Mesothelioma Questions

Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer.  It begins in the cells of the outer lining of organs, called the mesothelium.  It most commonly affects the lung, but may also affect the heart and abdominal organs.  Pleural mesothelioma enlarges until it limits lung movement and can then spread to the mediastinum.  Death commonly occurs in 4 months to 1 year with less than 10% living more than 3 years after diagnosis is confirmed.
Mesothelioma is most often occurs after asbestos exposure.  This exposure can be 20 to 40 years prior to tumor formation. Smoking and asbestos exposure together greatly increases the risk.  The families of workers who are exposed to asbestos can also be at risk due to inhalation of fibers that are on a worker’s clothes.  Most asbestos exposures happened in the past so the surge of mesothelioma cases is expected to decline in the years to come.