Mesothelioma of the Lung

Mesothelioma of the LungMesothelioma is a form of cancer that is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos.[1] In this disease, malignant cells develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most of the body's internal organs....

READ MORE - Mesothelioma of the Lung

Signs and symptoms

Mesothelioma that affects the pleura can cause these signs and symptoms:· chest wall pain · pleural effusion, or fluid surrounding the lung · shortness of breath · fatigue or anemia · wheezing, hoarseness, or cough · ...

READ MORE - Signs and symptoms

Diagnosing mesothelioma

Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions. Diagnosis begins with a review of the patient's medical history. A history of exposure to asbestos may increase clinical suspicion...

READ MORE - Diagnosing mesothelioma

Screening

There is no universally agreed protocol for screening people who have been exposed to asbestos. However some research indicates that the serum osteopontin level might be useful in screening asbestos-exposed people for mesothelio...

READ MORE - Screening

Staging

Mesothelioma is described as localized if the cancer is found only on the membrane surface where it originat...

READ MORE - Staging

Pathophysiology

The mesothelium consists of a single layer of flattened to cuboidal cells forming the epithelial lining of the serous cavities of the body including the peritoneal, pericardial and pleural cavitiesThe processes leading to the development of peritoneal...

READ MORE - Pathophysiology

Epidemiology

Although reported incidence rates have increased in the past 20 years, mesothelioma is still a relatively rare cancer. The incidence is approximately one per 1,000,000. For comparison, populations with high levels of smoking can have a lung cancer incidence...

READ MORE - Epidemiology

Risk factors

Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma. A history of asbestos exposure exists in almost all cases. Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that occur naturally as masses of strong, flexible fibers that can be separated into...

READ MORE - Risk factors

Exposure

Asbestos has been mined and used commercially since the late 1800s. Its use greatly increased during World War II. Since the early 1940s, millions of American workers have been exposed to asbestos dust. Initially, the risks associated with asbestos exposure...

READ MORE - Exposure

Treatment

Treatment of MM using conventional therapies has not proved successful and patients have a median survival time of 6 - 12 months after presentat...

READ MORE - Treatment

Surgery

Surgery, either by itself or used in combination with pre- and post-operative adjuvant therapies has proved disappointing with a 5 year survival rate of less than 10%. A pleurectomy/decortication is the most common surgery, in which the lining of the...

READ MORE - Surgery

Radiation

For patients with localized disease, and who can tolerate a radical surgery, radiation is often given post-operatively as a consolidative treatment. The entire hemi-thorax is treated with radiation therapy and is often times given simultaneously with...

READ MORE - Radiation

Immunotherapy

Treatment regimens involving immunotherapy have yielded variable results. For example, intrapleural inoculation of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) in an attempt to boost the immune response, was found to be of no benefit to the patient (while it may benefit...

READ MORE - Immunotherapy

Chemotherapy

In February 2004, the Food and Drug Administration approved pemetrexed (brand name Alimta) for treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma. Pemetrexed is given in combination with cisplatin. Folic acid is also used to reduce the side-effects of peme...

READ MORE - Chemotherapy

Heated Intraoperative Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy

A procedure known as heated intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy was developed by Paul Sugarbaker at the Washington Cancer Instit...

READ MORE - Heated Intraoperative Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy

Prevention & Expectations

What can be done to prevent the disease? Since the 1970s, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration have regulated the asbestos industry in the U.S. There are two major types of asbestos: chrysotile and...

READ MORE - Prevention & Expectations

Traditional Mesothelioma Treatment

There are three types of malignant mesothelioma. The most common is pleural mesothelioma, then peritoneal mesothelioma and lastly pericardial mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma is found in the lining of the lungs. Peritoneal mesothelioma is found in...

READ MORE - Traditional Mesothelioma Treatment

Mesothelioma Lawyers and Attorneys

Medical Reports confirming the diagnosis of mesotheliomaIt's best to include one (or more) of the following reports:Pathology report: Laboratory report on tests performed on tumor tissue taken from your biopsy. It is typically just a few pages in length....

READ MORE - Mesothelioma Lawyers and Attorneys

What is mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a cancer of the mesothelium. The mesothelium is a thin membrane that lines the chest and abdomen and surrounds the organs in these areas. The lining around the lungs is called the pleura and in the abdomen it is known as the peritoneum....

READ MORE - What is mesothelioma?

What are the risk factors for mesothelioma?

The main risk factor for mesothelioma is contact with asbestos. In the past, asbestos was used for insulation because it does not conduct heat well and doesn’t easily melt or burn. It was also used in other products such as floor tiles, door gaskets,...

READ MORE - What are the risk factors for mesothelioma?

What are some ways to try to prevent mesothelioma?

· Avoid exposure to asbestos· Eat Healthy· Exerc...

READ MORE - What are some ways to try to prevent mesothelioma?

What are some ways to detect mesothelioma?

· Chest X-Ray· CT Scan· MRI· Thoracoscopy - A thoracoscope (telescope-like instrument connected to a video camera) is inserted through a small incision into the chest. Your doctor can see the tumor through the thoracoscope,...

READ MORE - What are some ways to detect mesothelioma?

Notable people with mesothelioma

Mesothelioma, though rare, has had a number of notable patients. Australian anti-racism activist Bob Bellear died in 2005. British science fiction writer Michael G. Coney, responsible for nearly 100 works died in 2005. American film and television actor...

READ MORE - Notable people with mesothelioma