What is Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer. Malignant (cancerous) cells develop in the mesothelium, the protective bag that covers most of the body's internal organs. Mesothelioma usually starts in the outer membrane of the lungs (pleura), but can also occur in the lining of the abdominal cavity (peritoneum). It sometimes happens that the heart or the reproductive organs are affected. The treatment depends on where the cancer is found and whether it is spread.



Currently, there is no cure for mesothelioma unless it is found early and can be removed by surgery. Unfortunately, the symptoms of mesothelioma usually do not appear until it is in the late stages. This means that mesothelioma is usually diagnosed if it is beyond surgical removal. If this is the case, the treatment will be aimed at prolonging life and keeping the person as comfortable as possible.

Mesothelioma is almost always caused by asbestos exposure and can occur decades after the exposure.

Asbestos and Mesothelioma

Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that were once used extensively because of its fire-resistant and insulating properties. All applications of asbestos in new products are now banned in Australia and no asbestos products may be imported. Strict precautionary measures also regulate the removal and removal of asbestos and materials containing asbestos.

How mesothelioma spreads?

Malignant cells develop in the mesothelium. This protective bag has different names depending on the location in the body. The ones most affected by mesothelioma are:

• visceral pleura - the membrane that surrounds the lungs
• parietal pleura - the membrane covering the chest wall
• peritoneum - the membrane that forms the lining of the abdominal and pelvic cavities.

Mesothelioma usually starts in the pleura. Normally the two pleura touch each other and slide over each other while we breathe and this is lubricated by a slick of fluid. In the case of pleural mesothelioma, the pleura makes more fluid than necessary, which presses on the lung (pleural effusion). Mesothelioma usually develops in just one lung. The tumor tends to grow over the lung until the entire organ is enveloped.



It is not clear how asbestos fibers end up in the peritoneal cavity. It is unlikely that they will come through the intestinal wall. However, they can come through the aperture.

Sometimes cancer cells travel through the lymphatic system to lymph nodes and other parts of the body (such as the unaffected lungs). The heart or the reproductive organs can be affected, but this is very rare.

Why is Mesothelioma common in Australia?

Australia has counted as one of the highest rates of mesothelioma in the world. This is due to the high use of asbestos and mining for many years. According to the report In 2007, there were around 600 people diagnosed with mesothelioma in Australia. Of these new cases, 81 percent were male.

Nearly 131 cases were diagnosed in Victoria in 2011. Experts believe that the number of people diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases will not peak until 2020. Since 1980 there have been around 13,000 new cases of mesothelioma in Australia.

Mesothelioma is more common among people who worked in the aforementioned sectors and who were exposed to asbestos at their workplace. The use of asbestos was widely discussed after the 1940s.

However, it would take 10 to 40 years after the first exposure to the first symptoms of mesothelioma became noticeable, which would make the diagnosis more difficult. The peak in mesothelioma cases will be reached according to the research conducted in the year 2010. There are three types of asbestos that are commonly used: white, brown and blue.

Brown and blue asbestos are more often associated with mesothelioma. These types of asbestos were limited by most countries in the 1990s. A record of asbestos exposure at work is reported in approximately 70% -80% of all cases.

Asbestos is a very toxic material and can cause serious damage to a person's health. It is made of very small fibers that can reach the pleura (outer wall of the lung) and damage the pleura that forms the cells.

These fibers can also be transferred to clothing, which makes them dangerous, not only for the person exposed to asbestos but also for the members of their family.

There are three common forms of Mesothelioma:

1. Pleural mesothelioma is the usual form of mesothelioma. It starts in the thoracic cavity (after inhaling the particles) before it spreads to other areas.

2. Peritoneal mesothelioma starts in the abdomen (after swallowing the particles) and represents approximately 10-20% of patients with mesothelioma.

3. Pericardial mesothelioma is the odd form of mesothelioma. It starts in the cavity that surrounds the heart.

Mesothelioma is difficult to diagnose early because the symptoms are often confused with those of other less serious illnesses.

To make matters worse, it often takes many years before the symptoms occur after contact with asbestos. People with a history of long-term exposure to asbestos have the greatest risk of developing malignant mesothelioma.

Even a small exposure to this carcinogenic material can result in malignant mesothelioma. However, mesothelioma has a latency of up to thirty and forty years, and many people who have previously been exposed to asbestos are now showing symptoms.

This means that the average age of patients with mesothelioma is between 50 and 70 years. Men are more often affected by the presence of asbestos in industrial environments.

There are three main types of malignant mesothelioma.

Epithelial, sarcomatoid and mixed. Epithelial mesothelioma is the most common. Symptoms may include shortness of breath, persistent cough and pneumonia.

Moreover, the symptoms are often confused with less serious illnesses and many patients show no signs.

People with pleural mesothelioma can collect some fluid between the lining of the lung and the chest cavity.

This can be detected via a chest x-ray, as well as CT scans.

The diagnosis of mesothelioma is based on a biopsy. This test will examine a tissue sample to detect the presence of malignant and/or pleural mesothelioma.

What is Mesothelioma Lawyer?

Things to remember About Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that can develop decades after exposure to asbestos.
Mesothelioma also occurs in the membrane lining of the abdominal cavity (peritoneum). It sometimes happens that the heart or the reproductive organs are affected. The treatment is intended to prolong life and to keep the person as comfortable as possible.

Mesothelioma symptoms

Pleural mesothelioma has symptoms that include:

• chest pain or shoulder or upper arm pain
• weight loss
• a cough that won't go away
• Night sweats
• Peritoneal mesothelioma has symptoms that include:
• swelling or pain in the abdomen
• not hungry
• feeling sick
• fever
• problems with urination or bowel movements

Mesothelioma can cause fluid to accumulate around the pleura (pleural effusion) or in the abdomen (called peritoneal effusion), which causes swelling and pain.

Mesothelioma diagnosis

Mesothelioma can be quite difficult to diagnose because it can resemble other types of cancer. If your doctor suspects mesothelioma, they will order a series of tests and combine all the information to make a definitive diagnosis. These tests can be:

• blood tests
• biopsies, where a small piece of tissue is taken from the pleura or abdomen for examination in a laboratory
• x-rays, looking for problems in the lungs, thickening of the pleura or fluid between the lungs and the chest wall
• a CT scan to see if cancer has spread elsewhere in the body
• studying fluid removed from the pleura or abdomen

Other tests to see if the disease has spread, including PET scans, examining the lymph nodes in the middle of the chest, or an ultrasound scan to look at your lungs through your windpipe

Mesothelioma treatment

Unfortunately, there is no cure for mesothelioma and it is often not diagnosed until it is quite advanced. The treatment is designed to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life.

Depending on how advanced the disease is, you may need chemotherapy or radiotherapy to destroy the cancer cells, or surgery to remove the tumor, the pleura, and sometimes the diaphragm, and some of the lining of the heart.

To control breathlessness and pain, a surgical procedure called VATS pleurodesis is performed to remove fluid from the lungs or abdomen. Some people have introduced a drain (a small hose) so that fluid can be removed regularly.

Living with mesothelioma

There is no cure for mesothelioma. If you have the disease, you can have periods in which you are fairly healthy; at other times you need treatment to keep the symptoms under control.

Some Australian hospitals specialize in the treatment of mesothelioma. New treatments are also being developed all the time, so talk to your doctor about the possibility of participating in a clinical trial.

 If it were diagnosed after July 1, 2010, consider providing information to the Australian Mesothelioma Registration (AMR), which will help the government draft policy prevent others from getting mesothelioma in the future.

It is also a good idea to seek support. The Bernie Banton Foundation offers help and advice with a number of problems, including finding medical specialists, legal assistance, local support groups, assistance with disability and advice on palliative care.