What is Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that causes cancer cells to form in the mesothelium. The mesothelium covers most of the body's internal organs, providing protection. Most mesothelioma cancers are malignant. The two primary forms of malignant mesothelioma are pleural mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma. Plerual Mesothelioma affects the mesothelium membrane that surrounds the lungs. Peritoneal Mesothelioma affects the mesothelium covering the organs in the abdominal cavity. Prognosis, therapy and treatment are nearly identical between the two types of mesothelioma cancer: pleural mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma.

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Mesothelioma Treatments and Therapies

The typical mesothelioma treatment for all but localized mesothelioma is generally not a cure. Surgery and radiotherapy have only a minor part in mesothelioma patients. Chemotherapy is the only potential treatment option for the majority of mesothelioma patients. The various therapies can be combined to increase survival rates. Mesothelioma patients have an average survival time of one year after being diagnosed. Even with aggressive chemotherapy, mesothelioma is incurable. Location of the cancer and how long it's been growing are key factors in survivability. Age and general health also determine a patiens resistance to mesothelioma cancer and the radiation therapies. Pemetrexed / Alimta is the only FDA approved chemotherapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma. Clinical trials combined Alimta with Cisplatin (another chemo drug). The average survival for the patients who received both chemotherapy drugs was about three months longer (12.1 months versus 9.3 months) for mesothelioma patients who only received cisplatin.

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Mesothelioma Prognosis and Survival

In general the prognosis of mesothelioma is poor and most studies report median survival of less than a year. However, there are long term mesothelioma survivors (both pleural and peritoneal survivors) who have survived more than 10 years. In fact, in one mesothelioma study, doctors writing about the prognosis of mesothelioma explained that long-term mesothelioma survivors do exist and their prognosis may be independent of the treatment or therapies pursued.3 If this is true, it would suggest that mesothelioma prognosis and survival may be more dependent on individual differences among patients (and perhaps the non-conventional therapies they use) and less dependent upon conventional mesothelioma treatments.

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Symptoms of Mesothelioma

Shortness of breath and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleura are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and abdominal pain and swelling due to a buildup of fluid in the abdomen. Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms of mesothelioma may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.

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Mesothelioma Diagnosis

Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions. Diagnosis begins with a review of the patient's medical history and a complete physical examination may be performed, including x-rays of the chest or abdomen and lung function tests. A CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI may also be useful. A biopsy is often used to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is described as localized if the cancer is found only on the membrane surface where it originated. It is classified as advanced if the mesothelioma has spread beyond the original membrane surface to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, lungs, chest wall, or abdominal organs.

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Mesothelioma Incidence & Risk Factors

Over 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year. Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and risk increases with age, but this disease can appear in either men or women at any age. Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma. A history of asbestos exposure at work is reported in the majority of cases. However, mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos.

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Asbestos and Mesothelioma

Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that occur naturally as masses of strong, flexible fibers that can be separated into thin threads and woven. Asbestos has been widely used in many industrial products, including cement, brake linings, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles, and insulation. If tiny asbestos particles float in the air, especially during the manufacturing process, they may be inhaled or swallowed, and can cause serious health problems. In addition to mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer, asbestosis (a noncancerous, chronic lung ailment), and other cancers, such as those of the larynx and kidney. There is evidence that family members and others living with people exposed to asbestos have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, and possibly other asbestos-related diseases. This risk may be the result of exposure to asbestos dust brought home on the clothing and hair of asbestos workers.

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New Directions for Treating Mesothelioma

Because conventional therapies are not curative for the overwhelming majority of mesothelioma patients, researchers are investigating new types of mesothelioma treatments and therapies. One approach that may yield promising results is anti-angiogenesis. Anti-angiogenesis is a form of therapy that uses drugs or other substances to stop tumors from making new blood vessels. Without a blood supply, the cancers cannot grow effectively. Today, there are several hundred clinical trials of anti-angiogenesis drugs under way. For example, Veglin is an anti-angiogenesis drug undergoing clinical trials at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine. Under the supervision of Parkash S. Gill, M.D. and financed by grants from the Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America, a Phase I study of Veglin has demonstrated some success in patients suffering from lymphoma, sarcoma, and colon and lung cancers. Phase II studies are on-going with the hope they will demonstrate continued clinical efficacy in mesothelioma and other cancers.

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