Malignant mesothelioma, also known as "asbestos cancer," is a rare form of cancer found in the lining of the heart, lungs, abdomen, or the internal reproductive organs. This lining is called the mesothelium and is where mesothelioma gets its name. Because tumors of the mesothelium are rarely benign (noncancerous), cancerous malignant mesothelioma is usually referred to simply as "mesothelioma," or, simply "meso."
The mesothelium covers various organs in the body protecting them and allowing organs to move against each other as the lungs expand and contract or the heart beats. Where the mesothelium covers the internal organs, it is called the visceral mesothelium and where it covers the body walls, it is called the parietal mesothelium.
The mesothelium surrounding the lungs and lining the chest cavity is called the pleura, so mesothelioma affecting the cells lining the sacs surrounding the chest or lungs is referred to as pleural mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma is the most commonly diagnosed type of mesothelioma.
When the cancer affects the abdominal lining, or peritoneum, it is called peritoneal mesothelioma. The peritoneum covers the bulk of the abdominal organs, providing support and allowing movement.
Affecting the pericardial mesothelium, which lines the heart, pericardial mesothelioma is a very rare type of malignant mesothelioma.
The mesothlium lines the testis in men and this membrane can develop malignant mesothelioma. The comparable area in women would be the tunica serosa uteri and mesothelioma cancer can develop there as, well, but is even more rare than in the tunica vaginalis testis. Malignant mesothelioma occurs when cells within the mesothelium become abnormal and divide uncontrollably. If not caught early enough, the cancer may metastasize, spreading to other organs of the body. While it is a very aggressive form of cancer, several treatment options are available for malignant mesothelioma.
The only known cause of mesothelioma is asbestos. Because asbestos exposure is the only known cause of mesothelioma, it is sometimes referred to as "asbestos cancer." However, malignant mesothelioma is not the only cancer caused by asbestos. Exposure to asbestos can also cause laryngeal, colon, and lung cancer.
There is no known safe level of asbestos exposure, but asbestos cancers are dose dependent, meaning those exposed for longer periods of time and to greater amounts of asbestos are more likely to develop asbestos-related disease. If you were exposed to asbestos, you should tell your physician so he or she can make a determination for appropriate testing based on your history of exposure and symptoms.
The symptoms of mesothelioma, which may not appear until 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos include shortness of breath due to pleural effusion (fluid between the lung and the chest wall) or chest wall pain, and general symptoms such as weight loss. The diagnosis may be suspected with chest X-ray and CT scan, and is confirmed with a biopsy (tissue sample) and microscopic examination. Mesothelioma that affects the pleura can cause these signs and symptoms:
- Chest wall pain
- Fatigue or anemia
- Wheezing, hoarseness, or cough
- Blood in the sputum (fluid) coughed up (hemoptysis)
- Shortness of breath
In more severe cases, the following signs and symptoms may be present:
- Low blood sugar level
- Blood clots in the veins, that may lead to thrombophlebitis
- Jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin)
- Disseminated intravascular coagulation (a disorder causing severe bleeding in many body organs
- Severe ascites
- Pleural effusion
- Pulmonary emboli, or blood clots in the arteries of the lungs
Treatment of mesolthelioma using conventional therapies in combination with radiation and or chemotherapy on state I or II mesothelioma have proved on average 74.6 percent successful in extending the patient’s life span by five year or more (commonly known as remission). This percentage can increase or decrease based on the date of discovery. Additional treatments of mesothelioma include:
- Surgery
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation
- Immunotherapy
- Intraoperative photodynamic therapy
- Gene therapy
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a naturally occurring fiber that, when released into the air, can be inhaled or swallowed. Asbestos has no smell or taste, and asbestos fibers are so small that they are not visible to the naked eye. Once they are inhaled, asbestos fibers stay in the body and, over the course of decades, lead to the development of asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma.
Industries and Trades Associated with Asbestos Exposure
We have compiled a list of industries and related trades where workers have been exposed to high levels of asbestos exposure. These industries include aerospace and aviation, asbestos abatement, asbestos mining, asbestos products manufacturing, automotive/mechanical friction, chemical, construction, insulation, iron and steel, long shore, maritime, military, non-asbestos products manufacturing, petrochemical, railroad, shipyard construction and repair, textile, tire and rubber and utilities. This list is not exclusive; it merely identifies some of the trades that most commonly experienced significant asbestos exposure. It has also been suggested that washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos can put a person at risk for developing mesothelioma
Jobs With Potential Asbestos Exposure
We have compiled a list of jobs where workers have been exposed to high levels of asbestos exposure. These jobs include electrical and electronic engineer, industrial engineer, mechanical engineer, boilermaker, railroad and car shop, plumbers and pipe fitters, power station operator, roofers and slaters, asbestos and insulation workers, dry wall installers and lathers, furnace men, smelter-men and pourers, construction laborers, excluding carpenters' helpers, aeronautical and astronautical engineer, civil engineer, engineer, personnel and labor relations workers, teachers, college and university, elementary school teachers, chemical technicians, draftsmen, technicians, painters and sculptors, managers and superintendents, officers, pilots, and pursers; insurance adjusters, examiners and investigators, blacksmiths, brick masons and stonemasons, cabinetmakers, carpenters, crane men, derrick men, hoist men, electricians, electric power linemen and cable men, excavating, grading and road machine operators, foremen, forge men and hammer men, locomotive engineer, machinists, mechanics and repairmen, millwrights, painters, construction and maintenance, sheet metal workers and tinsmiths, telephone installers and repairmen, textile operatives, welders and flame-cutters, motormen and longshoremen.
An estimated 3,000 Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year, and because the disease takes decades to develop, the rate of new diagnoses is still climbing.
If you or a loved one has developed malignant mesothelioma, asbestos related cancer or another asbestos-related disease after being exposed to asbestos, then you need to contact the law offices of John K. Zaid & Associates, PLLC at 281-333-8959. You may call us 24 hours a day, seven days a week or reach us through our web site by completing the brief contact a lawyer form.
