Malignant Mesothelioma

Malignant mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer, is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the sac lining the chest (the pleura) or abdomen (the peritoneum). Most people with malignant mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they breathed asbestos.

A doctor should be seen if a person has shortness of breath, pain in the chest, or pain or swelling in the abdomen. If there are symptoms, the doctor may order an x-ray of the chest or abdomen.

The doctor may look inside the chest cavity with a special instrument called a thoracoscope. A cut will be made through the chest wall and the thoracoscope will be put into the chest between two ribs. This test, called thoracoscopy, is usually done in the hospital. Before the test, the patient will be given a local anesthetic (a drug that causes a loss of feeling for a short period of time). Some pressure may be felt, but usually there is no pain.

The doctor may also look inside the abdomen (peritoneoscopy) with a special tool called a peritoneoscope. The peritoneoscope is put into an opening made in the abdomen. This test is also usually done in the hospital. Before the test is done, a local anesthetic will be given.

If tissue that is not normal is found, the doctor will need to cut out a small piece and have it looked at under a microscope to see if there are any cancer cells. This is called a biopsy. Biopsies are usually done during the thoracoscopy or peritoneoscopy.

The chance of recovery (prognosis) depends on the size of the cancer, where the cancer is, how far the cancer has spread, how the cancer cells look under the microscope, how the cancer responds to treatment, and the patient's age.

Malignant Mesothelioma Treatment

There are treatments for all patients with malignant mesothelioma. Three kinds of treatment are used:

Surgery (taking out the cancer)

Radiation Therapy (using high-dose x-rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer cells)

Chemotherapy (using drugs to fight the cancer)

Surgery is a common treatment of malignant mesothelioma. The doctor may remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it. Depending on how far the cancer has spread, a lung also may be removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy. Sometimes part of the diaphragm, the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing, is also removed.

Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body (external radiation therapy) or from putting materials that produce radiation (radioisotopes) through thin plastic tubes in the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy).

If fluid has collected in the chest or abdomen, the doctor may drain the fluid out of the body by putting a needle into the chest or abdomen and using gentle suction to remove the fluid. If fluid is removed from the chest, this is called thoracentesis. If fluid is removed from the abdomen, this is called paracentesis. The doctor may also put drugs through a tube into the chest to prevent more fluid from accumulating.

Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be taken by pill, or it may be put into the body by a needle in the vein or muscle. Chemotherapy is called a systemic treatment because the drug enters the bloodstream, travels through the body, and can kill cancer cells throughout the body. In mesothelioma, chemotherapy may be put directly into the chest (intrapleural chemotherapy).

Intraoperative photodynamic therapy is a new type of treatment that uses special drugs and light to kill cancer cells during surgery. A drug that makes cancer cells more sensitive to light is injected into a vein several days before surgery. During surgery to remove as much of the cancer as possible, a special light is used to shine on the pleura. This treatment is being studied for early stages of mesothelioma in the chest.

Recurrent Malignant Mesothelioma

Treatment depends on many factors, including where the cancer came back and what treatment the patient received before. Mesothelioma Clinical trials are testing new treatments.

For more free legal information on Mesothelioma and Asbestos Lawsuits, please visit Free Legal Information.

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


Beryllium The New Asbestos?

It was American workers on the world's first atomic bomb... Read More

Asbestos - The Silent Killer

Asbestos is the single biggest work place killer today. People... Read More

Asbestos - Mesothelioma

Asbestos is a naturally occurring, fibrous mineral found in the... Read More

Mesothelioma - Cancer that Strikes 40 Years Later

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which malignant... Read More

What Is Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma the medical name for cancer of the pleura (the... Read More

Asbestos and Mesothelioma

Asbestos is a dangerous and potentially deadly substance that was... Read More

Lung Cancer: The Bad and the Worse

In terms of deaths caused by various forms of cancer,... Read More

Acoustic Asbestos Ceiling Removal, Is It Necessary?

Homeowners with acoustic asbestos ceiling question about the effects of... Read More

Mesothelioma Help

According to the National Cancer Institute, mesothelioma is a malignant... Read More

Asbestos Killed My Husband

He was only a child when it begun -and he... Read More

Malignant Mesothelioma

Malignant mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer, is a disease... Read More

Mesothelioma Cancer Diagnosed- Questions to ask

Following diagnosis, uppermost amongst a patient's thoughts will be these..."Am... Read More

Mesothelioma Cancer: Early Warning Signs and Causes

What is Mesothelioma?Chances are you may never have heard of... Read More

Who is at Increased Risk For Developing Mesothelioma?

Since the late 1800's Asbestos has been mined and used... Read More

Mesothelioma Attorneys and Asbestosis Treatment Data

Mesothelioma attorneysIt is very important to work with specialized mesothelioma... Read More

L&S Announce Steps to Protect Against Asbestos & Mesothelioma

Lewis and Sholnick have announced the publication of some simple... Read More

Mesothelioma Cancer Diagnosed: Dealing With Emotions

People deal with and react to having cancer in different... Read More

Lung Cancer Discoveries

There is a new way to treat lung cancer with... Read More

Mesothelioma Cancer - What to Tell Children

The amount of information you should give them depends on... Read More

Mesothelioma Information Help

Depending on the stage of the disease, the most common... Read More

Knee Deep in Asbestos

When I was 17 old I started working at an... Read More

How Is Mesothelioma Treated?

Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where... Read More

Frequently Asked Questions About Mesothelioma

Many people have never heard of Mesothelioma and are unaware... Read More

Is Replacing the Lungs the Answer to Lung Cancer?

Late stage lung cancers are some of the hardest to... Read More

Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare disease. The tissue lining the... Read More

Symptoms of Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is an extremely nasty and permanent cancer that infects... Read More

Lung Cancer 101 What You Need to Know About

Accounting about for 14% of all cancers and 28% of... Read More

How to Tell if You Have Mesothelioma from Asbestos Exposure

Mesothelioma - Symptoms and SolutionsSymptoms of Mesothelioma can be latent... Read More

Mesothelioma Treatment

Like all other types of cancer, mesothelioma is incurable. Although... Read More

Protect Against Mesothelioma by Avoiding Asbestos

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that attacks the body's mesothelial... Read More

What Are The Risk Factors For Mesothelioma?

Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma... Read More

Your Mesothelioma Case

Your Mesothelioma case is important to you. You have been... Read More

Screening for Mesothelioma

Doctor appointments are critical to make sure you're staying in... Read More