Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects mesothelial cells. The primary known cause of mesothelioma is asbestos exposure. Typically, a patient develops mesothelioma after 20 to 60 years of asbestos exposure.
There are four types of mesothelioma, defined by the location of the tumor: pleural (chest or lungs), peritoneal (abdominal lining), testicular (tunica vaginalis), and pericardial (pericardium). The most common types are the pleural and peritoneal. Pericardial mesothelioma is rare, with just about 200 cases reported in medical history (1% of mesothelioma cases).
Compared to other countries, mesothelioma is rare in the United States, with only about 3,000 cases diagnosed each year. The number of reported cases has dropped significantly since the late 90s due to government regulations on the use of asbestos or asbestos products.
Mesothelioma is more common in men. Also, people who work as builders, electricians, plumbers, insulators, transport workers, etc., are more likely to develop mesothelioma. There have been numerous reports of mesothelioma cases traceable to workplace malpractice. Patients who believe they developed mesothelioma due to workplace malpractice can employ the services of an attorney for Mesothelioma to claim damages.
Among races, mesothelioma is more common in whites and Latinos. Because mesothelioma doesn’t develop immediately, this cancer is more common in older people. The average chest mesothelioma patient is 72 years old.
Although rare, mesothelioma can be malignant if not diagnosed and treated early enough. As of today, there is no known cure for malignant mesothelioma, but there are treatments that could help control the condition for a long period.
Treatment for Mesothelioma
People diagnosed with mesothelioma can still survive for some time if they get treatment early. Generally, mesothelioma treatment depends on some factors, including the type of mesothelioma, the stage of diagnosis, and patient preference. Mesothelioma can be treated by chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and trimodality therapy.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy involves using drugs to kill cancerous cells to limit growth and proliferation. It finds application in the treatment of pleural mesothelioma. Medical experts strategically use powerful drugs to destroy as many cancer cells as possible without causing harm to the patient’s body.
The main drug used for pleural mesothelioma chemotherapy is pemetrexed. This drug is best combined with carboplatin for effectiveness. Sadly, chemotherapy doesn’t work for every pleural mesothelioma patient.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy involves using radiation to kill cancer cells. Medical experts target radiation to affected areas of the patient’s body to destroy cancer cells without causing any damage to normal tissues. Depending on the stage of diagnosis, radiation therapy can be used as palliative treatment to relieve pain caused by cancerous growth or after chemotherapy to destroy any remaining cancer cells.
Radiation therapy is hardly used to treat peritoneal mesothelioma.
Surgery
People who have developed peritoneal mesothelioma can undergo peritonectomy, a complex surgical procedure involving removing the peritoneum’s affected parts. Surgery is usually done after chemotherapy.
Trimodality therapy
This method involves using chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy to treat mesothelioma and it’s most commonly used for pleural mesothelioma. This procedure aims to remove as many cancer cells as possible.
