Malignant Mesothelioma
Malignant mesothelioma is a rare cancer of the lining of the lung (pleural mesothelioma) or the lining of the abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma). The only known cause of mesothelioma in North America is exposure to asbestos.
Like the other asbestos-related diseases, mesothelioma has a long latency period (period of time between first exposure to asbestos and the diagnosis of the disease). In rare cases the latency period has been as short as 10 to 15 years after the first exposure to asbestos. Typically, however, mesothelioma occurs 20, 30, 40 or more years after the first exposure.
Unlike the other asbestos-related diseases, even low exposures to asbestos can lead to the development of malignant mesothelioma. It is not uncommon for someone to develop this cancer after only a few weeks of exposure at a summer job decades earlier or from washing clothing worn by a worker exposed to asbestos on the job. There are even cases, reported in medical literature, of mesothelioma developing in people who simply lived near a site where asbestos products were used or manufactured.
Malignant mesothelioma is almost always fatal. Survival is usually limited to 12 to 18 months from the diagnosis, sometimes substantially less. There are some people, however, usually relatively young and in good health before being stricken with this disease, who have achieved long-term survival.
Treatment Options
There are a number of treatment options for people diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma. These include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and even a new experimental vaccine therapy. If the disease has not spread too far upon the initial diagnosis, some combination of these treatments can add time to the victim's life or make the time they have left more comfortable. The side effects and recuperation time from these treatments are, in and of themselves, substantial. Therefore, any potential benefits of these treatments should be seriously weighed against the trauma associated with the treatments themselves, after consultation with your doctor.
Symptoms
The initial symptoms associated with mesothelioma are usually pain in the back, chest or abdomen as well as fatigue and loss of weight. This is usually followed by an unexplained and sudden shortness of breath caused by a buildup of fluid (called a pleural effusion) between the lining of the lung and the chest cavity. A chest x-ray will usually look like it has a haziness on one or more sides of the chest or an entire lung may be hidden from view. Usually, draining the fluid buildup (a procedure called thoracentesis) relieves the shortness of breath. In a few weeks, the fluid may build up again, requiring additional draining.
Diagnosis
Malignant mesothelioma is often difficult to diagnose. A definitive diagnosis can only be made after a biopsy is performed to obtain a tissue sample. Sometimes a needle biopsy is sufficient but often surgery must be performed and an open biopsy conducted to obtain the appropriate tissue sample.
Because malignant mesothelioma is a rare disease, many hospitals and physicians do not make the appropriate diagnosis. Malignant mesothelioma often has the appearance of an adenocarcinoma (a different type of cancer) and is thus misdiagnosed. Special stains must be performed (immunohistochemistry) or the biopsy must be viewed with an electron microscope in order to make a definitive diagnosis. In rare instances a correct diagnosis can only be made after an autopsy.
This is only an overview and not medical advice. For medical advice please contact a knowledgeable physician.
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