Mesothelioma: F.A.Q’s 
If you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma a type of cancer, you may feel dread, fear and confusion. fortunately, there is much information available about mesothelioma and its symptoms, effects, and long-term causes. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about mesothelioma:
What is mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma (cancer of the mesothelium) is a disease in which cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide without control or order. They can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also metastasize (spread) from their original site to other parts of the body. Most cases of mesothelioma begin in the pleura or peritoneum.
What are the risk factors for mesothelioma?
Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma. A history of asbestos exposure at work is reported in about 70 percent to 80 percent of all cases. However, mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos.
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.
Smoking does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma. However, the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure significantly increases a person’s risk of developing cancer of the air passageways in the lung.
How common is mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a rare disease. Every year, approximately 3,000 Americans and 10,000 patients worldwide are diagnosed with mesothelioma.
What is asbestos? How is it linked to mesothelioma?
Asbestos is an industrial agent used for insulation and fireproofing since ancient times. While its use is stringently regulated in the United States at this time, its dangers were not known until relatively recently. A fibrous mineral, asbestos is used in industrial applications and releases tiny fibers into the air that may be inhaled. Inhalation of asbestos can lead to mesothelioma in some patients.
What is the mesothelium?
The mesothelium is the lining of the human abdominal cavity, chest and heart.
How many mesothelioma victims have been exposed to asbestos?
Medical professionals estimate that at least 75 percent of all mesothelioma cases are linked to asbestos exposure.
Does mesothelioma present itself immediately after asbestos exposure?
Mesothelioma is known for its long dormancy period. The disease has appeared in patients decades after their exposure to asbestos. Misdiagnosis is common, with mesothelioma being mistaken as pneumonia or other diseases.
What are the symptoms of mesothelioma?
Symptoms of mesothelioma include abdominal pain and swelling, chest pain, chronic cough, heart palpitations, blood clotting problems, labored breath or shortness of breath, fever, and weight loss.
How is mesothelioma diagnosed?
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, including any history of asbestos exposure. 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 CT scan is a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. In an MRI, a powerful magnet linked to a computer is used to make detailed pictures of areas inside the body. These pictures are viewed on a monitor and can also be printed.
A biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma. In a biopsy, a surgeon or a medical oncologist (a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer) removes a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope by a pathologist. A biopsy may be done in different ways, depending on where the abnormal area is located. If the cancer is in the chest, the doctor may perform a thoracoscopy. In this procedure, the doctor makes a small cut through the chest wall and puts a thin, lighted tube called a thoracoscope into the chest between two ribs. Thoracoscopy allows the doctor to look inside the chest and obtain tissue samples. If the cancer is in the abdomen, the doctor may perform a peritoneoscopy. To obtain tissue for examination, the doctor makes a small opening in the abdomen and inserts a special instrument called a peritoneoscope into the abdominal cavity. If these procedures do not yield enough tissue, more extensive diagnostic surgery may be necessary.
If the diagnosis is mesothelioma, the doctor will want to learn the stage (or extent) of the disease. Staging involves more tests in a careful attempt to find out whether the cancer has spread and, if so, to which parts of the body. Knowing the stage of the disease helps the doctor plan treatment.
Mesothelioma is described as localized if the cancer is found only on the membrane surface where it originated. It is classified as advanced if it has spread beyond the original membrane surface to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, lungs, chest wall, or abdominal organs.
