Malignant Mesothelioma

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare and deadly type of cancer almost always caused by exposure to asbestos. It affects the mesothelium, which is a thin layer of cells surrounding several organs and areas of the body. These cells produce fluid that protects organs and lubricates them as they move.
There are different types of malignant mesothelioma, depending on the location of the body the disease first develops. These are listed from the most common to the rarest:

• Pleural mesothelioma – lungs
• Peritoneal mesothelioma – abdomen or stomach
• Pericardial mesothelioma – heart
• Testicular mesothelioma - testicles

How does Malignant Mesothelioma Form?

Malignant mesothelioma forms when asbestos fibers are breathed in or ingested. Once in the body, they do not break down and can migrate to other areas. Over time, fibers that lodge near the mesothelial lining around the lungs, abdomen and very rarely the heart or testicles can cause changes in those cells that eventually become asbestos cancer.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Mesothelioma has a long latency period. This means that it usually can take decades after asbestos exposure occurs for symptoms to develop. Because malignant mesothelioma is fairly rare, with only 2000 – 3000 cases a year being diagnosed, and its symptoms often are the same as other common ailments, getting an accurate diagnosis can take some time.

Symptoms

The symptoms of malignant mesothelioma depend on the area of the body affected:
Heart (pericardial mesothelioma):

• Heart palpitations
• Persistent cough
• Chest pain or pressure
• Shortness of breath
• Fever or night sweats
• Unexplained weight loss
• Fatigue or a feeling of being unwell

Lungs (pleural mesothelioma):

• Persistent cough
• Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing or wheezing
• Pain, pressure or tightness in the chest or back
• Fever or night sweats
• Unexplained weight loss
• Fatigue or a feeling of being unwell

Stomach or abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma):

• Swelling
• Abdominal pain
• Fever or night sweats
• Nausea, loss of appetite
• Bowel obstruction
• Weight loss
• Fatigue or a feeling of being unwell

Testicles (testicular mesothelioma):

• Lump/s on the testicles
• Extra fluid or swelling
• Pain or pressure
• Fever or night sweats
• Unexplained weight loss
• Fatigue or a feeling of being unwell

Diagnosis

Receiving an accurate malignant mesothelioma diagnosis is often delayed by several factors:

• Early symptoms are similar to common ailments such as the cold or flu.
• The disease is rare and not often at the top of the list of possibilities with most physicians. That's why it's extremely important to mention any possible asbestos exposure to your physician at your first visit.
• Numerous tests and procedures, such as blood and fluid tests, x-rays, CT scans, MRI, exploratory surgery and biopsies often must take place before a diagnosis can be made. It can take weeks or even months for these to be scheduled, performed, and the results to come back to the physician.

Once a tumor is found, or excessive fluid is noted, and a biopsy of the tumor or fluid is conducted and cancer is found, a malignant mesothelioma diagnosis can be made.

Treatment

The treatment for malignant mesothelioma depends on a number of factors:

• The stage of the disease
• The type/location of the cancer
• The patient's overall health
• The treatment options your cancer center of choice offers
• The advice of your physician team

Treatment falls into three main categories:
Palliative treatment - palliative treatment is any treatment that comforts the patient or eases the pain. Palliative medical treatments include pain medication and surgery or other procedures to reduce pain, swelling, or remove fluid or large tumors. Non-medical therapies which a person may find beneficial in other ways but have not been shown to slow or cure the disease include a special diet, yoga or meditation, prayer, nutritional supplements, oxygen therapy and others.
Curative treatment - treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation and/or surgery may cure other types of cancer, but not mesothelioma. At best, these treatments reduce the amount of cancer in the body and slow its spread.
Experimental treatment - mesothelioma researchers and doctors are working hard to find a cure for the disease. To date, several experimental therapies available in clinical trials offer some hope that a cure may be found in the future. A few of these therapies include immunotherapy, gene therapy, photodynamic therapy, and anti-angiogenesis therapy.

Survival

Malignant mesothelioma is terminal. The average patient lives about one year after diagnosis. Since this is an average, some people live much less, and some live as many as five years. Survival rate depends on many factors; one of the biggest factors is early diagnosis. Patients diagnosed at an early stage usually have more treatment options available.