Mesothelioma - Introduction

What is Mesothelioma? Mesothelioma or more precisely malignant mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that develops from cells of the mesothelium which is the protective lining that covers many of the internal organs of the body. Mesothelioma is most commonly caused by exposure to asbestos. The most common anatomical site for mesothelioma is the pleura (which is the outer lining of the lungs) and internal chest wall but it can also arise independent peritoneum (which is the lining of the abdominal cavity); the pericardium (which is the sack that surrounds the heart); or the tunica vaginalis (a sac that surrounds the ***) Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked in jobs where they inhaled or ingested asbestos fibers; or were exposed to airborne asbestos dust and fibers in other ways. Washing clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos also creates a risk for developing mesothelioma. Unlike lung cancer, there seems to be no association between mesothelioma and tobacco smoking but smoking greatly increases the risk of other asbestos induced cancers. Signs and symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath due to pleural effusion (which is the fluid between the lung and the chest wall); chest wall pain and constitutional signs such as unexplained weight loss. The diagnosis may be suspected based on chest x-ray and CT scan findings but must be confirmed either by examining serous effusion cytology or with the biopsy which is removing a sample and the suspicious tissue. A thoracoscopy which is inserting a tube with a camera into the chest can be used to acquire biopsy material and allows the introduction of substances such as talc to obliterate the pleural space which is a procedure called pleurodesis preventing more fluid from accumulating and pressing on the lung. Despite treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or sometimes surgery, mesothelioma carries a poor prognosis. Research about screening tests for the early detection of mesothelioma is ongoing.