Mesothelioma Symptoms

Types of Mesothelioma Symptoms

Mesothelioma symptoms are from a type of cancer that is caused as a result of asbestos exposure. While almost everyone in the world has been exposed to some form of asbestos, workers in the ship building, construction and automotive industries are at higher risk of exposure to asbestos. The most common form of mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma. The other form is abdominal or peritoneal mesothelioma.

Asbestos Use and Mesothelioma Symptoms

Asbestos has been mined in the United States since the 1800s. After World War II, asbestos use increased substantially and was used in everything from textiles to playgrounds to construction insulation. Later, it was discovered that exposure to asbestos substantially increased the risk for development of mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma Risk Factors

Individuals in the construction industry are at particular risk for mesothelioma symptoms because of the extensive use of asbestos in this industry. Asbestos was used in insulation materials, ceiling tiles and many other construction materials. Demolition of old buildings or walls in preparation for remodeling also raises asbestos fibers in the air, leaving them on clothing, in the hair and on the skin.

Firefighters are also at extreme risk for the development of mesothelioma due to their exposure to burning asbestos fibers. Firefighters and other first responders to the September 11, 2001 tragedy in New York City have shown a substantial and significant increase in the rates of mesothelioma compared to the general public.

Early Mesothelioma Symptoms

Mesothelioma symptoms often take years to develop. For many people, symptoms may not begin to appear until 20 to 50 years after exposure. However, for others, like the 9/11 responders, early symptoms may begin to appear within a few years of exposure.

Early symptoms of pleural mesothelioma may be a persistent cough and shortness of breath. Chest pain may also be a persistent symptom.

Abdominal mesothelioma symptoms include swelling or pain in the abdomen, unexplained weight changes, diarrhea, constipation, lumps or masses in the abdomen, anemia and swelling of the feet or ankles.

Other symptoms for both types of mesothelioma include fevers, sweating, night sweats or unexplained weight loss.

Diagnosis of Mesothelioma Symptoms

Diagnosis of mesothelioma is made by a thorough examination by a doctor and several imaging tests. The doctor will look for symptoms consistent with the illness and also take a thorough background history, including a work history, looking for potential exposure factors.

Imaging tests for mesothelioma include x-rays, CT scans and ultrasound.

Finally, a biopsy of the pleura or peritoneal tissue may be taken to determine the presence of cancer cells.

Treatment of Asbestos Related Mesothelioma

While there is no cure for mesothelioma, treatment of mesothelioma symptoms includes pain management, chemotherapy and radiation. Because it is very common for mesothelioma to be diagnosed late in the illness, it is not unusual for patients to need to undergo radiation therapy to shrink tumors before being able to undergo surgery to remove the tumor.

For other patients, however, surgical removal of tumors may not be an option, and radiation and chemotherapy, along with pain management are the only options.

Asbestos Exposure

During most of the 20th century, many people had asbestos exposure as asbestos was widely used in a variety of industries and products. This mineral fiber had actually been utilized for centuries, but its high heat resistance and tensile strength made it quite popular as the industrial world developed. The construction and shipbuilding industries, for example, were able to make extensive use of asbestos.

Asbestos is a group of naturally-occurring, fibrous minerals. These minerals are mined in hundreds of countries around the world. This makes them easy to get and very inexpensive.

Asbestos is comprised of thin, fibers that can easily break apart into smaller fibers when they are disturbed. These loose fibers can become airborne and be unknowingly inhaled by anyone in the area. In time, the amount of asbestos in the body builds up. This creates a dangerous scarring effect that leads to the development of several dangerous diseases, especially mesothelioma cancer.

Asbestos minerals are also very resistant to high heat, have low conductivity and high tensile strength. This makes the mineral perfect for heat resistant products and insulation. Unfortunately, these are exactly the same qualities that have made it used so widely in the construction industry.

In a typical American home you would have asbestos exposure from asbestos wrapped heating and cooling pipes, ceiling coverings and tiles, and roof tiles. Used everywhere in buildings and ships, it was used as a general purpose insulator for heating and cooling systems.

Asbestos Exposure Industries

Individuals who worked for industries in which asbestos was used for years were probably heavily exposed to asbestos fibers. Due to this, these individuals are at the highest risk of developing dangerous asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma. People who were involved in construction, shipbuilding, metalworking, and mining before the establishment of asbestos regulation laws would have seen the largest levels of asbestos exposure.

Asbestos Exposure Effects

Even at the beginning of the 20th century, it became obvious that asbestos posed serious health risks. These devastating effects vastly outweighed the benefits of asbestos use, and by the later 1970's, this mineral was significantly removed from industrial processes. However, it was too late as millions of people had already been exposed to asbestos and were at risk of developing mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other devastating illnesses.

Further research today indicates that many family members of industrial workers also had asbestos exposure from doing household chores such as laundry and being in close contact with the workers.

Mesothelioma Treatment

Mesothelioma Treatment: Physician Therapies

There are a couple of different mesothelioma treatment options that are available to people that have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, including conventional therapies, radiotherapy or radiation therapy and also chemotherapy.

Treatment of malignant forms of mesothelioma through conventional therapies combined with chemotherapy or radiation is especially successful in stage I and stage II cancers and has proven to be successful approximately 74.6 % of the time in extending the life of the patient by five years or more.

This is a period that is known as remission. The percentage may decrease or increase based on the date of discovery of the mesothelioma cancer as well as the stage of the development of the malignant mesothelioma cancer.

The course or path that the physician decides to take when it comes to mesothelioma treatment is going to be determined primarily by what stage of development the cancer is currently in at the point of diagnosis.

This is unlike the traditional treatment for cancer such as cancer surgery by itself, because surgery on its own has only proven itself to be 16.3 percent likely to extend the lifespan of the patient by five years or more.

The clinical behavior of the cancer's malignancy is affected by a number of different factors, including the continuous surface of the mesothelial pleural cavity which tends to favor local metastasis rather than exfoliating of cells, as well as invasion to the underlying tissues as well as other organs within the lining of the lungs or the pleural cavity, and also the extremely long period of latency that exists between the exposure to asbestos and the development of mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma Treatment Options

Some of the mesothelioma treatment options that are available and commonly turned to for treating this disease including radiation therapy or radiotherapy, chemotherapy and also surgery.

Surgery has proven to be disappointing by itself, but it can be successful when used in conjunction with other therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy for example. The most common surgeries involve removing the lining of the chest.

Radiation therapy is common for patients who have the disease on a localized basis, especially those who can receive radiation therapy as a consolidative treatment following a radical surgery like the removal of the chest lining.

Mesothelioma tends to be resistant to radiation therapy when used by itself, but in conjunction with chemotherapy and surgery, radiotherapy can be extremely effective. Delivering both radiation therapy and chemotherapy following surgery has allowed for many patients to extend their survival rates long beyond 5 years following diagnosis and treatment.

Chemotherapy As A Mesothelioma Treatment

Chemotherapy is the only known treatment for mesothelioma that has been proven to improve survival rates on its own rather than in conjunction with radiotherapy and surgery.

Although chemotherapy has its own side effects to deal with, it has proven itself capable of helping to improve the quality of life of people who are dealing with mesothelioma, making it one of the best mesothelioma treatment options.

Still, chemotherapy as a treatment option for mesothelioma is actually best when combined with surgery and radiation therapy and other types of therapies such as gene therapy and immunotherapy. A combined approach is always the best approach to take in terms of mesothelioma treatment.

Mesothelioma Types

Common Mesothelioma Types

There are a number of different mesothelioma types, but the most common form of this disease is the one that affects the lining of the lungs, a type of mesothelioma that is known as pleural mesothelioma.

There are other mesothelioma types that you should be aware of, including pericardial mesothelioma, affecting the heart's lining, as well as peritoneal mesothelioma, affecting the abdomen's lining.

Mesothelioma is a cancer that is capable of affecting the serous membranes, membranes that are responsible for surrounding all of the major organs in the body's midsection including the heart, the lungs and the abdominal cavity.

Different organs are capable of being affected similarly by mesothelioma because the serious membranes can be found in so many different places within the body.

Despite what many people have been led to believe, mesothelioma is not actually a form of primary lung cancer, meaning that it does not originate within the lungs.

Instead, mesothelioma of the lungs begins in the serous membranes which exist within the lining that surrounds the lungs as well as the lining surrounding other organs in the chest and abdomen. However, numerous mesothelioma types are capable of spreading to the actual lungs, making mesothelioma a secondary lung cancer.

Mesothelioma is also regularly known as asbestos lung cancer although this is not quite correct. Mesothelioma never originates in the lungs. Asbestosis is a type of disease of the lung that is regularly confused with mesothelioma cancer.

Main Mesothelioma Types

Pleural Mesothelioma

The most popular of the mesothelioma types is pleural mesothelioma, which represents approximately 75 percent of all cases of mesothelioma. This is a disease that can grow quickly, enlarging the pleural space by causing it to fill up with fluid.

This fluid goes on to lead to discomfort and even pain, and these are the symptoms that most commonly lead to a diagnosis. It is believed that pleural mesothelioma is first caused when fibrous materials such as asbestos are inhaled. These fibers become lodged in the pleural space and cause damage to the sensitive tissue layer over time, causing cancer.

Pericardial Mesothelioma

The rarest of all mesothelioma types is Pericardial mesothelioma, the type of mesothelioma that affects the heart's lining, a tissue known as the pericardium. Less than 10 percent of all cases of mesothelioma are related to the pericardial lining of the heart.

The rapid growth of cancerous tumors causes an expansion of the tissue, allowing fluid to accumulate. Although it is unknown how the asbestos fibers can enter into the tissue layers surrounding your heart, they are still regarded as the cause for pericardial mesothelioma.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma

The final of the main three mesothelioma types is peritoneal mesothelioma, which is mesothelioma of the abdominal cavity. The peritoneum is the serous membrane that surrounds the abdomen.

Between 10 % and 20 % of all mesothelioma cases are peritoneal mesothelioma cases. Peritoneal mesothelioma may also occur in the male's testicles because the scrotum's covering layer is an out pouching of the abdomen's peritoneum.

Mesothelioma Cancer

Mesothelioma cancer is particularly hard to diagnose. It is a form of cancer caused by asbestos, (a mineral commonly used in industry or as insulation in homes).

Once the asbestos particles are inhaled, they harm the mesothelium of the lungs. The mesothelium is a lining that covers the outer portion of the lungs.

Mesothelioma Cancer Diagnosis

Mesothelioma cancer takes many years to develop and the symptoms develop gradually. These are often misdiagnosed as other illnesses ranging from bronchitis to emphysema. Symptoms develop over 15 to 50+ years after exposure to asbestos fibers. Quite often, individuals will die from the complications of mesothelioma and really not even know the real cause of their illness.

It is important for the patient to find a doctor who specializes in mesothelioma cancer and asbestos mesothelioma. Using imaging tests like CT, MRI, Ultrasound, and X-Rays, a good diagnostian can find the underlying cause of an illness and confirm it with a biopsy of the pleural or peritoneal tissue to detect the presence of mesothelioma cancer cells.

Mesothelioma Cancer Symptoms

Symptoms of mesothelioma cancers depend upon when the patient is diagnosed. Shortness of breath and coughing are typical of early detected pleural mesothelioma cancer. This may also be accompanied by chest pain.

Abdominal or peritoneal mesothelioma cancer is a later stage development of the disease and these symptoms can include unexplained weight changes, anemia, constipation, diarrhea, swelling or pain in the abdomen, lumps or masses in the abdomen, and swelling of the feet or ankles.

Other symptoms for all types of mesothelioma cancer include fevers, sweating, night sweats or unexplained weight loss.

Mesothelioma Lawsuits

Mesothelioma Lawsuits: History

Mesothelioma is a cancer that is related to exposure to asbestos fibers. Many people do not develop mesothelioma symptoms until many years after they were exposed to asbestos. However, there are numerous reasons to consider filing mesothelioma lawsuits.

What is Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is an asbestos-related cancer that develops as a result of exposure to asbestos fibers. The most common form of mesothelioma is the pleural form, although peritoneal or abdominal mesothelioma may develop as a primary cancer or as a secondary cancer if the pleural form spreads into the abdominal area.

Pleural mesothelioma is cancer that develops in the plural, which is the membrane sac that surrounds and enfolds the chest cavity and the lungs. This form of mesothelioma develops from breathing in asbestos fibers. The fibers lodge in the mesothelial cells in the sac, where the cells become irritated and inflamed. As a result of this irritation and inflammation, cells begin to form around the fibers, resulting eventually in the development of cancerous tissue and tumors.

Abdominal mesothelioma is formed in the peritoneal membrane, which is the sac that holds the abdominal organs, including the intestines and digestive tract. In this case, asbestos fibers are introduced to the peritoneal membrane through ingestion or from the lymph nodes.

Similar to pleural mesothelioma, the asbestos fibers become lodged in the mesothelial cells of the peritoneal membrane, where the cells become irritated and inflamed and cancerous tissue and tumors form around the fibers. In some cases, pleural cancer cells spread into the peritoneum, causing secondary abdominal mesothelioma.

Asbestos Usage and Mesothelioma Lawsuits

Asbestos has been mined in the United States since the 1800s. However, it did not come into extensive use until after World War II, where it was used in textiles, construction materials (ceiling tiles, insulation, etc), brakes, and other goods.

It was later found that individuals working in fields with high rates of asbestos fiber exposure developed mesothelioma, often many years after exposure had occurred. As the incidents of mesothelioma have increased, so have the numbers of people filing mesothelioma lawsuits in an effort to cover costs related to medical expense or to help pay for pain and suffering due to the loss of a family member as a result of asbestos exposure.

Asbestos Risk Industries

There are numerous industries that used asbestos extensively in the past. For example, workers in ship building, railroad, construction and demolition and automotive industries were exposed to asbestos fibers quite extensively.

Recently, firefighters and others who participated in the response to and recovery efforts of the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center site have discovered that they have suffered high rates of asbestos fiber exposure and are now developing mesothelioma symptoms.

Filing Mesothelioma Lawsuits

While there are many reasons to file mesothelioma lawsuits, the primary reasons are to help you and your family cope with the high expenses related to treating this industrial illness. Many people in the United States do not have insurance or they may have inadequate insurance to cover the costs of this substantial and devastating illness. Also, because mesothelioma is almost exclusively related to industrial exposure to asbestos, it is a work-related illness, even if it shows up years after the fact of exposure.

For families who lose a loved one as a result of asbestos fiber related illness, there are also other factors. This is a material that was introduced to more than just workers who were directly exposed to asbestos. Employees also brought home asbestos fibers to their family, since it permeated their clothing, hair and skin.

It has been found that family members may develop mesothelioma simply due to asbestos fibers that were transferred through being in close contact and proximity to workers who were exposed to asbestos. In these cases, mesothelioma lawsuits may be necessary in order to be awarded compensation for the resulting illness.

Mesothelioma Settlement

Mesothelioma Settlement

Mesothelioma is a cancer that is almost exclusively the result of exposure to asbestos fibers. The risk of developing this illness has been known for many years, yet employers continue to use products that contain asbestos fibers, exposing employees to the risks and dangers of developing mesothelioma.

As a result, numerous lawsuits have been filed against employers who continue to use asbestos products and the manufacturers of these products and mesothelioma settlement rates have ranged from the hundreds of thousands of dollars to the millions of dollars.

Asbestos Exposure History

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that has been mined in the United States since the 1800s. However, it came into extensive use after World War II and was and continues to be used in products ranging from brakes to ceiling tiles to insulation materials to playground materials.

Almost everyone in the United States has been exposed, at least on some level, to asbestos fibers. However, those who have worked extensively in industries with high levels of asbestos exposure continue to develop mesothelioma, even years after the exposure event.

Mesothelioma Settlement Industries

There are many, many industries in the United States that used and continue to use asbestos products. It is estimated that over 5,000 asbestos related products are used in the United States. Specifically affected industries include ship building, automotive, railroad, construction and demolition and many others.

Firefighters have become a group of people who are especially affected by mesothelioma because of the construction materials that they often encounter in buildings that are destroyed by fire or other events. For example, firefighters and others who participated in the recovery efforts at the World Trade Center in New York City after the September 11, 2001 attack have been shown to have ever increasing rates of mesothelioma as a result of the horrific amounts of asbestos they were exposed to.

And it is not only the individuals who are working directly in the asbestos materials that are at risk.  Individuals in close proximity to workers may also be at risk because the fibers permeate clothing, hair and skin and may be transferred simply through close contact.

Mesothelioma Settlement Purposes

Today, mesothelioma litigation is very common and lawsuits against employers and manufacturers of asbestos related products have resulted in mesothelioma settlement actions that have ranged from hundreds of thousands of dollars into the millions of dollars. Some individuals opt for a settlement of their claims without the benefit of a jury trail, because of the length of time it takes to go to jury trial and the amount of money this ultimately costs.

The primary purpose of filing a mesothelioma lawsuit is for compensation for medical costs, pain and suffering, loss of wages and injuries resulting from exposure to asbestos fibers and the development of mesothelioma.

Attorneys For Mesothelioma Settlement

Attorneys taking mesothelioma cases often do so on a contingency basis. This means that they will collect their fees based on a percentage of any amount awarded in a settlement as a result of the lawsuit. If there is no award, then they do not collect any fees.

As a result, an attorney taking a mesothelioma case must feel strongly that there is a good chance of winning a mesothelioma settlement in order to invest the time and effort to file the lawsuit.

Asbestos Lawsuit

• Asbestos Lawsuit

  Learn More About the Basics of Asbestos Lawsuits

  Life after a mesothelioma diagnosis can include a number of frightening uncertainties, both medically and financially. While there are many uncontrollable aspects of a mesothelioma diagnosis, one thing that can help ensure the financial stability for your loved ones is to pursue an asbestos lawsuit against the companies who knowingly produced the harmful product for decades.
  There are two different ways to file a mesothelioma lawsuit, depending on your relation to the case. If diagnosed with mesothelioma, filing a personal injury claim is the best way to proceed. If your loved one was diagnosed with an asbestos related disease, and has died from it, a wrongful death lawsuit should be filed. Because different regional judiciary systems may mandate specific requirements depending on your unique circumstance, you should consult a mesothelioma attorney before proceeding with any legal action.
  While mesothelioma is caused primarily by asbestos exposure, there are different ways in which that exposure can occur. Those who work in professions requiring regular interaction with asbestos products, or work in areas containing loose asbestos fibers, are at the highest risk for developing the disease. Indirect contact with asbestos has also shown to be dangerous, as family members of people who work with asbestos have also been known to develop mesothelioma. Indirect exposure is caused by a worker carrying asbestos fibers on their clothes or hair into their home.
  Once a mesothelioma diagnosis is given, one of the first things to do is determining how asbestos exposure may have occurred. If you are not sure of a definite site or cause of asbestos exposure, let your mesothelioma attorney know immediately so they can use their resources to help determine where exposure occurred. Finding a point of asbestos exposure is absolutely vital for a successful mesothelioma lawsuit.
  It is also important to make sure that your asbestos lawsuit is filed on time. While there is no standard timeline or deadline that a mesothelioma patient must follow when filing a case, many courts will not look at the case if you file more than two years after a diagnosis. Using a mesothelioma attorney will ensure that all aspects of a lawsuit are filed on time.
  Sometimes the legal costs associated with a mesothelioma lawsuit can discourage families from taking legal action following a diagnosis. However, because mesothelioma cases have such a high success rate for recovering money for victims, many asbestos attorneys will not charge any fees unless the case is won. Even if you are bankrupt, you can likely still get a lawyer to fight the case for you.
  When first meeting with a mesothelioma lawyer, discuss how much compensation they think they will be able to win for you. There are many factors determining the potential value of your settlement, such as the amount of evidence there is of a company being liable for asbestos exposure, and the severity of the disease.
  A successful mesothelioma lawsuit can result in a settlement worth several hundreds of thousands – sometimes even millions – of dollars. If you or a loved one were diagnosed with mesothelioma caused by either a manufacturer or distributor of asbestos products, or a former employer’s negligence that led to asbestos exposure, contact an asbestos attorney to help get the compensation you deserve.

Mesothelioma and Asbestos Cancer

Mesothelioma and Asbestos Cancer

Asbestos Attorneys and Your Potential Mesothelioma Settlement

Asbestos attorneys carry out their work in the general field of personal injury law. These trained and experienced attorneys specialize in asbestos exposure laws as well as understanding the devastating disease called mesothelioma, and the impact it has on families. Our asbestos attorneys have over three decades of experience representing victims of asbestos exposure.

Mesothelioma is a devastating cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. People who worked around asbestos fibers are most susceptible to developing mesothelioma. Mesothelioma attacks the mesothelium – the lining around the abdominal cavity and the lungs and heart – and is often difficult to treat, depending on where it occurs in the body and how much it has spread when found. Often the effects of asbestos exposure are not seen until decades after the exposure, as mesothelioma can develop 30-50 years after exposure.

Diagnosis and treatment of any type of cancer is expensive; mesothelioma is no exception and may even be more costly to patients and their families. Asbestos attorneys know how to investigate these cases and how to maximize the settlement values for mesothelioma victims and their loved ones

Asbestos Cancer Lawyer – Giving Hope to Patients and Their Families

Mesothelioma cases are unique in the legal system. Because the disease itself can take many years, even decades, to develop, the asbestos manufacturing companies that are likely to blame for exposure may have gone out of business, or changed their name. They may have moved their headquarters from one state to another, or even relocated to another country. They may have been acquired by another corporation.

This is why it is important for the asbestos attorney to identify the parties who bear ultimate responsibility for exposing a victim to asbestos in the first place. Typically, preparing for an asbestos case requires large amounts of detailed research such as the examination of old records, previous cases, legal documents and even photographs. Often, witnesses must be found and asked for testimony regarding events and issues dating back twenty to forty years or more.

In addition, because the potential onset of mesothelioma is often years, even decades after exposure to asbestos, establishing that the disease was caused by exposure in a specific location during a specific timeframe often requires the testimony of medical experts.

Need a Mesothelioma Attorney?

Asbestos attorneys are experienced in bringing justice to the victims of asbestos exposure. In general, an experienced asbestos attorney will guide you through each step of the process and will work to minimize potential disruption to your life. Each person’s claim is different, but the general steps involved in filing a claim include: gathering case details, the actual filing of the complaint, the prosecution of the case, the settlement and/or the trial.

Our staff of experienced asbestos attorneys and paralegals will provide you with the attention you deserve and give you as much comfort as you need through the litigation process of a mesothelioma lawsuit. Don’t wait – request a free asbestos legal consultation today.

Mesothelioma Cancer

Listen to an audio summary on Mesothelioma Cancer.

Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer affecting the membrane lining of the lungs and abdomen.

Malignant mesothelioma is the most serious of all asbestos-related diseases. Although uncommon, mesothelioma cancer is no longer considered rare. The primary cause and risk factor for mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos.
Making a correct mesothelioma diagnosis is particularly difficult for doctors because the disease often presents with symptoms that mimic other common ailments. There is no known cure for mesothelioma, but treatments such as surgery and chemotherapy have helped to improve the typical mesothelioma prognosis.
Pleural mesothelioma (affecting the lung’s protective lining in the chest cavity) represents about three quarters of all mesothelioma incidence. Peritoneal mesothelioma which affects the abdominal cavity and pericardial mesothelioma, which affects the cardiac cavity, comprise the remainder. Testicular mesothelioma is extremely rare and is typically presents with metastases of the peritoneal variety. There are three recognized mesothelioma cell-types. Between 50 and 70% of all mesotheliomas are of the epithelial variety. While prognosis is generally poor, it is considered less aggressive than sarcomatoid mesothelioma and biphasic mesothelioma, which comprise the remainder of cell type diagnoses.

The cavities within the body encompassing the chest, abdomen, and heart are surround by a membrane of cells known as the mesothelium. Mesothelial cells assist in general organ functions. The mesothelium is particularly important to organs that are commonly in motion, such as expansion or contraction of the lungs, stomach, or heart. Lubrication from the mesothelial cells allows free range of motion within the body. The mesothelium of the chest, abdomen, and cardiac cavity are called the pleura, the peritoneum, and the pericardium, respectively. Each of these groupings of mesothelial cells are extremely critical to the functions of the body structures which they encompass.
Malignancies (cancerous tumors) occurring within the mesothelial membranes are known as malignant mesothelioma, or simply mesothelioma. Benign tumors of the mesothelium are known to occur, but are much rarer than the more common malignant cancer.
While tumors of the mesothelium were first recognized in the late 18th century, it was not until the middle of the 20th century that this particular cancer was studied and examined with more detail. It was at this time where suspicions of the cancer’s causal relationship with asbestos exposure became more substantiated. A joint research venture through the Department of Thoracic Surgery at the University of the Witswater and/Johannesburg General Hospital in South Africa provided the most compelling evidence of the nexus between asbestos exposure and the development of pleural mesothelioma.

Incidence of mesothelioma is still quite rare, with only 2,500-3000 diagnoses in the United States each year. There was a spike in reported diagnoses between 1970 and 1984, which has been attributed to the latency period between diagnosis and the height of industrial exposures, which occurred roughly 40-60 years prior to this time. Exposure was common in nearly all industries but was particularly common in the WWII-era military industrial cycle, including Navy Shipyards.
Although this cancer is much more common in men over the age of 60 (largely attributed to the industrial exposures within male-dominated industries), mesothelioma in women and children has been described as well. Mesothelioma causes for diagnosis in women and children are mainly attributed to secondary exposure to asbestos, as it was not uncommon for men to bring asbestos back into the home on their body or clothing if proper cleaning facilities were not available on site.

Mesothelioma is diagnosed through a comprehensive combination of biopsy and imaging scans.

Mesothelioma can be a difficult malignancy to diagnose because the symptoms and pathology of the disease closely resemble other respiratory conditions. For this reason, misdiagnosis is not uncommon in mesothelioma patients. Symptoms of mesothelioma include chest pain, chronic cough, effusions of the chest and abdomen, and the presence of blood in lung fluid.
Diagnostic surgeries, including a biopsy, will typically be required to determine the type of malignant cells that are present in the body. Typically a body imaging scan, including a magnetic resonance image (MRI) or computer topography (CT scan) will be required to determine the extent and location of the disease.

Mesothelioma patients are generally referred by their personal physicians to one of the many renowned mesothelioma doctors in the United States. These oncologists are well versed in the disease behavior and pathology and are the most familiar with cutting-edge mesothelioma treatment options. Dr. David Sugarbaker of the Brigham and Women's Hospital, an extension of Harvard University and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA, is at the forefront of mesothelioma treatment through the International Mesothelioma Program.

While mesothelioma is typically advanced at diagnosis, treatment options are available.

Mesothelioma, while certainly an aggressive disease, is a manageable malignancy. While there is no cure for the cancer, mesothelioma treatment options including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy are available for many patients. While a combination of Alimta® and Cisplatin is currently the only FDA approved chemotherapy regimen, several clinical trials are currently in progress utilizing other drugs including Gemcitabine and Onconase, with many showing dramatically improved results in certain cancer patients.

Radiation therapy is also utilized, but typically in conjunction with other treatment methods like surgery and chemotherapy. Surgical resection of mesothelioma is possible in early-stage-diagnosed patients. Aggressive surgeries such as extrapleural pneumonectomy can extend survival rates far beyond previously-thought timeframes. Diagnostic and palliative surgeries such as pleurocentesis and pleurodesis are also common in patients of malignant mesothelioma cancer.
Alternative therapies have also been used effectively by many mesothelioma patients to assist in managing symptoms of the disease and conventional treatments. These treatments are mainly preferential but can be extremely valuable to many patients.

Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos.

Mesothelioma is only caused by exposure to asbestos, though cases have been documented in children or other individuals with no asbestos history. Asbestos is a microscopic and naturally-occurring mineral that lodges in the pleural lining of the lungs and the peritoneal lining of the abdominal cavity. In most cases, several years will pass (up to 60) before mesothelioma develops in those who had been exposed to asbestos.
In many cases, those individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma that have been known to be exposed to asbestos may be eligible for financial compensation from asbestos manufacturers for their illness. Those who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma and were exposed to asbestos should fill out the brief form on this page. We'll rush you a complimentary mesothelioma and asbestos exposure information kit detailing new mesothelioma treatments, active clinical trials, top doctors, as well as how to obtain compensation for asbestos-related health conditions like mesothelioma.