The National Cancer Institute states that: "Malignant mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer, is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the sac lining the chest (the pleura), the lining of the abdominal cavity (the peritoneum) or the lining around the heart (the pericardium)."
lung anatomy lung with mesothelioma
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Most people with malignant mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they breathed asbestos. Others have been exposed to asbestos in a household environment, often without knowing it. More about the different ways in which people have been exposed to asbestos.
Like most cancers, the prognosis for this disease often depends on how early it is diagnosed and how aggressively it is treated. Mesothelioma Aid is a good website for resource for families dealing with mesothelioma. It includes advice and referrals to other resources for coping with cancer, caregiving, financial challenges, and support groups. Alternatively, contact us here at Mesothelioma Web for help finding resouces for living with this disease.
Treatment options
- Depending on the type of mesothelioma, the stage of disease and the person’s preference, treatment options can include:
- Pleurectomy - surgery to remove the affected tissue. The affected lung may also be removed in whole or in part. Usually only small tumours are treated with surgery. Life span may be prolonged for a few months or years.
- Phototherapy - sometimes used during pleurectomy. Stray cancer cells within the chest are highlighted with special dye and killed by laser.
- Pleurodesis - a special powder is inserted between the pleural layers to cause inflammation that stops production of excess fluid. It is performed using a slender instrument (endoscope) inserted into the chest.
- Peritoneal surgery - to remove tumours in the abdominal cavity. Bowel symptoms can often improve following this procedure.
- Chemotherapy - cancer-killing drugs that can shrink the cancer and ease symptoms. Chemotherapy is often recommended if the cancer has returned following other treatment, or if other treatments are inappropriate.
- Radiotherapy - x-ray treatment to kill cancer cells. Only small areas can be treated or else the healthy cells of the lungs, heart and liver may be damaged. Radiotherapy is often used to ease pain and breathlessness.
- Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that can develop decades after exposure to asbestos.
- Mesothelioma usually targets the outer membrane of the lungs (pleura) but can also occur in the membrane lining of the abdominal cavity (peritoneum).
- There is no cure; treatment aims to prolong life and keep the person as comfortable as possible.
