Malignant Mesothilioma

Malignant Mesothilioma is a type of cancer which affects the lining surrounding the chest cavity or in the abdomen and surrounding the organs within these cavities.  Mesothilioma is most frequently caused by exposure to asbestos, however normally decades will pass between the exposure and the visible onset of the cancer.  The symptoms of the most common forms of Mesothilioma are very generic and are often very inconclusive.  Because of all of these factors, diagnosis is frequently not made until it is too late to effectively treat the cancer.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral which for many years was used in a variety of industrial applications.  Workers in the mining industry who mined this mineral were exposed to asbestos dust during the mining operation.   Workers in the construction industry were exposed to asbestos dust during both construction and demolition when asbestos containing building materials such as insulation or shingles were encountered.  Asbestos was also often used in the automotive industry, so workers and assembly plants as well as others in the auto industry could have had significant exposure to asbestos.

After its link to cancer was discovered most industrialized nations banned its general use.  However, since the cancer typically does not develop for 30 to 50 years after exposure, people today are diagnosed with Mesothilioma caused by their exposure to asbestos decades ago.

The most common form of this cancer is pleural Mesothilioma, which affects the membrane surrounding the chest cavity and the lungs.  It is thought that this form of Mesothilioma develops after breathing minute particles of asbestos.  Symptoms of pleural Mesothilioma include shortness of breath, chest pain, weight loss, a dry cough, or unusual lumps under the skin of your chest.

A less common form of this cancer is peritoneal Mesothilioma, which affects the membranes surrounding in the abdominal cavity and the organs within it.  It is believed that peritoneal Mesothilioma might be caused by swallowing minute particles of asbestos dust, however this is a rare form of the cancer, so the exact mechanism that causes the cancer is uncertain.

An even rarer form of Mesothilioma, pericardial Mesothilioma, affects the membranes surrounding the heart.  It can also cause chest pain, difficulty breathing, and fever, but since it's very rare, less information is available.

The rarest form, Mesothilioma of the tunica vaginalis, effects the membrane surrounding the testicles, and is often first detected as a mass on a testicle.

Frequently, by the time the symptoms become serious enough to discuss with your doctor, Mesothilioma has progressed beyond its early stage into its more aggressive later stages.  At this point, available treatment options are limited, and doctors instead work primarily to make their patients comfortable.

If you have any signs or symptoms that might indicate Mesothilioma, see your doctor.  While the symptoms of malignant Mesothilioma are specific to this disease and may be related to other less serious conditions, if any symptoms seem unusual war are troublesome to you, ask your doctor about them.