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Mesothelioma, more precisely
malignant mesothelioma, is a rare form of cancer that develops
from the protective lining that covers many of the body's
internal organs, the mesothelium. It is usually caused by
exposure to asbestos.[1]
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
pericardium (a sac that surrounds the heart),[2] or the tunica
vaginalis (a sac that surrounds the testis).
Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where
they inhaled asbestos, or they have been exposed to asbestos
dust and fiber in other ways. It has also been suggested that
washing the clothes of a family member who worked with
asbestos can put a person at risk for developing mesothelioma.[3]
Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between
mesothelioma and smoking, but smoking greatly increases the
risk of other asbestos-induced cancers.[4] Those who have been
exposed to asbestos have collected damages for
asbestos-related disease, including mesothelioma. Compensation
via asbestos funds or lawsuits is an important issue in law
practices regarding mesothelioma (see asbestos and the law).
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. |
