Mesothelioma Cancer A cancer of the mesothelium By: Eric Pheterson March 28, 2004
Abstract Mesothelomia is a cancer affecting the mesothelium, a membrane that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the body. There is no cure for mesothelioma, but there are several treatments. Diagnosis of Mesothelioma is difficult because the symptoms are similar to other diseases. Mesothelioma occurs more often in men then in woman, and is almost directly related to exposure to asbestos.
Mesothelioma is a cancer of the mesothelium. The mesothelium a membrane that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the body. It is composed of two layers of cells. One layer immediately surrounds the organ while the other forms a sac around it. The mesothelium produces a lubricating fluid that is released between these layers, allowing moving organs (such as the beating heart and the expanding and contracting lungs) to glide easily against adjacent structures. The fluid works much like oil in a car’s engine. Mesothelioma is most commonly found in people that had jobs where they inhaled asbestos, a group of fibrous metamorphic minerals. There are several types of mesothelioma cancer, pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma. Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include shortness of breath and pain in the chest, which are caused by an accumulation of fluid in the pleura. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma are bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, fever, weight loss and abdominal pain and
swelling, which is due to a buildup of fluid in the abdomen. Symptoms of other forms of mesothelioma include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face. Mesothelioma is a relatively rare cancer. Only about 2,000 cases are diagnosed yearly. It occurs more often in men than in women and risk increases with age, but this disease can appear in either men or women at any age. Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, but begins with a review of the patient's medical history, including any history of asbestos exposure, since that is the leading cause of mesothelioma. Doctors than do a complete physical examination, including x-rays of the chest or abdomen and lung function tests. 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. 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. Treatment for mesothelioma depends on the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, and the patient's age and general health. Standard treatment options include surgery in which doctor removes part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it, radiation therapy, where doctors use high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors and chemotherapy, where doctors provide anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Sometimes, these treatments are combined to rid the body of the cancerous cells. Some experimental treatments include gene therapy, which involves altering the patient’s genetic material of living cells to fight or prevent disease, photodynamic therapy, which destroys cancerous cells by using a fixed frequency light to activate photosensitizing drugs which have accumulated in body tissues., and immunotherapy, which uses the body's own immune system to protect itself against disease.
In conclusion, mesothelomia proves to be a fatal cancer which affects thousands of people yearly. Treatments do exist that prolong the lifespan of an infected patient, but a cure is not available. I am glad that nobody I know has mesothelioma, and I hope that I myself will never get this disease.
Annotated Bibliography Mesothelioma Web (MW)
http://www.mesotheliomaweb.org/ March 28, 2004
Mesothelioma Web contains information regarding the symptoms, effects, and treatments of mesothelioma. Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation
http://www.marf.org/ March 28, 2004
Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation provides information about new possible treatments of Mesothelioma. Cancer.gov - Malignant Mesothelioma Home Page
http://www.nci.nih.gov/cancerinfo/types/malignantmesothelioma/ March 28, 2004
Cancer.gov’s site provides information ranging from symptoms to treatments to prevention methods.
Diagram
Professional Vernacular
asbestos - A naturally occurring substance, mined from rock and made up of tiny fibers, used extensively in thousands of building and insulation products. asbestos fibers - The most common fibers found in processed asbestos are amosite, crocidolite and chrysotile. aspiration - The process of removing fluid or tissue, or both, from a specific area. biopsy - The process of surgically removing tissue from the body, examining it under a microscope and making a diagnosis. chemotherapy - The use of drugs and chemicals to treat cancer. clinical trial - A research study that attempts to improve current treatments or finds information on new treatments for patients with cancer. diaphragm - A muscular wall separating the abdomen from the cavity containing the lungs and heart. extrapleural pneumonectomy - The removal of the pleura, diaphragm, pericardium and the whole lung on the side of the cancerous tumor. It is intended to remove all or most of the cancer and some surrounding tissues as well. pericardial mesothelioma - Cancer of the lining that surrounds the heart. pericardiocentesis - The process of removing fluid from the sac around the heart using local anesthesia, needle and syringe. pericardium - The lining that surrounds the heart. peritoneal mesothelioma - Cancer of the lining that surrounds the abdominal cavity. peritoneoscope (peritoneoscopy) - A peritoneoscope is a lighted tube that is inserted into the abdomen to examine the abdominal wall. The procedure is called a peritoneoscopy. peritoneum - The lining that surrounds the abdominal cavity. pleura - The lining that surrounds the lungs and prevents the lungs from rubbing against the ribs. pleural mesothelioma - Cancer of the lining that surrounds the lungs. pleurectomy (decortation) - The procedure of removing the pleura, where the cancerous tumor has lodged, along the inner chest wall. It is used to control effusions and ease pain. radiation therapy - Intensive x-ray treatment that damages or kills cancer cells. thoracotomy - A surgical procedure that opens up the chest cavity. x-ray - High-energy electromagnetic radiation used to diagnose and treat disease.