Approximately seventy-five percent of tumors of the mesothelium are discovered in the pleura, the lining of the lungs and chest cavity, though mesothelioma can occur in or spread to any mesothelium in the body. It is most often found to be caused by asbestos exposure, though some studies suggest that malignant mesothelioma is linked to factors such as radiation and some discontinued vaccinations. Malignant mesothelioma can take more than fifty years to exhibit symptoms, at which time it’s often progressed beyond the treatment abilities of many cancer therapy options.
There is no cure for malignant mesothelioma, but many treatment options are pursued by physicians treating the cancer. Most therapies focus on making the patient more comfortable with the often painful symptoms of the cancer. The symptoms and complications may make life very arduous for some patients due to breathlessness and pain. Tumors can grow beneath the skin on the chest wall, the chest cavity may fill with fluid, and pressure can cause stress on veins, arteries, and the organs themselves. This can create much pain in the latter stages of malignant mesothelioma, which is why treatment is often very focused on creating comfort, rather than finding a curing therapy.
Like all other cancers, malignant mesothelioma occurs at the cellular level. Often after exposure to asbestos, cancer cells begin to mutate and multiply without the limitations found in normal cells. Multiplying infinitely, the cancer cells form tissue masses (tumors) that continue to grow until they begin to affect the functions of organs, blood flow, and respirations. This is typically when an individual seeks medical attention for symptoms and discovers the presence of malignant mesothelioma. As time passes, the cells continue to multiply and often move to other parts of the body through cell-to-cell transfer and nodes, though for some unlucky patients this may occur well before symptoms are initially exhibited and during earlier stages.
Causes of Mesothelioma
Like so many other cancers, the absolute causes of mesothelioma are still unknown, though it is most often linked to asbestos exposure. (Many who suffer asbestosis will eventually develop mesothelioma, as well.) Lifestyle choices, health choices, inherited conditions, and exposure to specific types of vaccines and radiation are also possible causes. However, mesothelioma is considerably new to the medical community and little is known about the facets of its origin.
One of the reasons it is so difficult to discover the exact cause of malignant mesothelioma is that symptoms usually appear in later stages of the cancer, which can take fifty years to exhibit symptoms; well after exposure to the cancer causing agent, or carcinogen, has occurred. Early detection of mesothelioma is often an accidental discovery. Whilst searching for indicators of another disease, MRI and other scanners may detect a tumor or cell mass somewhere in the mesothelium. Not all mesothelioma tumors are cancerous. Though not life threatening, benign mesothelioma may still develop tumors and spread throughout the body.
The Mesothelioma\Asbestos Link
Asbestosis is a medical term used to define chronic respiratory diseases caused by asbestos, among which is benign mesothelioma (noncancerous tumors) and malignant mesothelioma (cancerous tumors). Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral commonly used in construction and in other applications due to its tensile strength and resistance to heat and chemicals. During construction and demolition, one may become exposed to asbestos dust, which can be inhaled or swallowed. Living in close proximity to or handling the clothes of someone working with asbestos can also lead to exposure. Transfer is another exposure theory during which touching someone’s skin and then somehow getting the dust into your nose or mouth can also lead to asbestos exposure in much the same way that the common cold is spread. There are many reports of spouses and live-in partners or relatives of those that work with asbestos that have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, even though they have never come into direct contact with the host material.
Methods of Consuming of Asbestos Dust
• Cutting, handling, or manipulating asbestos fibers.
• Shaking, moving, disrupting and causing fibers to become airborne.
• Touching a person or items dusted in asbestos fibers, then consuming or inhaling fibers inadvertently.
• Any other inhalation or ingestion of asbestos fibers
While scientists are still unsure of the exact process between consumption and cancerous cell formation, the link between asbestos dust and mesothelioma is undeniable. It is accepted by most that the fibers ingested settle in the stomach and are absorbed or settle in the lungs where they sit and fester for many years before causing cancerous cells to develop. It should be said, however, that not every person that is exposed to asbestos will end up with mesothelioma. Some seem to be resistant to the effects of asbestos and never develop tumors or malignant mesothelioma. This leads some experts to consider that other mitigating circumstances may be at work, such as inherited predispositions to cancer and exposure to other, more universal, carcinogens.
Symptoms of Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a term used to define cancer in any mesothelium throughout the body, but is most commonly found in the pleura around the lungs and chest walls. The symptoms exhibited by mesothelioma depend on the site of the cancer. Because many of the noticeable symptoms are related to tumors and fluid around the site, or effusion, most symptoms will cause difficulty breathing in Pleural Mesothelioma and swelling in most other variations of the cancer.
Common Symptoms of Mesothelioma
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Common Symptoms of Mesothelioma |
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| Pleural | Pericardial | Peritoneal | Tunic Vaginalis |
| Known Symptoms: | Known Symptoms: | Known Symptoms: | Known Symptoms: |
| Chest Pain | Chest Pain | Abdominal Pain | Swelling of Testes |
| Painful Cough | Difficulty Breathing | Abdominal Swelling | Visible Tumors |
| Painful Breathing | Swelling in Neck\Head | Unintentional Weight Loss | Local Tenderness |
| Shortness of Breath | Swelling of Pericardial Sac | “Lumps” on Abdomen | Local Pain |
| Difficulty Breathing | The symptoms of many types of mesothelioma are supposed symptoms. Because mesothelioma is relatively new to oncologist, the medical community is still researching differences and commonalities between types. | ||
| “Lumps” Under Skin on Chest | |||
As indicated in the table above, Pleural Mesothelioma sufferers have difficulty breathing and often find that short excursions are very taxing. Chest pain is another common symptom of Pleural Mesothelioma. Less common is Pericardial Mesothelioma (heart sac), Peritoneal Mesothelioma (abdomen), and Tunic Vaginalis Mesothelioma (testes). The symptoms of these cancers usually involve swelling due to tumors that restrict blood flow, and pain in the general area of the cancer. Because forms other than Pleural Mesothelioma are so rare, symptoms exhibited by these types of cancer are often mistaken for other ailments.
General Treatments for Mesothelioma
Treatment of Mesothelioma often involves a myriad of therapies intended to increase patient comfort. In the case of Pleural Mesothelioma this means increasing breathing capacity and lessening pain. Procedures such as pleurodesis are employed to mitigate fluid buildup and, in turn, lessen the pressure on the lungs to enable easier breathing. Pleurodesis involves injecting medication into the chest cavity that prevents more fluid from entering the area. Common cancer treatments are often employed for mesothelioma therapy including chemotherapy, radiation treatments, surgery, and combination therapies. Alternate treatments are aimed at comfort and include relaxation therapy, acupuncture, and breath training.
With other types of Mesothelioma, treatment options are limited due to the rarity of cases. Simply put, there isn’t enough research available to really hone in on a solid treatment plan. Patients that have been diagnosed with any type of malignant mesothelioma are often referred to a department of thoracic surgery to explore the option of surgically extracting cancerous tumors. This isn’t always a viable option for late stage cancers and mesothelioma is not an exception. Late stage cancers of any kind are difficult to treat because research has not yet led to a definitive treatment plan. In other words, no one is really sure of what will and will not work to eliminate or retard late stage mesothelioma. Malignant mesothelioma can spread from the mesothelium and into lymph nodes as well, which means that when the cancer has become aggressive it can quickly spread to other parts of the body.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), malignant mesothelioma is among the top three “killer cancers” around the world as they relate to occupational hazards that cause high mortality rates. Cases of mesothelioma seem to be increasing annually, as those that were exposed to asbestos in the past are now beginning to exhibit symptoms. 43,000 people worldwide died in 2004 as a direct result of mesothelioma and 125 million people worldwide were exposed to asbestos in the same year. Projections based on these statistics from the WHO are the basis for much concern that there will be a significant increase in mesothelioma in the next fifty years.
