Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that usually stems from exposure to asbestos. It affects the mesothelial cells, which occur in the lining that covers the outer surface of the body’s organs.
Mesothelioma most commonly affects the pleura, or the lining of the lungs, but it can also appear in the lining of the heart and the abdomen. It is relatively rare. Every year there are about 3,000 new diagnoses in the United States.
There is no cure for mesothelioma, but palliative therapy may improve a person’s quality of life. Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer, meaning that it progresses and spreads quickly.
Mesothelioma most commonly affects the pleura, or the lining of the lungs, but it can also appear in the lining of the heart and the abdomen. It is relatively rare. Every year there are about 3,000 new diagnoses in the United States.
There is no cure for mesothelioma, but palliative therapy may improve a person’s quality of life. Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer, meaning that it progresses and spreads quickly.
There are three types of mesothelioma:
Pleural mesothelioma: This is the most common form. It affects the pleura, the lining around the lungs.
Peritoneal mesothelioma: This is the second most common form. It attacks the lining of the abdomen, called the peritoneum.
Pericardial mesothelioma: This is the rarest form. It affects the protective layer of the heart, called the pericardium.
After diagnosis, 55% of people will survive for at least another 6 months, 35% for a year, and 9% for another 5 years or longer. The survival rates vary, however, between types.
Can mold make you sick? Learn more here.
Symptoms
On average, mesothelioma takes 30–45 years to appear.
Some people experience symptoms after 10 years, while others remain asymptomatic for 50 years. The length of time will depend, to some extent, on the intensity of the asbestos exposure. Genetic and other individual factors may also play a role.
The average age at diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma is 72 years.
Symptoms vary, depending on which part of the body the disease affects.
Pleural mesothelioma
The symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include:
shortness of breath
coughing, often with pain
sudden and unexplained weight loss
pain under the rib cage
detectable lumps under the skin in the chest area
lower back pain
discomfort in the side of the chest
exhaustion
sweating
fever
difficulty swallowing
Peritoneal mesothelioma
A person with peritoneal mesothelioma may experience:
unexplained weight loss
abdominal pain and swelling
lumps in the abdomen
nausea and vomiting
Pericardial mesothelioma
Pericardial mesothelioma can cause:
low blood pressure
shortness of breath
fluid retention, or edema, often in the legs
heart palpitations
extreme fatigue following light exertion
chest pain
Mesothelioma: How can asbestos make you sick?
Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that usually stems from exposure to asbestos. It affects the mesothelial cells, which occur in the lining that covers the outer surface of the body’s organs.
Mesothelioma most commonly affects the pleura, or the lining of the lungs, but it can also appear in the lining of the heart and the abdomen.
It is relatively rare. Every year there are about 3,000 new diagnoses in the United States.
There is no cure for mesothelioma, but palliative therapy may improve a person’s quality of life.
What is mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma usually affects the outer surface of the body’s organs.
Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer, meaning that it progresses and spreads quickly.
There are three types:
Pleural mesothelioma: This is the most common form. It affects the pleura, the lining around the lungs.
Peritoneal mesothelioma: This is the second most common form. It attacks the lining of the abdomen, called the peritoneum.
Pericardial mesothelioma: This is the rarest form. It affects the protective layer of the heart, called the pericardium.
After diagnosis, 55% of people will survive for at least another 6 months, 35% for a year, and 9% for another 5 years or longer. The survival rates vary, however, between types.
Can mold make you sick? Learn more here.
Symptoms
On average, mesothelioma takes 30–45 years to appear.
Some people experience symptoms after 10 years, while others remain asymptomatic for 50 years. The length of time will depend, to some extent, on the intensity of the asbestos exposure. Genetic and other individual factors may also play a role.
The average age at diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma is 72 years.
Symptoms vary, depending on which part of the body the disease affects.
Pleural mesothelioma
The symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include:
shortness of breath
coughing, often with pain
sudden and unexplained weight loss
pain under the rib cage
detectable lumps under the skin in the chest area
lower back pain
discomfort in the side of the chest
exhaustion
sweating
fever
difficulty swallowing
Peritoneal mesothelioma
A person with peritoneal mesothelioma may experience:
unexplained weight loss
abdominal pain and swelling
lumps in the abdomen
nausea and vomiting
Pericardial mesothelioma
Pericardial mesothelioma can cause:
low blood pressure
shortness of breath
fluid retention, or edema, often in the legs
heart palpitations
extreme fatigue following light exertion
chest pain
Lung cancer can also affect a person’s breathing.
Causes
Share on PinterestExposure to materials containing asbestos may cause mesothelioma.
There is a direct link between mesothelioma and exposure to asbestos, a combination of six minerals comprising long, thin fibers.
Asbestos refers to a group of minerals that exist as fibers or bundles. These fibers occur naturally in the soil or rocks in many parts of the world. Asbestos consists of silicon, oxygen, and some other elements.
Products that contain asbestos include:
building materials, including siding, floor tiles, ceiling materials, and roof shingles
friction products, such as brake parts
heat resistant fabrics, packaging, coatings, and gaskets
In the past, builders often used asbestos to insulate products and buildings and make them soundproof or fireproof.
When a person installs, repairs, or demolishes asbestos products, the fibers can become airborne.
People can then inhale or swallow them, and they become permanently lodged in the lungs or gastrointestinal tract. In some cases, they may remain there for decades. The particles can also affect other organs.
In time, mesothelioma can develop from these fibers.
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Who is at risk?
The likelihood of developing mesothelioma depends on the extent of a person’s exposure to asbestos. Factors that play a role include the duration of the exposure, how much the person inhaled, and the type of asbestos fiber.
People in jobs with high exposure, such as those working on construction sites, steel mills, or power plants, have the highest risk of developing the disease.
Even family members who have never entered an asbestos-rich environment can be at risk. If a worker accidentally carries fibers home in their clothing, other members of the household can inhale these particles.
People have known about the link between asbestos and cancer and other lung diseases for more than 60 years. Nevertheless, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that close to 125 million people globally had exposure to asbestos at work in 2005.
Regulations in industrialized countries have reduced the risk of exposure to asbestos. However, its use remains largely unregulated in many nations. As a result, a high number of people are still at risk.
Although it is much less common, mesothelioma may also develop following exposure to radiation therapy or as a result of breathing in fibrous silicates, such as erionite, zeolite, and intrapleural thorium dioxide.
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