Mesothelioma - an Asbestos Related Lung Cancer

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Mesothelioma - an Asbestos Related Lung Cancer

Mesothelioma - an Asbestos Related Lung Cancer

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer located in the lining of either the lungs, abdomen or the heart. These linings are thin layers of tissue covering the organ.

The pleura is the tissue covering the lungs and the wall of the chest cavity which cushions and protects the lungs. The peritoneum lines the abdominal wall and surrounds most of the organs in the abdomen. The pericardium is the tissue surrounding the heart.

Mesothelioma is a rare but very serious cancer. There are three types of mesothelioma based on the types of cancerous cells. The most common type is epithelioid and consists of 50-70% of total cases and has the best prognosis. The second type is called sarcomatoid, consists of 10-20 % of mesothelioma cases and is more unpredictable in nature. The third type of mesothelioma is called biphasic, it is a combination of the other two types and consists of 20-35% of all cases.

There are an estimated 2000-3000 new cases of mesothelioma in the United States every year. The majority of these cases begin in the chest wall (pleural mesothelioma), a few start in the abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma) and very rare are the cases starting in the lining surrounding the heart (pericardial mesothelioma).

The pleura is a thin lining of mesothelial cells. There are two pleuras in the chest, the parietal pleura and the visceral pleura. The parietal pleura lines the chest wall including the inside of the ribs, diaphragm and pericardium. The visceral pleura covers the lungs and filters fluid to and from the chest. If the pleura becomes diseases it is not effective at eliminating fluid from the chest resulting in pleural effusion or too much fluid in the chest.

Mesothelioma is usually the result of exposure to asbestos. Most people who are diagnosed with mesothelioma have had jobs where they breathed asbestos fibers. It may take up to 60 years from the time of asbestos exposure until mesothelioma develops.

Although rare, mesothelioma is a serious form of cancer which is often in its advanced stage when a diagnosis is made. In general, prognosis for mesothelioma patient is poor, however, some patients live with the disease for a long time. As mentioned earlier, the type of mesothelioma has an impact on the prognosis, as well as, the age of the patient, how much tumor has developed and if treatment is rendered. There are many variables in evaluating a mesothelioma case, so only the patients doctor can determine the best treatment and possible prognosis on an individual basis.

Jill Kane provides useful information and resources regarding mesothelioma and asbestos at http://www.mesothelioma-101.org

In The News:

British Lung Foundation Targets DIY Home Renovators to Prevent Mesothelioma
MesotheliomaHelp.net (blog)
The campaign called “Take 5 and Stay Alive,” is aimed at preventing DIYers from becoming victims of lung disease, including mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis, caused by asbestos exposure. According to the BLF, nearly 4000 Britains die each year ...
Creative Video Explains Mesothelioma.CisionWire (press release)
Sokolove Law, LLC | Donna Summer Killed By Asbestos?Linex Legal (press release) (registration)

all 4 news articles »

Baron and Budd Honors Veterans Who Have Suffered from Mesothelioma on Memorial ...
MarketWatch (press release)
The mesothelioma attorneys at the firm are proud to salute military veterans who have passed from mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the lining of the lungs, due to asbestos exposure while serving in the Armed Forces. "A large number of military veterans, ...
Mesothelioma and Memorial DayMesothelioma News

all 4 news articles »

Building List Reminds of Prevalence of Asbestos, Risk to Construction Trades ...
AboutMesothelioma.net
But asbestos remains very much a 21 st century problem because many older houses and buildings contain cancer-causing asbestos building materials. Breathing asbestos causes asbestosis, a chronic scarring of the lungs; lung cancer, and mesothelioma, ...

and more »

Surviving Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma Risk Depends on Asbestos Fiber Size
Surviving Mesothelioma
Such reactions are believed to be the same mechanism by which asbestos fibers may trigger malignant mesothelioma in the pleural membrane around the lungs. Although scientists have long known that the affects of fibers depends on their length, ...

ALEC Puts the Screws to Asbestos Victims
JD Supra (press release)
Asbestos is still legal in the US Every year, 9000 Americans are stricken with asbestos-related illnesses, like lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma, according to the Environmental Working Group. Workers who have been most exposed include ...

Burton Mail
Orthopaedic surgeon killed by mesothelioma
Burton Mail
... he removed a boiler packed with white asbestos. Consultant orthopaedic surgeon Geoffrey Newton died at the Royal Derby Hospital's Nightingale Macmillan Unit aged 81, almost two years after he was diagnosed with lung-lining disease mesothelioma.

and more »

Daily News - Galveston County
Genetic susceptibility to mesothelioma
Daily News - Galveston County
About 3000 people die of mesothelioma every year, nearly half within one year of diagnosis. The main cause of this cancer is asbestos, a fibrous material that gets inhaled into the lungs. The National Institutes of Health estimates 11 million people ...
New Biomarker Raises Hope of Early Detection, Treatment of MesotheliomaAlbany Times Union

all 3 news articles »

Surviving Mesothelioma
Finding the Mesothelioma Asbestos Connection
Surviving Mesothelioma
Even though the cause of mesothelioma – exposure to asbestos – is well-known, it is not always easy for a mesothelioma patient to find his or her own 'asbestos connection'. For people who worked in asbestos-filled job environments, such as asbestos ...

Mesothelioma.com
Unsafe Asbestos Conditions Prompt Worker Strike
Mesothelioma.com
... fear for their health every time they are exposed to hazardous asbestos and not provided with protective gear such as respirators, which will prevent them from inhaling dangerous dust and fibers that can later cause lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Asbestos Workers Strike over Safety and Wage ConcernsAsbestos.com

all 2 news articles »

Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer Patients To Get Boost From Research by “Young ...
MesotheliomaHelp.net (blog)
Pleural mesothelioma is a form of lung cancer that is almost always caused by asbestos exposure and is found in the outer lining of the lungs called the mesothelium. While pleural mesothelioma affects the outer lining of the lungs, lung cancer is a ...
New Biomarker Raises Hope of Early Detection, Treatment of MesotheliomaVirtual-Strategy Magazine

all 5 news articles »

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