Mesothelioma, more precisely malignant mesothelioma, is a rare form of cancer that develops from the protective lining that covers many of the body's internal organs, the mesothelium. The disease is most commonly caused by exposure to asbestos fibers.
Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos, or they have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in other ways. Mesothelioma is a highly aggressive form of cancer that is usually resistant to standard cancer treatments.
Most mesothelioma patients may not even realize they have cancer until symptoms start to interfere with their daily lives. Symptoms generally don’t appear until at least 20 years after someone was exposed to asbestos, and sometimes symptoms are hidden for as long as 50 years.
Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking, but smoking greatly increases the risk of other asbestos-induced cancers.
While there is no cure for mesothelioma, various clinical trials are studying the disease and several cases of remission have been reported. In addition, treatments are available that are effective at easing pain, suffering and symptoms, extending life expectancy and generally improving a patient’s quality of life.
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