Mesothelioma is such an asbestos exposure teminal. it is a cancer that affects the lining around the lungs, heart, and abdominal cavities – called the mesothelium – which is primarily caused by chronic exposure to asbestos or asbestos related products. As asbestos fibers enter the body, either by breathing or swallowing, they cause normally healthy cells to mutate into cancer. This exposure can come directly, such as working in an asbestos processing center, or indirectly by inhalation of residual asbestos particles remaining on clothing or building materials. Studies show that exposure as short as one year can cause a variety of asbestos-related illnesses, including mesothelioma. In the other words, mesothelioma came from neoplasm originating from the mesothelial cells lining the human body cavities.
Mesothelioma causes the cells of the mesothelium to mutate and multiply infinitely. This mutation causes tumors that can prevent proper lung and heart function. Because the cells of the mesothelium are responsible for providing fluid lubrication for the body’s internal organs, mesothelioma is particularly insidious because it can affect multiple organs simultaneously, usually without major symptoms or pain. Mesothelioma can also invade parts of the immune system, including bone marrow, lymph nodes, and spleen, where it continues to mutate and destroy healthy cells.
The mesothelium is 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; the other forms a sac around it. The mesothelium has different names, depending on its location in the body. The peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity. The pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. The pericardium covers and protects the heart. The mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis testis. The tunica serosa uteri covers the internal reproductive organs in women. 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.
Like other forms of cancer, mesothelioma occurs when cells become abnormal and divide or grow out of control. Asbestos fibers cause lesions and scarring on the mesothelium, ultimately leading to the formation of tumors. The damaged cells secrete large amounts of a clear fluid that presses on the lungs and other organs, causing severe discomfort. In addition to these fluid secretions, aggressive tumor growth in later stages can lead to the rapid spread of cancer throughout the chest and abdomen, as well as cardiac or respiratory failure.
The majority of individuals suffering from mesothelioma have cancer in the lining of the lung. Sometimes, mesothelioma occurs in the lining of the abdominal cavity (peritoneal mesothelioma) or in the lining of the heart (pericardial mesothelioma).
The cancerous cells also lie dormant for many years, and it is not uncommon for the first effects of mesothelioma to appear 20 to 30 years after initial exposure. Unfortunately, there is no cure for mesothelioma, and treatment ranges from preventive surgery to chemotherapy and radiation treatments. By the time symptoms manifest, it is quite often too late. Because mesothelioma lays dormant for so long, post diagnosis survival ranges from 1-5 years depending on the stage of the cancer and the age and condition of the victim.