Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer, commonly used in reference to a cancerous tumor which involves the mesothelial cells of lungs, heart or abdominal organs.

What is Mesothelium?

The mesothelium is a membrane. It covers & protects most of our internal organs. It is composed of two cell layers: One layer envelops the organ; the other layer forms a sac around it. The mesothelium produces a lubricating fluid that is released between these layers, allowing moving organs (such as the beating heart and the expanding and contracting lungs) to glide easily against adjacent structures.

What is Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is Cancer of the Mesothelium. When mesothelium cells become abnormal and out of control mesothelium cell devision occurs, it is called without control, or order. Most cases of mesothelioma begin in the pleura or peritoneum.

How common is mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a relatively rare cancer. Yearly around 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the USA.

What causes mesothelioma?

Working with asbestos is one of the major risk factors for mesothelioma. Asbestos exposure at work is reported in more than 75% of all cases. Cause and effect relation between asbestos and mesothelioma has now been well established. However, there has been some evidence of mesothelioma occuring in some people without any known exposure to asbestos products.

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos occurs naturally. Asbestos has been widely used in many industrial products, including insulation, cement, brake pads, roofing shingles, flooring products, and textile products. During the manufacturing or application of Asbestos based products, asbestos particles become air borne, and if they are inhaled or swallowed, they pose serious health risks. Exposure to Asbestos is known to cause mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, and other cancers. Asbestos and mesothelioma are shown to be closely related.

Who is at increased risk for developing mesothelioma?

Anyone who is exposed to asbestos could possibly be eposed to increased heath risks. Shipyard workers, Asbestos mines and mills workers, Asbestos products manufacturing workers, Heating, insulation, furnace and construction industry workers, and any other trades men and women who have been exposed to asbestos or products derived from Asbestos.

There is some evidence that family members of asbestos workers and those closely associated or living with asbestos workers have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, including other asbestos-related diseases. This risk is thought to be attibuted to exposure to asbestos dust brought home on the clothing and hair of asbestos workers.

The most common types of mesothelioma are the pleural mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma. The pleura is a thin membrane situated between the lungs and the chest cavity. Therefore, a pleural mesothelioma is commonly referred to as lung cancer. Peritoneal mesothelioma involves the membrane that encloses the abdomen organs. Mesotheliomas also sometimes occur in stomach and other abdominal organs, commonly known as Abdominal Mesothelioma.

What is Asbestosis?

Asbestosis is caused by inhalation of asbestos fibers. It is not a cancerous lung disease. Asbestosis is a lung condition, often referred to as a "diffuse pulmonary fibrosis" resulting from the inhalation of asbestos fibers. It is often categorized as an occupational lung disease or environmental lung disease. Asbestosis often exists without any symptoms, and is usually detected by x-ray findings and CT scans.

If you or someone you know is affected by mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, or some other asbestos-related diseases, it is important that you know your rights. As stated above, these diseases are usually attributed to some form of exposure to asbestos.

Health Resource Links

• National Cancer Institute, website address: cancer.gov

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