Mesothelioma

A sickness can grow in a thin layer of tissue.

This layer covers many parts of the body. It often grows near the lungs. It can also grow near the belly.

Most people get this sickness from asbestos. Asbestos is a type of dust. People may touch it at work. It can even stay on clothes.

This sickness takes a long time to start. It can take 40 years to show up. People might feel tired or cough. They may also have pain in the chest.

Doctors use scans to look inside. They may also look at a tiny piece of the sickness. This helps them know what is wrong.

Doctors use many ways to help. They may use surgery or special medicine. It is important to stay safe from the dust.

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer. It grows in a thin layer of tissue called the mesothelium. This layer covers many parts inside the body.

It most often affects the lining of the lungs and chest. It can also affect the belly or the sac around the heart.

Most cases come from asbestos. Asbestos is a type of dust. More than 80% of people with this cancer were exposed to it. People might touch it at work. They might even bring it home on their clothes. This can happen when washing work clothes.

This sickness takes a long time to start. It often takes 40 years after exposure to show up.

Symptoms can include a cough or chest pain. Some people feel tired or lose weight. Fluid can build up around the lungs.

Doctors use X-rays or scans to find it. They may also use a biopsy. A biopsy is when doctors look at a tiny piece of tissue. Doctors use surgery or medicine to help treat it.

Mesothelioma is a serious type of cancer. It grows in a thin layer of tissue called the mesothelium. This layer covers many of your internal organs.

Most often, it affects the lining of the lungs and the chest wall. Sometimes, it can affect the lining of the abdomen. In rare cases, it can even affect the sac around the heart or the sac around the testes. This disease is important to understand because it can cause many different health problems.

This cancer works by growing in that thin tissue layer. When it grows, it can cause fluid to build up in the body. In the chest, this fluid is called pleural effusion. This buildup can make it hard to breathe or cause a cough. If it affects the abdomen, it can cause swelling known as ascites.

Some people might also feel very tired or lose weight. In severe cases, the cancer can spread to other organs like the liver or kidneys. This process is called metastasis.

Most people get mesothelioma from breathing in asbestos. Asbestos is a type of mineral fiber. More than 80% of cases are caused by this exposure. The risk grows the more a person is exposed to the dust. As of 2013, about 125 million people worldwide were exposed to asbestos at work. People who mine asbestos or make products from it are at high risk. Even family members can be at risk if they wash clothing covered in asbestos dust.

History shows us how common this became. Asbestos was used in many things like cement and roof shingles. Its use grew a lot during World War II. The disease was rare before people used asbestos for business. In the town of Wittenoom in Western Australia, mining happened from 1937 to 1966. The first case there was found in 1960. In the United States, about 3,000 people get mesothelioma every year. In 2015, about 60,800 people had the disease and 32,000 died from it.

Doctors use special tools to find mesothelioma. They might use a chest X-ray or a CT scan. To be sure, they often perform a biopsy. A biopsy is when they examine a tiny piece of tissue or fluid.

Treatment can include surgery or radiation therapy. Doctors also use chemotherapy, which uses medicines like cisplatin and pemetrexed. One special procedure is called pleurodesis. This uses substances like talc to scar the lining together. This helps stop more fluid from building up around the lungs.

Mesothelioma is a serious type of cancer that develops in the mesothelium. The mesothelium is a thin layer of tissue that covers many internal organs.

This disease is significant because it can affect various parts of the body. Most commonly, it affects the lining of the lungs and the chest wall, which is called the pleura. It can also affect the lining of the abdomen, known as the peritoneum. In rarer cases, it may involve the sac surrounding the heart, or the sac surrounding the testes.

The way mesothelioma affects the body depends on its location. When it occurs in the pleura, it often causes pleural effusion. This is an accumulation of fluid in the pleural space. This buildup can lead to shortness of breath, a cough, or chest wall pain. In severe cases, a person might experience a pneumothorax, which is a collapsed lung. If the cancer reaches the abdomen, it can cause ascites. Ascites is an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity that causes swelling.

If the cancer affects the heart, it is called pericardial mesothelioma. This can lead to heart failure or cardiac tamponade, where the tumor interferes with the heart's ability to function. In very advanced stages, the cancer may undergo metastasis. This means the cancer spreads to other organs like the liver, kidneys, or adrenal glands.

Exposure to asbestos is the primary cause of mesothelioma. More than 80% of all cases are linked to asbestos exposure. Asbestos is a mineral fiber that was used widely in industrial products. These products included cement, brake linings, gaskets, and insulation. As of 2013, approximately 125 million people worldwide had been exposed to asbestos at work. Risk is higher for people who mine asbestos or produce asbestos products. It also affects those who work in buildings containing these materials. Even family members can face risks through paraoccupational secondary exposure. This happens if asbestos dust is brought home on clothing or hair. Washing the contaminated clothing of a worker can also increase this risk.

The relationship between asbestos and this cancer is unique because of the long delay. The onset of the disease is generally separated from the initial exposure by many years. This delay typically lasts between 25 and 70 years. Most cases peak between 30 and 40 years after the first exposure. However, some cases have been documented with only one to three months of exposure. Because of this strong link, many experts consider mesothelioma a "sentinel" tumor. This means its presence signals that asbestos exposure has likely occurred. Other potential risk factors include genetics and infection with the simian virus 40. Some researchers also study the potential risks of carbon nanotubes.

History shows how the use of asbestos changed the frequency of this disease. Mesothelioma was rare before the commercial use of asbestos began. The use of the mineral increased greatly during World War II. In the United States, many workers were exposed to asbestos dust starting in the early 1940s. In Wittenoom, Western Australia, commercial mining took place from 1937 to 1966. The first case of mesothelioma in that town was recorded in 1960. By 1994, there were 539 reported deaths due to the disease in Western Australia. In the United States, rates of mesothelioma have increased since the 1950s. Today, about 3,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed each year.

Statistics provide a clear picture of the disease's impact. In 2015, about 60,800 people in the United States had mesothelioma. During that same year, approximately 32,000 people died from the disease. The average five-year survival rate in the United States is about 8%. Most diagnoses occur after the age of 65. Most deaths from the disease happen around the age of 70. The disease affects males more often than females. Global rates also vary, with higher rates in Australia and the United Kingdom. Japan reports lower rates of the disease.

Doctors use several methods to diagnose and treat the condition. A diagnosis may be suspected using a chest X-ray or a CT scan. To confirm the presence of cancer, doctors perform a biopsy. A biopsy involves examining a tissue sample or fluid produced by the cancer.

Treatment options often include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Chemotherapy frequently uses medications called cisplatin and pemetrexed. One specific procedure is called pleurodesis. In this procedure, substances like talc are used to scar the pleura together. This helps prevent the continuous buildup of fluid around the lungs.