ABOUT MESOTHELIOMA
Mesothelioma is cancer in the mesothelium, a double layer lining or “sac” around the organs in the chest cavity, the abdominal cavity and the heart. In between the two layers of the mesothelium is a lubricating substance which protects the internal organs and allows them to function freely within the body.
Mesothelioma occurs when the cells within the mesothelium become abnormal and stop producing the lubricant. The internal organs are then encased in a thick rind of tumor tissue and the organs begin to malfunction. In the last stage of malignant mesothelioma (Stage IV), the tumor has metastasized, or spread, to other areas of the body through the bloodstream.
The incidence of malignant mesothelioma in the United States is estimated to be 3,000 people per year. The predominant cause of malignant mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos (other causes are exposure to a particular type of radiation or to zeolite, a mineral silicate). The latency period for mesothelioma is anywhere from 20-40 years. The average age of a person at diagnosis is 50-70 years. Mesothelioma is 8 times more common in men than in women.
There is no direct correlation of incidence of the disease to the amount or duration of exposure to asbestos. Studies have shown mesothelioma in patients with as little as 2 months of exposure to asbestos.
In November 2003, a blood test designed to detect mesothelioma at an earlier stage was announced in the United States.
Additional information about mesothelioma is available from the National Cancer Institute.