The lining of the chest, the abdominal cavity and the heart is called the mesothelium which is where the name “mesothelioma” comes from.

Malignant mesothelioma is also known as “asbestos cancer” because approximately 75% of all mesothelioma patients have a known exposure to asbestos. Because tumors of the mesothelium are rarely benign or non-cancerous, malignant or cancerous mesothelioma is usually referred to by the shorter name of “mesothelioma”.

Even with all of the recent history of mesothelioma and its proliferation throughout the news media and the spawning of numerous legal issues, mesothelioma is still a relatively rare cancer; even though new cases have certainly increased in the past 20 years.

Every year in the United States approximately 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed. Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and the risk of occurrence increases with age, but this disease can certainly appear at any age and can appear in either men or women.

Because so many of the symptoms of mesothelioma are very similar to those of other conditions, including lung cancer, it can be quite challenging to diagnosis mesothelioma. Also, once malignant mesothelioma takes hold it can be a very aggressive disease and so early diagnosis and treatment of is critical.

Although a small number of people who of have contracted mesothelioma have never been found to have been exposed to asbestos, approximately 75% of mesothelioma cases have actually been linked to some level of asbestos exposure. Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for eventually being diagnosed with mesothelioma.

Most incidence of mesothelioma stems from people who have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in other ways, such as by washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos, or by home renovation using asbestos cement products.

One of the biggest challenges with this rare disease is that this cancer may not even begin to demonstrate symptoms until 20, 30, 40 or even 50 or years after the first exposure to asbestos.

Although malignant mesothelioma is rare, it is a serious, deadly disease. But with the ever emerging new treatments for cancer, there is hope for patients diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma.

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer, in which cancer cells are found in the pleura, the sac lining the chest, in the peritoneum, the lining of the abdominal cavity, or in the pericardium, the lining around the heart. Once the cancerous cells begin to invade the body and crowd out the healthy cells, then many of the early symptoms of mesothelioma begin to appear.

Because of the long period of time between the exposure to asbestos and the development of symptoms of mesothelioma it can be very difficult for even the most experienced physician to diagnose mesothelioma. The challenge for your physician is that the early symptoms of mesothelioma are generally non-specific and this may lead to a delay in diagnosis. The early symptoms are so general and non-specific that they could be attributed to numerous common diseases, such as pneumonia.

Some patients with pleural mesothelioma, the most common type of mesothelioma, may present to their personal physician with a persistent cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, weight loss, difficulty swallowing, swelling of the neck or face, a change in the voice, such as the development of a raspy voice, fever, night sweats or perhaps something as simple as just not feeling well. Initial work up by a physician might include a chest x-ray as well as a complete physical exam. However, it is equally as important to remember that some patients may show no symptoms of mesothelioma at all.

Peritoneal mesothelioma, one of the less common types of mesothelioma, may present with early symptoms such as loss of appetite, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, bloating or abdominal pain. This type of mesothelioma begins in the abdomen and can progress from the abdomen to other parts of the body. If the mesothelioma cancer has invade other areas outside of the abdomen, the patient can also present with difficulty breathing or chest pain demonstrating that the chest region may already be involved. Peritoneal mesothelioma patients like those with pleural mesothelioma can be very difficult to diagnose.

The least common type of mesothelioma is pericardial mesothelioma. In this type of mesothelioma cancerous cells invade the sac lining the outside of the heart and can metastasize, or spread, from there. The earliest symptoms of mesothelioma involving the pericardium include chest pain, palpitations or what is commonly described as feeling like the heart is racing, shortness of breath, and a persistent cough.

Since we know that most patients diagnosed with mesothelioma do not begin to show symptoms until decades after exposure, it is critical that a diagnosis be made as quickly as possible after symptoms appear. Tell your physician if you suspect that you were ever exposed to asbestos. This would include either working directly in an area where you might have been exposed to asbestos dust or even if you were the person handling the clothing or laundry of a family member that might have been exposed. This knowledge will allow your physician to have a more complete picture when evaluating your situation.

Symptoms of mesothelioma are symptoms that can easily be mistaken for symptoms of a less-threatening disease. Seek out a competent physician, one who will listen closely to your history and will complete a physical exam and screening based on your symptoms and your history. Listen to your body…symptoms of mesothelioma are ones that deserve to be taken seriously and deserve to be checked out completely.

Mesothelioma cancer can show up as pericardial mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma or pleural mesothelioma, meaning it can invade the mesothelium or the lining of the heart, the abdomen or the lungs.

Even though asbestos has been mined and used commercially since the late 1800s, we now realize that beginning in the early 1940s that millions of American workers were routinely exposed to asbestos dust. People who worked in shipyards, in mines, in mills, in construction, and of course people who worked in factories which produced asbestos products could all be at an increased risk of developing malignant mesothelioma because of their exposure to asbestos dust and particles.

Because of this direct link between exposure and the risk of disease, a mesothelioma attorney may be a good place to start to learn about compensation options for those exposed to asbestos through their place of employment. Although I am not a proponent of a lawsuit happy culture, it is indeed heartbreaking to see the loyal worker who slaved for years in an environment that was unsafe and one that exposed them to asbestos which could ultimately cost them their life. So a mesothelioma lawyer or a law firm that specializes in mesothelioma cases may be a consideration for you.

Asbestos is defined as “any of several minerals that readily separate into long flexible fibers”. These fibers can then be separated into thin thread and woven. In the production of items containing asbestos, if minute particles float into the air and are swallowed or inhaled they can ultimately lead to very serious health problems.

It is important to remember that from the time of exposure to asbestos to the development of mesothelioma may be anywhere from 20-50 years. Not only can the exposure to asbestos lead to mesothelioma it can also lead to other cancers, such as cancer of the lung or larynx.

It could also lead to a non-cancerous disease called asbestosis, which is a chronic lung condition directly related to exposure to asbestos particles.

As mentioned earlier, mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos. In areas where asbestos producing factories are located, people in the area may have been exposed by inhaling or swallowing particles of asbestos simply floating in the air.

Even families at home may have been exposed to asbestos particles by handling the clothes of a family member who was working with asbestos and came home with microscopic particles of it on their clothing.

The risk of developing malignant mesothelioma cancer is in the majority of cases directly related to a person’s exposure to asbestos and the exposure can occur many years before the actual development of the cancer.

Exposure to asbestos can occur by swallowing or inhaling tiny particles of asbestos which can even occur when doing the laundry and handling the clothes of a family member who has been exposed. Know the facts and know the risks… malignant mesothelioma is directly related to the exposure of asbestos… so prevention is key.