According to The National Cancer Institute 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.

In this section, we will discuss pleural mesothelioma. Both peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma will be discussed in subsequent articles.

Pleural mesothelioma, like peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma, can be quite difficult to diagnose. The symptoms of mesothelioma mimic other diseases, including lung cancer. So it is critical to let your physician know if you have had a historical exposure to asbestos so that your physician can review your case history and can correctly identify any mesothelioma symptoms.

Over two-thirds of all cases of mesothelioma cancer have been identified as malignant pleural mesothelioma, making it the most common of all types of mesothelioma. This cancer attacks the area called the pleura or simply put…the lining of the lungs and the chest cavity. Pleural mesothelioma invades those cells that make up the lining inside the rib cage and the lining outside of the lungs.

Pleural mesothelioma can either be diffuse or wide spread and cancerous or it could also be localized and benign. Usually not related to asbestos exposure, benign mesothelioma is generally not life-threatening and can often be removed surgically. However, malignant mesothelioma is quite serious and requires immediate and aggressive treatment.

With asbestos exposure being the primary culprit in the later development of particular types of mesothelioma, it is important to know your prior exposure history. Years ago, many factories and industrial plants exposed their workers to asbestos particles that the employees either inhaled or swallowed while working.

Because of the employers’ failure to provide their employees with a safe work environment, many of these employees are now seeking legal compensation and are working with mesothelioma lawyers to make certain they are financially provided for as they battle the diagnosis of mesothelioma.

Once the workers inhaled or swallowed the asbestos dust, small particles of asbestos worked their way into the passages of the lungs and ultimately into the lining of the lungs. Once in the small passages of the lungs, these particles eventually developed into cancerous cells.

With the presence of cancerous cells, the lining of the lung or the pleura begins to thicken and excess fluid begins to gather as the cancerous cells continue to proliferate. As the pleura continues to thicken it gradually contracts the lungs resulting in shortness of breath.

This can often be the first symptom of pleural mesothelioma. But as you are well aware, shortness of breath could also indicate many other types of diseases, such as pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma or even lung cancer. As the pleural thickening continues and as the excess fluid, pleural effusion, continues to build shortness of breath can continue to worsen.

Pleural mesothelioma is the most common of all types of mesothelioma. It is usually malignant and requires aggressive treatment. So know your history…if you have a known prior exposure to asbestos, please see your physician today and ask to be screened for mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma Malignant Cancer

Peritoneal Mesothelioma is defined as the cancer that invades the lining of the abdomen. Many of the organs in the abdomen are covered by a thin membrane called the peritoneum. Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is a cancer of this membrane. Caused by asbestos exposure this type of mesothelioma attacks the peritoneum, or the lining that protects the contents of the abdomen.

Because of the correlation between peritoneal mesothelioma and asbestos exposure, it is advisable to seek legal counsel from an experienced mesothelioma lawyer to determine your options for compensation should you have been exposed to asbestos at your place of employment. An experienced asbestos attorney can best advise you to your legal rights.

It is not quite clear how the fibers from asbestos exposure migrate into the peritoneal cavity. Mesothelioma can develop years after asbestos fibers are inhaled or swallowed. With malignant peritoneal mesothelioma it is thought that as these asbestos fibers enter the body, they make their way into the intestinal tract where they can eventually move through the walls of the intestine and into the peritoneal cavity. It is also thought that perhaps the asbestos fibers that initially lodge in the lungs are carried to the peritoneal cavity by the lymphatic system.

The symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, weight loss, abdominal pain or swelling. If the peritoneal mesothelioma begins to press upward into the chest, you may also experience shortness of breath, chest pain. If the tumor begins to press on the intestines then you can develop a bowel obstruction. If the expanding tumor presses against abdominal areas with multiple nerve fibers, and the bowel expands, the amount of pain you experience can increase.

As with other types of mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma is treated with surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or a combination of all three. Your physician may elect to perform surgery to remove the cancer from the abdomen. The extent of cancer will determine the extent of the surgery…the peritoneal lining, lung or other tissue may be removed in order to attempt to manage the disease. Your general health, age, other health conditions and the extent of the disease will also help to determine the course of treatment.

Regardless of the early symptoms, malignant peritoneal mesothelioma requires aggressive treatment to improve your outcome. Although there is currently no cure for peritoneal mesothelioma, treatment options have certainly improved and a strong multi-disciplinary team is the best choice for leading your care.

It is the inhalation of asbestos fibers that ultimately settle in the body and cause chronic inflammation that leads to one of the primary reasons of mesothelioma. The risk of mesothelioma increases with age and is most often seen in adult males.

Mesothelioma primarily impacts three areas of the body. The most common type of mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma where the lining of the lung is affected. The second most common type of mesothelioma is peritoneal mesothelioma. With this type of mesothelioma, the cancer invades the peritoneum, or the lining of the abdomen. The rarest type of mesothelioma is known as pericardial mesothelioma, in which the cancer invades the sac lining the heart.

It is possible that you might contract malignant mesothelioma without direct exposure to asbestos fibers. Yes, most people are exposed to asbestos fibers at their work place. Workers in such fields as air conditioning, mining, ship building, auto mechanics, insulation, steel mills, and many other factories are most susceptible.

However, family members of these workers can also be at risk due to the asbestos fibers on the clothing of workers. If there are asbestos particles on the clothing of a worker and then a family member handles that worker’s clothing repeatedly for purposes such as doing the laundry, then those particles can certainly be inhaled or swallowed once airborne and asbestos exposure, as we have already discussed, is one of the leading reasons of mesothelioma.

Currently there is no cure for mesothelioma, but there are options available for both treatment and compensation. It is important to seek the advice of a mesothelioma attorney who is qualified through education and experience to act on your behalf.

Asbestos exposure is one of the major causes of mesothelioma. If you believe you have been exposed to asbestos and have begun to develop symptoms of mesothelioma it is critical that you seek treatment. A leading causes of mesothelioma, asbestos exposure deserves medical attention.

In 1960 the first article was written that actually established mesothelioma as a disease related to the exposure of asbestos. This article highlighted more than 30 patients in South Africa who had been diagnosed with mesothelioma. Of these 30 patients some worked in the mines and others did not. But the important discovery was that someone had finally put the big picture together and discovered that this disease was showed a pattern… exposure to asbestos could eventually result in a malignant mesothelioma.

It was only two years later that the first case of malignant mesothelioma was diagnosed in an asbestos worker in Australia. The medical history of the patient indicated he had worked at an asbestos mine for two years, beginning fourteen years earlier. The fourteen year difference between the beginning of asbestos exposure and the development of malignant mesothelioma is a perfect indicator of the latency of this cancer.

The news became even more disturbing in 1965. An article published in the British Journal of Industrial Medicine that year established that people who lived in the neighborhoods of asbestos factories and mines, but did not actually work in them, had contracted mesothelioma. Tragically, in the town of Wittenoom, asbestos-containing mine waste was used to cover schoolyards and playgrounds, exposing countless numbers of children.

Despite the well documented proof that the dust associated with asbestos mining and milling caused asbestos related disease, mining continued to be an increasingly booming industry. Even with the knowledge that asbestos mining and milling was causing disease, no one stepped up to demand that the workers be protected with safer work conditions. No one intervened and the incidences of malignant mesothelioma continued to rise. It is simply inconceivable that the mine and milling conditions continued unchecked and the workers continued to be exposed to the asbestos that could ultimately take their lives.

It wasn’t until 1974 in Australia’s Bulletin magazine that the first public warnings of the dangers of asbestos were published in a cover story called “Is this Killer in Your Home?” But it wasn’t for another four years, in 1978, that the Australian Government actually decided to phase out the town of Wittenoom where you will remember that asbestos-containing mine waste was used to cover schoolyards and playgrounds, exposing countless numbers of children. In no time at all, the once booming town of Wittenoom became a ghost town…a town lost because of the failure of leaders to act on the knowledge that exposure to asbestos was for many leading to the development of a cancer called, malignant mesothelioma.

The former residents of the ghost town were gone but who would help them to fight the vicious disease many were left to face? Just one year after the Australian Government decided to shut down the town, the first lawsuits were filed for negligence related to the town of Wittenoom and the Asbestos Diseases Society was formed to represent the Wittenoom victims. This group is still in existence today and provides counseling, support services, economic assistance, advocacy, fund-raising for medical research, and community education.

Could it have been prevented? Could the loss of life have been less? Could a town have been saved? If changes had been made in the mining and milling industries when the early research began to show a direct correlation between the exposure to asbestos and the development of malignant mesothelioma then, yes, perhaps lives could have been spared and perhaps a town saved. We must learn from history…and work diligently so that another tragedy like Wittenoom never occurs again.

According to The National Cancer Institute malignant mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which malignant cells are found in the sac lining the chest called the pleura, in the lining of the abdominal cavity called the peritoneum or in the lining around the heart, called the pericardium. The lining of the chest, the abdominal cavity and the heart is called the mesothelium which is where the name “mesothelioma” comes from.

What is asbestos cancer?

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”.

What is the correlation between asbestos and malignant mesothelioma?

Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for eventually being diagnosed with mesothelioma. Most people who develop mesothelioma 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.

Can you develop mesothelioma if you’ve never worked around asbestos?

Yes. 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. However, it is important to remember that mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos.

What are some of the types of mesothelioma?

There are three main types of mesothelioma, pleural mesothelioma, the most common, peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma.

What are some of the symptoms of malignant mesothelioma?

The early symptoms of mesothelioma can be varied and can mimic many other diseases. 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.

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. 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.

If I develop malignant mesothelioma, do I have any resources for compensation because of exposure to asbestos at my workplace?

Because of the direct link between the exposure to asbestos and the risk of developing malignant mesothelioma, 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.

A mesothelioma attorney will be the best guide for determining the potential sources of financial assistance and compensation for patients diagnosed with mesothelioma.

Because of the potential of employer liability related to possible asbestos exposure in the work place, it is very important that mesothelioma patients contact an attorney who specifically specializes in mesothelioma cases.

A mesothelioma lawyer is the best one to advise a patient and their family about their legal rights associated with the diagnosis of mesothelioma cancer. It is not enough to simply contact a lawyer who may handle a case such as mesothelioma only once every so often, this is too important. It is important to seek an attorney who has a proven track record in asbestos litigation.

A family’s financial future can depend on compensation provided for asbestos exposure therefore hiring someone with little or no experience should not even be a consideration.

A mesothelioma lawyer with a history of success is the only choice when seeking a lawyer who will focus on the multiple legal issues involved in cases such as malignant mesothelioma.

The stress and pain of malignant mesothelioma can be very exhausting for patients and their families. It is especially difficult if the patient is the bread winner of the family and suddenly is unable to work.

The family must then deal with the loss of the primary income source as well as the cost of treatment, all of which may not be covered by insurance. Perhaps legal action is not the most popular path; however, with the knowledge that asbestos exposure is usually the culprit in the development of malignant mesothelioma, it should be a consideration for patients diagnosed with this rare cancer.

Legal issues are ones we are rarely comfortable discussing. But we are comfortable discussing our family’s future, our family’s financial well-being and our personal health. Take care of your whole body… seek out the best physician… and considering the many legal issues surrounding mesothelioma, consider contacting a mesothelioma lawyer.

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.