Unions Blog for Mesothelioma

Causes of Mesothelioma

Before the grave dangers of asbestos were known, and even for years after the dangers were known, asbestos was used in literally thousands of asbestos products that humans and animals encounter every day — particularly in building components such as ceiling and floor tiles, walls, bricks and stucco, and in automotive parts such as brakes and clutches.

People who worked in the asbestos industry or in fields in which asbestos is used as a component of a product are most at risk for mesothelioma. Many individuals who have mesothelioma labored for years or even decades in jobs that required frequent contact with asbestos. When this mineral is mined, processed, woven, sprayed or otherwise manipulated, its microscopic fibers can be released into the air, where they may be inhaled, initiating the development of mesothelioma.

Types of Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma can attack the pleural lining around the lungs. It can also attack the peritoneum, a tissue that surrounds the GI tract. Mesothelioma can attack the stomach lining, other internal organs, or even the pericardium (the tissue sac covering the heart). Thus, mesothelioma can be generally classified into the following types:

• Pleural — 75% of all mesothelioma cases
• Peritoneal — 10%–20%
• Pericardial — 5%

Mesothelioma can also be classified by the cancer type rather than the location of the cancer:

• Epithelioid — most common, best survival rate
• Sarcomatoid — most severe, but more rare
• Mixed/biphasic — a mixture of epithelioid and sarcomatoid cancer

Symptoms of Mesothelioma

The symptoms of mesothelioma differ somewhat according to the location of the cancer cells. In addition, each mesothelioma patient may have a different combination of mesothelioma symptoms. Tumors that affect the pleura may result in the following signs:

• Wheezing, cough, and/or hoarseness
• Anemia, fatigue
• Bloody sputum
• Shortness of breath
• Chest wall pain, or pain under the rib cage
• pleural effusion (fluid surrounding the lung)

Mesothelioma in the abdominal cavity often doesn't show symptoms until it's at a late stage. These symptoms may include:

• A mass in the abdomen
• Abdominal pain and/or swelling
• Weight loss
• Bowel problems
• Ascites (an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen)

Treatments for Mesothelioma

Research into new and more effective mesothelioma treatments is ongoing. There is no cure as yet for mesothelioma. The standard treatments that attempt to hold back the progression of this cancer are:

• Surgery — to remove part of all of the affected body tissues
• Radiation therapy — to target and kill the mesothelioma cells
• Chemotherapy — the use of drugs, injected or taken orally, to kill or stop the growth of the cancer cells