Mesothelioma Cancer Facts

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which malignant (cancerous) cells are found in the mesothelium, a protective sac that covers most of the body’s internal organs. Mesothelioma is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma patients are often not aware that the products around them contained this carcinogen. It is a unique disease in that symptoms do not usually manifest themselves until anywhere from 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos.

Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and risk increases with age, but it can appear in either men or women at any age. Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or have been exposed to asbestos dust and fibers in other ways, such as by washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos, or by home renovation using asbestos cement products.

Mesothelioma is not contagious and cannot be passed from one person to another. Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking. Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions.

Types of Mesothelioma

Pleural Mesothelioma

The most common form of mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma, which represents about 75% of all mesotheliomas. The malignant form of pleural mesothelioma is a direct result of exposure to asbestos fibers. The symptoms of pleural mesothelioma result from pleural effusion, which is a build up of fluid between the lung lining and the chest cavity. Sufferers of pleural mesothelioma may experience some or all of the following symptoms: difficulty in breathing, difficulty in swallowing, shortness of breath, persistent coughing, weight loss, fever, coughing up blood, rasping, and pain in the chest due to the accumulation of fluid in the pleura.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Peritoneal mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the abdominal cavity. It is caused by the ingestion of fibrous materials, including asbestos. Approximately one fifth to one third of all mesotheliomas are peritoneal. The processes leading to the development of peritoneal mesothelioma remain unresolved, although it has been proposed that asbestos fibers from the lung are transported to the abdomen and associated organs via the lymphatic system. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss, abdominal swelling and pain due to ascites (a buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity), and may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever.

Pericardial Mesothelioma

Pericardial mesothelioma affects the lining of the heart. It is found in less than 10% of mesothelioma patients. Because pericardial mesothelioma is so rare, there is little specific research on this type of mesothelioma. Common symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma include chest pain, ranging from uncomfortable to severe, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, persistent coughing, and extreme fatigue.

Nearly all mesothelioma patients suffer from shortness of breath and fatigue, but the pain may be more apparent in the abdominal/stomach area for peritoneal patients and in the chest for those with pleural or pericardial mesothelioma.

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