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Mesothelioma is a serious from of cancer that affects the mesothelium membrane or the protective linings of our internal organs by making them abnormal, dividing without control or order. Mesothelioma is caused by substantial exposure – inhalation and direct contact - to a fibrous mineral called asbestos. Asbestos is generally used in the manufacturing of insulation and fire-proof products. Asbestos can be found in common products like brake pads, fire blankets, stage curtains, fireproof clothing, insulators, vinyl tile floors and adhesive. Workers involved in the manufacture of these products are not the only ones in danger, as they may transport high levels of asbestos through clothing, skin and hair to any other people they come in contact with. 

Types of Mesothelioma

There are three types of mesothelioma: Pleural, Peritoneal and Pericardial. Symptoms of these diseases usually show up 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos.

Pleural Mesothelioma is the most common type of mesothelioma. It affects the cells of the lining outside of the lungs and inside the ribs. Symptoms of Pleural mesothelioma include chest wall pain, pain in the lower back, pain in the side of the chest, shortness of breath, fatigue, coughing and hoarseness, pleural effusion or fluid in the lung.

Peritoneal mesothelioma is next to Pleural mesothelioma is the number of incidences. This form of cancer affects the protective lining of the abdomen, causing pain and/or swelling in the abdomen due to fluid accumulation, loss of appetite, nausea, weakness, abnormal blood clotting, bowel obstruction, breathing difficulties and fever.

The rarest type of asbestos-related cancer is the Pericardial mesothelioma which affects the linings that surrounds the heart. This form of cancer is one of the most painful types of diseases. Patients diagnosed with Pericardial mesothelioma complain of intense chest pains, fatigue, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, persistent coughing and difficulty in sleeping.

Since it takes a long time for mesothelioma symptoms to manifest, it is important that you go to the doctor for a check-up if you have been exposed to asbestos in the past (even if for a brief period only)  to ensure early detection and treatment.

Treatment

Mesothelioma is incurable. But there are treatments available, namely, Chemotherapy, Radiation and Surgery, to prolong the lives of people afflicted with this terrible disease. These treatments will be able to reduce the effects of mesothelioma, thus making the lives of mesothelioma patients more comfortable. Choosing the right treatment for the patient will depend on the location of the cancer, the size of the cancer, the degree of invasion or spread, cancer staging and other medical conditions.
Chemotherapy employs toxic drugs to get rid of tumor cells, sometimes affecting healthy cells causing severe side effects. When used in combination with other powerful drugs, these toxic side effects can be reduced and there are also new chemotherapy drugs that have been developed with fewer side effects. These are administered by injecting the drug into the vein.

In radiation therapy, the patient is exposed high-energy radiation to destroy the cancer cells.  It also shrinks the tumor and reduces the discomfort caused by the cancer. The radiation may be produced by a machine or may come from putting radiation-producing materials through thin plastic tubes into the location of the cancer cells. The only downside to radiation is that, even when tightly focused, it affects and damages the surrounding cells.

Surgery allows the doctor to remove part of the lining and some part of the tissue surrounding the internal organ. In Pleural mesothelioma, a pneumonectomy may be performed. In pneumonectomy, a lung and sometimes part of the diaphragm is removed.