First of all, you may be wondering what mesothelioma is, and why I should be scared of it ?.....

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is the medical name for cancer of the lung, and is usually caused by exposure to asbestos. Symptoms my not appear for up to 50 years or so after exposure to asbestos, and people who haven't had any contact with asbestos for many years, are now showing signs of having this deadly disease. The symptoms are usually shortness of breath, coughing, and chest pains and feeling very tired.

Why should I be scared of it ?

As a small child, I used to live near a factory which used asbestos to make fire-proof products and other insulating materials for the building industry. I believe that asbestos was also used in the manufacture of break linings. I can remember seeing the asbestos dust that spewed out of the factory covering the surrounding area (including part of our school playground) with this deadly snow like powder. Of course, as we were just kids at that time, we had absolutely no idea just how deadly this dust was. We even played in it completely unaware of its dangers.

The Horror Came Later.

It wasn't until years later after the factory had been closed down, that we began to see the full horrors of this white snow looking powder, we had played with as children. By this time I was much older, and the dangers of asbestos had been given massive coverage by the media, so I was now aware of what could happen to myself and hundreds of other people who lived in the same area as this factory in years to come.

TV Documentary.

This factory received national television coverage, and on one program they interviewed families who had suffered due to the problem of asbestos. I was shocked to see that I knew some of the people who had lost family members due to developing mesothelioma, in fact I actually went to school with some of the people who took part in the program. The program showed old photographs of the area around the factory (including my old school) covered in powder, and it really did look like it had been snowing. When you see all of this on television it really does make you just a little bit worried, especially when you have been in contact with asbestos like I have.

Treatments.

If mesothelioma is diagnosed early enough, a cure is possible with a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. However, in the case of a more advanced illness a cure is not possible, but with the right treatments the illness can be slowed down dramatically and medication can be used to ease any pain.

X-Rays.

As a precaution I did have x-rays a few years ago just to put my mind at rest, and thankfully they were all clear. The doctor recommended that I should have x-rays on a very regular basis just to be on the safe side. So, at the moment everything is ok, but I will always be just a little bit worried of what might happen in the future.
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Mesothelioma is caused by asbestos exposure. Asbestos is a substance found naturally. It is made of strong flexible fibres. It was used extensively in industry because the fibres are not affected by heat or chemicals and a poor conductor of electricity. It is estimated that over 5,000 products have or had asbestos in them.

Of the six types of asbestos, only four are used commercially. These are chrysotile, crocidolite, amosite and anthrophyllite. Of these, crysotile or white asbestos accounts for 99% used in USA. In it natural state or well contained and maintained in products, asbestos do not pose a real hazard. It is when asbestos is broken down and fibres are released that there is concern.

Asbestos fibres are very thin and sharp. The fibre is 2,000 times thinner than a human hair. It measures under 0.3 microns or one millionth of a millimetre in diameter and five microns in length. It is not visible with the naked eye or through a microscope.
When released, the fibres remain in the atmosphere for a long time and can be carried great distances. When the fibres are inhaled, they stick to the lung tissue and are not expelled by breathing out or coughing. Some remain in the lungs, others gravitate into the pleural lining.

Asbestos exposure can lead to disease and develops over a long period of time. Asbestos related diseases are asbestosis, pleural plaques and lung cancers. The lung cancer can be either cancer of the lung itself or mesothelioma, a cancer of the lung lining. These cancers can take between 20 and 50 years to develop. A recent article in a UK Newspaper highlighted the case of a Hospital Consultant who developed mesothelioma. He cannot recall any exposure to asbestos. It may well be that he was inadvertently exposed to asbestos without his knowledge i.e. such as living in the vicinity of a factory that leaked asbestos into the atmosphere.

Professor Peto has shown that new cases of mesothelioma will continue to increase in the early part of the twenty first century. He also said, “Every single person in the UK has asbestos in their lungs. It is the level of exposure that is important.”

We also know that people who has a history of asbestos exposure has a greater risk of lung cancer if they smoked. In a survey in 1992, 2602 individuals with lung cancer were interviewed. One in eight was exposed to asbestos and of these a third still smoked. A US study suggested that non-smokers exposed to asbestos have a five times greater risk of lung cancer. If they smoked, then the risk increased by a factor of 11. Smoking and asbestos exposure increases the risk of developing lung cancer to 52 times that of the general population.

At present no one knows how many lung cancers are due to asbestos exposure because of the long latency period and that cigarette smoking remains the major cause. Mesothelioma, however, is caused by asbestos exposure and this has been the basis of numerous high value legal claims.

As for the future, in the USA and Europe, asbestos related diseases will gradually increase to a peak. Of concern, however, are areas of conflict. In the Middle East, when a building was bombed, or when numerous buildings were bombed during the invasion of Iraq, do we have any idea how much asbestos was released into the atmosphere?

We are, however, certain that during the 9/11 disaster, asbestos fibres were released. When the Twin Tower collapsed, there were 400 tons of asbestos in the structure. The toxic cloud that hung over Manhattan, contained high level of asbestos. It is estimated that over 100,000 people suffered asbestos exposure. The greatest exposure was amongst first responders. Deborah Reeve was the first to die from asbestos related disease after 9/11. She was a first responder and paramedic. She died in March 2005 from mesothelioma. This concerned experts because mesothelioma takes a very long time to develop. They concluded that her exposure must have been excessive.

A study result showed that 70% of recovery and rescue workers who were active during and after the World Trade Centre collapse had some form of respiratory problem. A six year follow up study showed that sufferers with respiratory problems continue to have the same ailments.
“In the six years since the attacks,” Nadler said, “We have accumulated a mountain of evidence that thousands of those exposed are suffering from chronic respiratory disease and, increasingly, a variety of rare cancers.”

Hopefully, as experts predict, within the next few years asbestos related diseases will peak and the annual new cases will drop. If not, could it be a sleeping dragon about to wake up? Read More...

Diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma, or DMM, is a rare but highly aggressive type of cancer. It occurs in the thin layer of tissue, the pleura, lining the chest cavity and lungs. Once diagnosed with DMM, most patients do not survive beyond one year. This cancer is more common in men than in women, and in older people.

Most people with DMM have a history of exposure to asbestos; however, if they are not aware that such exposure occurred, they may be unaware that they are at risk. A patient with DMM typically has one or more of the following signs and symptoms: chest pain, shortness of breath, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, fever, or a cough. An x-ray usually shows that the pleural tissue around the lungs has thickened due to the development of a number of nodules or small cancerous growths. Sometimes, there may be a single large growth. When a biopsy of the cancer tissue is done, the types of cells that make up the cancer may be epithelioid, mixed, or sarcomatoid. People with epithelioid cell cancers tend to survive somewhat longer; those with sarcomatoid cancers usually have the shortest survival.

DMM is always treated as aggressively as possible. The type of treatment depends on the dominant cell type the cancer is made of, the extent of spread of the cancer, and the overall health of the person undergoing treatment. Surgery is a preferred option where the bulk of the cancer can be removed. Many anti-cancer drugs are being tried to treat DMM, with varying levels of short-term success. Radiotherapy may also be an option. A number of clinical trials are currently underway to try and find a treatment that may improve the outlook for DMM patients. However, only seven percent of people with DMM survive beyond five years.




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What is mesothelioma?

The pericardium is the mesothelial tissue that surrounds and acts as a safeguard to the heart. The pleural mesothelium membrane covers the lungs and chest cavity and peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that enfolds the organs in the abdominal cavity.

What is actually cancer mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects the mesothelium, a dual layered membrane with which our chest, lungs, abdomen and the heart is wrapped safely.

Cancer Mesothelioma can damage any of these cells, although pleural mesothelioma is more common; it metastasizes and at an advanced stage the disease reach to the other parts of the body like the lymph nodes, lungs, chest wall, or abdominal organs.

How is cancer mesothelioma caused?

Though asbestos exposure is the primary reason in 70% to 80% of the cases, mesothelioma can be caused by other means, like exposure to the chemical zeolite that is also present in asbestos.

Asbestos has become part of our daily life being in cement, brake linings, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles, and insulation. The asbestos fibers take their toll by going into our windpipe and settling in the internal organs causing the formation of carcinogenic tumors.

The overall scenario regarding cancer mesothelioma

Though there is a ban on certain asbestos products, around 1000 people in France and above 2000 people in the U.S are faced with this nightmare each year.

Mostly, workers from shipyards, asbestos mines and mills are prone to this mishap, due to a constant exposure to asbestos. However, it takes 30 to 50 years for the disease to surface and show symptoms though they are not always accurate.

Cancer mesothelioma is proving more than a menace and the average person live for 12-24 months; the earlier it is

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Mesothelioma cause refers to the thing or event responsible for mesothelioma cancers. Mesothelioma is a cancerous disease of the lining of abdominal organs, lungs and heart. Almost all the cases of mesothelioma disease somehow or the other are linked with exposure to asbestos particles. Exposure to asbestos particles could cause mesothelioma even if the level of exposure is very low. Studies reveal that about 70 to 80 % of total mesothelioma cases have a history of asbestos exposure thereby identifying asbestos as the single largest mesothelioma cause. Occurrence of mesothelioma without any history of exposure to asbestos particles is very rare.

Some Facts about Mesothelioma Cause

Asbestos exposure is the only known mesothelioma cause. Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring minerals. It contains strong and flexible fibers. One can separate these fibers in to thin threads. Commercial use of asbestos started in late nineteenth century. It was widely used because of its durability and ability to withstand high temperatures. Asbestos was widely used in brake linings, cement, roofing shingles, textile, flooring, insulation and many other industrial products. Small asbestos particles remain suspended in the course of manufacturing of these products. Asbestos workers, their family members those residing near asbestos manufacturing industries could easily inhale asbestos fibers that could cause mesothelioma and other asbestos diseases.

The biggest mesothelioma cause is the negligence of asbestos manufacturers. Manufacturers continued using asbestos even after being aware of its harmful effects. They did not issue any warnings or take necessary precautions to prevent asbestos exposure to the workers. Had they been sincere in their responsibilities, many people suffering from mesothelioma and dangerous asbestos related diseases would have been healthy and happy.

Smoking Increases Mesothelioma Risk

Experts are of the opinion that smoking in itself is not a mesothelioma cause. Nevertheless, it increases the risk of pleural mesothelioma – the mesothelioma of the linings of the lungs. Studies have revealed that smokers with asbestos exposure have an increased mesothelioma risk when compared to non-smokers with similar exposure to asbestos particles.

Preventive Measures against Mesothelioma Cause

Studies have reveled that family members of asbestos workers have suffered with mesothelioma. The mesothelioma cause in this case is the asbestos dust particles settled on the clothes, shoes and hair of the asbestos workers that their family members inhaled. Workers should shower and change their clothing to avoid the possibility of exposing family members to asbestos particles. Workers should also put on protective equipments to reduce the risk of asbestos exposure.
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As with any cancer, treatment for Mesothelioma depends on the location of the cancer, the progression of the disease, the age as well as state of health of the patient.

It is the oncologist who specializes in the disease who will decide on the line of treatment. The disease is difficult to treat and in most cases the prognosis is poor. Treatment options include:

1. If the diagnosis is done in the early stages surgery may be recommended to remove all cancerous tissues. This means thoracoscopy, VATS or video assisted thoracic surgery, mediastinoscopy (used for staging), or laproscopy. Often, doctors will advise palliative procedures like chest tube drainage and pleurodesis, thoracoscopy and pleurodesis, pleuroperitonial shunt, or pleurectomy, which treat the symptoms of mesothelioma rather than the disease.
2. Radiation is prescribed aggressively for mesothelioma patients and is often given in combination with surgery or in order to control symptoms, palliatively. Research on using radiation therapy using implants or UV light therapy is in progress as traditional radiation therapy damages surrounding healthy tissue.
3. Chemotherapy is an option and around 12-20% of patients respond to the drugs. Anti-cancer drugs destroy cancer cells and prevent their spread. In mesothelioma, chemotherapy is not considered to be curative. The aim is to prevent spread of the disease; shrink the tumor prior to surgery, known as neoadjuvant therapy; to annihilate any remains of the tumor in the body post surgery; and to relieve pain and other discomfort, palliative chemotherapy. Experts recommend prescribing premetrexed along with cisplastin. These drugs have shown positive results and this is now standard care for Mesothelioma not treatable by surgery.
4. Biological therapy using interleukin 2.
5. Immunotherapy where the body’s own immune system is stimulated to fight the disease. Biological response modifiers, BRMs, are used in treatment. These enhance the functions of the immune system; regulate metabolic reactions that promote growth of cancers; alter cancer cell division; block or reverse processes that lead to formation of cancers; and prevent spread of cancer.
6. Gene therapy, where attempts are made to correct the gene sequence that causes the cancer. This is of two kinds, replacement gene therapy and knockout gene therapy.
7. Administration of lovastatin, a cholesterol lowering drug.
8. Photodynamic treatment where a photosensitive medication is activated using a laser. This is done during the surgical removal of cancerous tissues.
9. Draining of fluid in the chest or abdominal cavity followed by introduction of medications into the cavity to prevent fluid accumulation is done for patients who have uncontrolled fluid accumulation and intense discomfort stemming from it.
10. Combination therapy or Trimodal therapy which means surgery accompanied by radiation and chemotherapy.

Often, complementary medicines are also used. Termed to be holistic this kind of treatment focuses on a patient’s physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well being.

In the case of Mesothelioma which is untreatable one can opt for clinical trials of new treatments that are in progress in several research laboratories and centers. The best advice on the line of treatment would be that recommended by the oncologist or physician.
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