Mesothelioma
What is Mesothelioma?
A rare form of cancer, mesothelioma is a disease for which the only definitive cause is exposure to toxic asbestos. About 2,000 to 3,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year, and thousands of other cases arise annually in countries where asbestos once enjoyed widespread use as well.
Though the dangers of working with asbestos have been apparent for centuries (ancient Romans recognized lung diseases in those who mined asbestos), mesothelioma didn’t receive its moniker until the middle of the 20th century when many cases began to surface.
Most often, those affected by the disease in the U.S. are those who worked in American industry from the 1940s through the 1970s, especially in shipyards during the war years. Other tradesmen at high risk for developing the disease include insulators, mechanics, construction workers, contractors, railroad employees, power and chemical plant workers, welders, plumbers, steam fitters, and many others who came in regular contact with asbestos, which was used as an insulator for several decades.
Technically speaking, mesothelioma develops when tiny, sharp asbestos fibers become airborne and are inhaled. The fibers make their way through the body’s respiratory system and become lodged in the mesothelium, a two-layered membrane that covers and protects the internal organs of the body including the lungs, abdomen, and heart. Specifically, the layer of the membrane that covers the lungs is called the pleura, that which covers the heart is the pericardium, and the part that covers the abdomen is known as the peritoneum. Mesothelioma can affect any of these areas, though the most common form of the disease is pleural mesothelioma.
Once the fibers travel to the mesothelium, they can become lodged there, causing scarring and, in some cases, cancerous tumors. The tumors wreak havoc with the lungs and other organs and make it difficult to breathe, cause chest pain, and plague the victim with a variety of other symptoms including pleural effusion (build-up of fluid in the lungs), fatigue, weight loss, and much more.
Mesothelioma is an unusual disease in that it has a latency period of up to five decades, meaning that symptoms often do not surface until long after exposure has occurred. Because of that, it is often difficult to diagnosis as victims sometimes fail to make the connection between their exposure to hazardous asbestos and their symptoms. Therefore, mesothelioma is sometimes misdiagnosed and mistaken for a less serious disease until sophisticated imaging tests are able to confirm a diagnosis. In addition, because diagnosis is often delayed, the cancer is generally in its later stages when it is discovered, making it particularly difficult to treat successfully.
The treatment for mesothelioma is usually aimed at shrinking the tumors in the affected areas and easing the symptoms of the disease. Chemotherapy with drugs like Alimta© is usually suggested, as is radiation therapy. But because mesothelioma is so aggressive, it spreads quickly and many patients are simply offered palliative care to make them more comfortable in their final months. Surgery is also sometimes an option but most patients die within a year or two of diagnosis.
Doctors and researchers continue to strive to develop new and better treatments for the disease as well as ways to diagnose the disease at earlier stages or identify those who might be at risk for developing mesothelioma.