Mesothelioma most often affects the lining of the lungs, the pleura, which are part of of the mesothelium, but can affect other areas as well. Around 80 percent of people with mesothelioma have worked with asbestos.
Mesothelioma most often affects the lining of the lungs, the pleura, which are part of the mesothelium, 75 percent of the time, the American Cancer Society states, but can affect other areas as well. Around 70 to 80 percent of people with mesothelioma have worked with asbestos, the National Cancer Institute reports.
Asbestos Increases the Risk of Developing Malignant Mesothelioma
Asbestos is used in a number of commercial enterprises. Shipyards, asbestos mines and mills and construction sites, among other places, are workplaces that exposed workers to heavy doses of asbestos dust. Asbestos dust and fibers are inhaled or swallowed and also`carried on the clothing and bodies of those working with it, so that family members were also exposed to asbestos.
Today, workers wear protective clothing and change clothes after showering so they don’t carry fibers home. In addition to mesothelioma, asbestos also increases the risk of lung cancer and kidney and larynx cancer.
Factors Besides Asbestos That Increase the Risk of Getting Malignant Mesothelioma
Around 2,000 to 3,000 people develop mesothelioma each year. Mesothelioma is a slow growing cancer, taking 30 to 50 years to develop, the National Cancer Institute states. While asbestos exposure is the biggest risk factor, other factors that may increase the chances of getting mesothelioma include:
- smoking
- exposure to SV40, a virus that was part of the polio vaccines between 1955 and 1963
- exposure to thorium dioxide, used in X rays between the 1920s and 1950s
- family history of the disease
The Different Areas WhereMalignant Mesothelioma Develops
There are several different areas of the mesothelium where mesothelioma is likely to develop. They include:
- the pleura of the lungs, the most common site
- the peritoneum, or peritoneal area, the next most common site
- the pericardial tissue, which surround the heart; this is rare
- the tunica vaginalis, which surrounds the testicles; this is also a rare type of mesothelioma
The Different Cell Types That Make Up Malignant Mesothelioma
There are three different types of cells that make up mesothelioma cancers:
- Epithelioid: The most common and also the type with the best prognosis, 50 to 60 percent of cases are of this type.
- Biphasic, or mixed: Thirty to 40 percent of mesotheliomas contain both epithelioid and fibrous cells.
- Sarcomatoid, or fibrous: These cells comprise 10 to 20 percent of cases.
Symptoms of Malignant Mesothelioma in the Pleura and Peritoneum
Symptoms depend on where the cancer develops. Pleural mesothelioma may cause shortness of breath, chest pain, coughing, lumps under the skin on the chest and weight loss. Peritoneal mesothelioma may causes bowel changes, abdominal pain and swelling and lump in the abdomen.
Treatments for Malignant Plueral and Peritonal Mesothelioma
Treatments for mesoethelioma vary on the extent and location of the cancer. Surgery is used to remove mesothelioma cells, to remove fluid from the pleura and damaged tissue from the pleura and peritoneum and to remove lung tissue. Chemotherapy may be infused directly into the lungs or abdominal cavity, and radiation may reduce symptoms.
Combination therapy using several different methods is most likely to succeed, but even with aggressive treatment, recurrence is common, the Mayo Clinic reports.
Being Diagnosed and Receiving Treatment for Malignant Mesothelioma
People who have been exposed to asbestos need to vigilantly follow up on any symptoms of mesothelioma. Early diagnosis and treating mesothelioma at any early stage is essential. Because the cancer grows so slowly, people are not usually diagnosed until after 65, and men are four times as likely to have the disease, the American Cancer Societ y states.
Sharon Perkins - Sharon is an RN with over 20 years experience in maternal child health, oncology, and ophthalmology. She was the RN coordinator for an ...
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