What is Mesothelioma?

Malignant mesothelioma, often simply called mesothelioma, is a rare form of cancer that develops in the protective lining that covers many of the internal organs of the body know as the mesothelium. The most common cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma is commonly found in the outer lining of the lungs and the internal wall of the chest, the lining of the abdominal cavity and less commonly in the sac that surrounds the heart.

The majority of mesothelioma victims worked on jobs where they were exposed to asbestos dust, mainly by breathing it into their lungs. It does not take a lot of asbestos to cause mesothelioma and it does not require repeated exposure to asbestos to cause mesothelioma. Most of the exposure to asbestos in the United States would have occurred in the 1980s and before.

The disease is typically diagnosed between twenty to forty years after exposure to asbestos. The average age of a mesothelioma client at diagnosis is 50 to 70 years. More men than women are affected, probably because men were more likely to have worked in jobs that used asbestos. Families of workers in industries that used asbestos are also at risk. There is evidence that washing the clothes of the family member exposed to asbestos can lead to mesothelioma. This para occupations exposure to family members of those working around asbestos can be deadly.

Prior to the end of using asbestos in building, many public buildings and homes contained asbestos. People renovating their older homes may also expose themselves to asbestos. Likewise, if you lived near demolition of buildings that had asbestos in them before precautions had to be taken by law, you may have been exposed. People who live near facilities that have asbestos around them are also in danger. These include refineries, power plants, factories, shipyards, steel mills and the like.

There are very few symptoms of mesothelioma in the early stages. Through the years after exposure, the cancer growing inside the body has a tendency to press on the nerves or body organs, thereby creating symptoms.

Symptoms of mesothelioma in the lungs, the most common type of mesothelioma, which accounts for 80-90 percent of all mesothelioma cases, includes pain in the lower back or side of chest, persistent cough, shortness of breath, fluid surrounding the lungs, known as a pleural effusion, blood in the sputum (fluid) sweating and fevers, difficulty swallowing, rapid weight loss and a hoarse or husky voice. In severe cases, the lungs may collapse (pneumothorax)

Symptoms of stomach lining mesothelioma include pain or swelling in the stomach, diarrhea, constipation, poor appetite, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, fever and feeling sick. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other areas of the body, swelling of the neck or face and trouble swallowing may occur.

As you can see these symptoms can also relate to any number of other illnesses. This is part of the reason mesothelioma goes undiagnosed. Whenever you are having these symptoms, it is a good idea to get checked out by your doctor. It is very likely that the symptoms will not be mesothelioma, as relatively few people a year are diagnosed with actual mesothelioma. If you have been or believe you have been exposed to asbestos in the past, it is very important to see your doctor if these symptoms occur. Smoking does not cause mesothelioma, but other cancers, such as lung cancer, can be. Mesothelioma is a very specific form of cancer in the linings of the body.

Diagnosis of mesothelioma usually begins with a chest xray or CT scan and the cancer is confirmed with a tissue sample caused a biopsy. While there are treatments for mesothelioma, the prognosis is usually very poor. Mesothelioma screenings are available, and if exposed you may wish to talk to your doctor about it. Early detection can increase your medical prognosis.

Most manufacturers of asbestos have gone into bankruptcy, where they are safe from creditors, such as potential mesothelioma victims. Individual lawsuits continue to be filed and plaintiff lawyers are constantly looking for new parties to sue to recover damages for their clients. Some of these defendants have included manufacturers of machinery that used asbestos parts, owners of property or buildings which had asbestos products installed, banks that financed ships or buildings where asbestos was installed, and retailers of hardware, car parts and other asbestos containing products. Results of these lawsuits have varied by state.

As for Congressional action in the area of asbestos litigation, the "Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act of 2005", if implemented, would set up a $140 billion trust fund instead of litigation to compensate mesothelioma victims. They are still debating this law in Congress.

http://olpa.od.nih.gov/legislation/109/pendinglegislation/asbestos.asp

The emotional toll that mesothelioma takes on the injured person and their families is beyond comprehension.

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