Mesothelioma
September 24th, 2008 | by Ady Calow |
Every year in the United States, two to three thousand new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed. This rare and aggressive form of cancer is caused by exposure to asbestos. This naturally occurring fibrous mineral is highly durable, resistant to flame, and makes an excellent insulator. Because of these properties, a wide variety of asbestos products were manufactured during the first three quarters of the twentieth century. Asbestos fibers were used in cement, textiles and insulation.
Mesothelioma attacks the membranes that cover the lungs, abdominal cavity and internal organs of the body. There are three main types. The most common type is pleural mesothelioma. This type occurs when asbestos fibers invade the cells of the membrane covering the lungs, known as the pleura. The second most common type of this cancer is peritoneal mesothelioma, which attacks the peritoneum, or membrane covering the abdominal organs. The rarest type of the asbestos cancer is pericardial mesothelioma, which attacks the membrane covering the heart, or the pericardium.
Treatment for this type of cancer has had little success. Because the asbestos cancer is so fast growing, it is often not diagnosed until the later stages of the disease, when the chance of patient survival is poor. Treatments include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are often given in conjunction with surgery.
The chance of being cured with these treatments is slight, and surgery and radiation are often used to simply provide relief from pain and other symptoms. A fairly new type of chemotherapy, called heated chemotherapy, does show some promise for peritoneal mesothelioma. The chemotherapy drugs are heated and infused into the peritoneum, making it easier for the cancer cells to absorb the chemicals and be killed by them. But sadly, for most people suffering from asbestos cancer, the prognosis remains poor.
The health risks associated with asbestos fibers have been known since the early twentieth century, but the asbestos products continued to be widely manufactured and used until the mid nineteen seventies. Mesothelioma often does not appear until decades after exposure to the substance. Once diagnosed, the asbestos cancer is difficult to treat. Products that contain asbestos are still found in older buildings, and continue to pose health threats to people who may be exposed for many years into the future.