Mesothelioma

The tissue that lines your lungs, stomach, heart, and other organs is called mesothelium. Mesothelioma is a tumor of that tissue. It usually starts in the lungs, but can also start in the abdomen or other organs. It can be benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer.)

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare but serious type of cancer. Most people who get it have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestosparticles. After being exposed to asbestos, it usually takes a long time for the disease to form.

Symptoms include

• Trouble breathing
• Pain under the rib cage
• Pain, swelling, or lumps in the abdomen
• Weight loss for no known reason

Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference between malignant mesothelioma and lung cancer. Your doctor uses imaging tests and a biopsy to make the diagnosis. Malignant mesothelioma is often found when it is advanced. This makes it harder to treat. Treatment may include surgery, radiation, and/or chemotherapy.

NIH: National Cancer Institute

Causes

Exposure to asbestos is the main cause of the cancer.

Mesothelioma develops when a person ingests asbestos, and it causes changes to a person’s DNA.

Our genes, which are made of DNA, control how cells grow, multiply and die. Changes in our genes may cause cells to divide out of control and may lead to cancer.

Malignant Mesothelioma in the Right Lung

Development of Mesothelioma

1. A person inhales or swallows airborne asbestos fibers.
2. The asbestos fibers become lodged in the lining of the lungs, abdomen or heart.
3. The embedded fibers damage the mesothelial cells and cause inflammation.
4. Over time, tumors begin to form on the damaged mesothelium, which is the lining of the abdomen, lung, heart and testes.

Tumors also can be benign (noncancerous). But when tumors are cancerous, doctors call the disease malignant mesothelioma. It is often shortened to mesothelioma.

READ MORE ABOUT MESOTHELIOMA CAUSES

Symptoms

Common mesothelioma symptoms include:

• Dry coughing
• Shortness of breath
• Respiratory complications
• Pain in the chest or abdomen
• Fever or night sweats
• Pleural effusion (fluid around the lungs)
• Fatigue
• Weakness in the muscles

These mesothelioma symptoms usually do not show until tumors have grown and spread. Mesothelioma latency is 20-50 years. That’s how long it takes from initial exposure to accurate diagnosis. For that reason, many people with mesothelioma are in their 60s or 70s.

You should talk to a mesothelioma specialist soon if you have a history of asbestos exposure and experience these symptoms. An early mesothelioma diagnosis may improve your prognosis and life expectancy