Welcome To The Mesothelioma Center
For many decades asbestos exposure has been known to cause asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma cancer. However, a battery of scientific studies linking asbestos to an assortment of other cancers and illnesses has failed to be addressed within the community of asbestos awareness.
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| A number of various cancers have been linked to asbestos, including gastrointestinal and colon cancer. |
Through extensive research efforts, the Mesothelioma Center has gathered comprehensive information from a multitude of clinical studies that have observed a link between asbestos exposure and a range of serious diseases.
Please take a moment to visit our new asbestos cancer section, featuring scientific and clinically based information on a variety of cancers and diseases that may share a causal relationship with asbestos exposure.
Hazardous Jobsites: Mesothelioma and Asbestos Exposure
Despite growing numbers of asbestos-related illness among those who have never worked with asbestos, the majority of people diagnosed with an asbestos-induced disease received exposure in an occupational setting. This is largely due to the likelihood of repeated exposures, as well as elevated levels of exposure, that occur throughout a range of occupations , industries, and jobsites.
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| Numerous occupations, ranging from electricians to firefighters, share a history of asbestos exposure. |
Recommended Topics
Some jobsites are widely known to be occupational sources of asbestos exposure , such as asbestos mines, processing plants, and manufacturing plants where asbestos products are produced. But a variety of other jobsites, ranging from shipyards to chemical and power plants to oil refineries, also bear a history of asbestos exposure.
If you think you've been exposed to asbestos and have developed mesothelioma you can visit our mesothelioma lawyer section for more information on how you can receive compensation.
Asbestos Cancer
Over the course of the past century, millions of people have unknowingly been exposed to asbestos , a class of fibrous minerals known to cause a variety of cancers.
Often referred to as "asbestos cancer," mesothelioma is the most common form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure .
Mesothelioma
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| Mesothelioma cancer specifically targets the body's mesothelial cells. |
. Each year an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 new cases of malignant mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States. Types of Mesothelioma
- Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of malignant mesothelioma, comprising approximately 75 percent of all mesothelioma cases. This type develops in the lining of the lungs, called the pleura.
- Peritoneal mesothelioma develops in the abdomen’s peritoneum, a layer that covers the abdominal cavity and surrounds abdominal organs.
- Pericardial mesothelioma develops in the pericardium, a membrane that surrounds the heart and provides protection and support to this organ.
- Testicular mesothelioma , the rarest form of mesothelioma, develops in the lining surrounding the testicle, called the tunica vaginalis.
Symptoms
The symptoms of mesothelioma typically arise 20 to 50 years after initial exposure to asbestos occurs. The commonality of the symptoms, which, in the case of pleural mesothelioma, often resemble less-serious conditions such as influenza, can make mesothelioma very difficult to diagnose. Symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Persistent coughing
- Fatigue
- Night sweats or fever
- Unexplained weight loss
Mesothelioma patients and their loved ones often wish to gather as much information about mesothelioma as possible after diagnosis. Asbestos.com offers a comprehensive packet containing all the information from this Web site and additional literature to help patients and their families fully understand their diagnosis. To receive this complimentary packet overnight, click here or call 800-615-2270.
Diagnosis
In most cases, a patient is not diagnosed with mesothelioma until the cancer has progressed to later stages of development because of the long latency period associated with the disease. Once a doctor suspects that a patient may have mesothelioma, one or more diagnostic tests are typically ordered. These tests include medical imaging tests such as X-rays , CT and MRI scans and biopsy procedures that test fluid samples and tissue for the presence of cancerous cells. Diagnostic tests also reveal the cancer’s progression and whether it has spread to other parts of the body.
Treatment and Cure
Though no known cure currently exists for mesothelioma, many patients elect to undergo treatment to make living with the cancer more comfortable. Treatment options for mesothelioma may include:
- Surgery
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation
- Experimental procedures such a gene therapy and immunotherapy
Patients may also elect to be part of a clinical trial , a study conducted to test up-and-coming treatment options and medications. Clinical trials are often explored by mesothelioma patients who qualify for various studies and wish to participate in an effort to help medical professionals search for a mesothelioma cure.
Causes
Mesothelioma is primarily caused by asbestos exposure. Though the exact way asbestos causes mesothelioma is currently being researched, medical professionals have a number of theories:
- Asbestos causes irritation and inflammation of mesothelial cells, which results in irreversible scarring, cellular damage, and eventually cancer.
- Asbestos fibers enter cells and disrupt the function of cellular structures that are essential for normal cell division, causing cellular changes that lead to cancer.
- Asbestos causes the production of free radicals. These molecules damage DNA, and cause cells to mutate and become cancerous.
- The presence of asbestos causes cells to produce oncoproteins. These molecules cause mesothelial cells to ignore normal cellular division restraints, and this can lead to the development of cancer.
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| Once asbestos is inhaled it can lodge itself within the body's organs causing cells to mutate and become cancerous. |
Other Asbestos-Related Cancers
Though mesothelioma may be the most commonly-associated cancer with asbestos exposure, the presence of asbestos fibers in the body can cause a number of other, very serious and life-threatening cancers, such as lung cancer (see below), gastrointestinal cancer and colorectal cancer. Please see Gastrointestinal Cancer and Colorectal Cancer for information about these diseases.
According to the National Cancer Institute, asbestos exposure can also increase one's risk of developing kidney, throat, esophagus and gallbladder cancer. In addition to these cancers, asbestos has also been linked to breast , ovarian , and prostate cancer , as well as leukemia and lymphomas .
Lung Cancer
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| Aside from mesothelioma, lung cancer is the most common form of cancer associated with asbestos exposure. |
Symptoms of lung cancer include:
- Coughing and chest pain
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Change in sputum volume or color
- Presence of blood in sputum
- Weight loss, tiredness and headaches
As with the development of mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos, lung cancer symptoms appear many years after initial exposure to the hazardous mineral. Anyone who suspects they may have been exposed to asbestos and are experiencing any symptoms of lung cancer should seek the advice of a medical physician.
Associated Risk Factors
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| Relative Risk of Dying of Lung Cancer for Smoking and Non-Smoking Asbestos Workers. |
Additionally, the duration of exposure may also play a role in the risk of developing cancer .
The Next Step
Those who believe they may have been exposed to asbestos at any time should consult a physician for a medical examination. Cancers caused by asbestos exposure may not present symptoms for many years or even decades after initial exposure, by which time it may be too late to seek curative treatments . In addition to contacting a medical professional, exploring legal options with the assistance of an asbestos lawyer may result in compensation from companies that knowingly manufactured asbestos-contaminated products.
Asbestos.com offers an informational packet on top doctors, treatments and legal options available to mesothelioma patients and their families. Click here to receive a complimentary packet overnight with additional information about asbestos-related cancers and financial assistance. Our patient and family advocates are also available to answer questions and offer guidance at no charge at 800-615-2270.
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