mesothelioma. Because the majority of tumors are malignant, more often than not malignant mesothelioma is referred to as mesothelioma.

In the 1700's, Mesothelioma was most widely known as cancer of the pericardium, pleura and peritoneum. Until 1960 no significant medical break-through's had occurred with respect to this disease. In 1960, more scientific and medical information became available on mesothelium tumors and even more significant was the fact the scientists identified a correlation between mesothelioma and asbestos exposure. J.C. Wagner first wrote about the link between the two in a report about 32 workers in South Africa who had significant exposure to asbestos and contracted mesothelioma.

The percentage of people who develop mesothelioma in the United States each year is still fairly low (about 14 incidents per million people per year). However, there was a noticeable increase (as much as three times) in the number of men between 1970 and 1984 that developed mesothelioma after working in industries where asbestos or asbestos products were prevalent (i.e. shipyards, naval ships etc.) Although the cancer is most often seen in men over age 60 there are also documented cases of the disease occurring in women and children.

Malignant mesothelioma presents in one of three forms. Epithelioid mesothelioma represents 50%-70% of the cases and generally has the most favorable survival rate. 7%-20% of the cases are considered sacromatoid and 20%-35% of cases are mixed/biphasic. There are no significant differences in the recommended course of treatment for these 3 types of mesothelioma.

75% of mesothelioma cases initiate in the chest (pleural mesothelioma). 10%-20% of mesotheliomas start in the stomach region and are called peritoneal mesothelioma and the remaining cases affect the area around the heart (pericardial mesothelioma). Pericardial mesothelioma is generally the least common type of mesothelioma seen.

What treatments are available for Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma Treatment Update
If you have any questions regarding treatment options or your legal rights, please contact us.