Mesothelioma Research

Funding for mesothelioma research falls far short of that for other cancers, but new drugs and treatment options are facilitated through important clinical trials. These experimental studies are small and controlled opportunities for scientists to develop effective drugs like Cisplatin and Carboplatin. New cutting-edge clinical trials are being introduced all the time at cancer centers around the world.

Support Group for Mesothelioma Patients & Families

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a form of mesothelioma, join our support group to hear from others who find themselves in the same situation as you. Call (800) 615-2270 to sign up.

Prognosis

The prognosis for mesothelioma is most affected by the stage of the cancer. Both early and late-stage patients have treatment options to improve their prognosis. Many mesothelioma patients live longer than their estimated life expectancy and such outcomes are dependent on a number of prognostic factors, including:

• Stage of cancer
• Type of mesothelioma
• Tumor cell type
• Overall health

• Gender
• Symptoms
• Size and location of tumor
• Blood characteristics

Survivors

Despite the often poor prognosis of someone who has malignant mesothelioma, there are a number of encouraging stories of success – bios of people who are beating the disease and living to celebrate special days with wives, husbands, kids and grandkids. Each mesothelioma survivor has a tale to tell, and there is something to take away from every story.

See survivor stories

Jo Denham, Survivor

Legal Help for Mesothelioma

People with malignant mesothelioma often have legal options because of the cause of the disease - exposure to asbestos. Those options include filing a claim with an established asbestos trust fund or filing a lawsuit against a company or companies believed to be responsible for the exposure. A winning claim, a winning lawsuit or a case settlement can help patients recoupmedical expenses and can help secure the financial future for their families.

Fast Fact: A 2011 report from the Government Accountability Office reported that $36.8 billion remained in asbestos trusts. This money was set aside to help compensate people with mesothelioma and their families.

One reason legal options exist is because of liability. Asbestos-related diseases are considered 100 percent preventable. Asbestos mining companies, manufacturers of asbestos-containing products, and employers who did not inform workers about potential exposure all could have some liability issue if they fail to prevent exposure to asbestos. Communicating with an experienced mesothelioma lawyer helps patients and families understand how legal options can help cover other damages.

Learn more about filing a claim

Settlements

Most mesothelioma lawsuits are settled out of court - before they to go trial. A paper trail of occupational asbestos exposure can lead defendants to get out from under lawsuit costs as soon as possible. Settlements can range from moderate to large sums, it all depends on the case.

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Verdicts

The outcome of an asbestos-related lawsuit can vary because each case is unique and comes with its own set of facts, but juries have returned with verdicts of $337.million (for Alfred Todak), $30.3 million (for Susan Buttitta) and $22 million (for Eugene McCarthy and Walter Koczur).

Learn more

Recent Mesothelioma News

Researchers at the National Cancer Institute recently uncovered a better way to use immunotoxin drugs like SS1P to kill mesothelioma cancer cells without harming the healthy ones. The key was finding the right drug combination to work as immune suppressors, which allowed the immunotoxin to work more effectively. The results were impressive, as a large percentage of patients with advanced mesothelioma found their tumors shrink during a recent trial with SS1P.

University of Pennsylvania researchers also came up with a recent advancement in the staging of mesothelioma, which should allow doctors to diagnose the disease earlier and treat it more effectively. Their study involved previously overlooked posterior intercostal lymph nodes, which were examined for the first time in patients who had undergone radical pleurectomies

How Mesothelioma is Diagnosed

All patients have a unique path to a diagnosis, but the most important factors to an accurate diagnosis are imaging scans and biopsies. Doctors use several tests to diagnose mesothelioma. Most people initially undergo a basic chest X-ray to check for any abnormalities. If abnormal growth is detected, a doctor will recommend a more detailed imaging scan like a PET scan, CT scan or MRI. If mesothelioma is suspected, a biopsy will be recommended. In a biopsy, a tissue sample is collected to confirm the presence of mesothelioma cells.

Blood tests for mesothelioma are also available, but they do not confirm the presence of mesothelioma. Research and development is underway to determine if mesothelioma blood tests can aid in early diagnosis for at-risk former asbestos workers.

Learn more about how mesothelioma is diagnosed

Staging

There are at least five systems that doctors use for the staging of pleural mesothelioma. Older systems like those created by Drs. Butchart and Sugarbaker did not classify tumors with tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) descriptors, so the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (IMIG) developed the detailed IMIG staging system in 1995. This system is the most widely used staging system for mesothelioma.

Learn more about mesothelioma stages

Mesothelioma Treatment

Treatment options for mesothelioma include surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. Many mesothelioma doctors prefer to combine two or more of these treatments, an approach known as multimodal therapy. Clinical trials show this approach has improved survival rates.

Surgery

Curative surgery is available for early stage patients, while palliative surgery is best for late-stage patients and helps to ease symptoms.

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Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is often combined with surgery or radiation therapy to kill malignant cells, shrink tumors, prevent recurrence and relieve symptoms.

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Radiation

Radiation therapy is used alone or in combination with chemotherapy or surgery to kill cancer cells, manage tumors and prevent tumor seeding.

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Palliative treatments that ease symptoms are quite common for patients of all stages. Experimental therapies like immunotherapy are showing progress for the future of mesothelioma treatment. Additionally, less traditional alternative treatments are available and widely touted by mesothelioma survivors.

Learn more about mesothelioma treatment

Mesothelioma Doctors & Treatment Centers

Mesothelioma doctors encompass a number of specialties, including surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, radiologists, pathologists and palliative care specialists. All can be part of a mesothelioma treatment team. Working with a mesothelioma specialist can make all the difference in your treatment.

Find mesothelioma doctors

Find mesothelioma treatment centers

The most regarded mesothelioma treatment centers attract patients from across the country. Renowned for their cutting-edge technology and groundbreaking research, these centers connect patients with a multidisciplinary team of physicians with years of experience in treating mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma cancer most commonly develops in the lungs of people exposed to asbestos.

Effective treatments are available to ease symptoms and improve your prognosis.

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer caused almost exclusively by exposure to asbestos. It usually affects the thin, protective membrane surrounding the lungs, heart or abdominal cavity. Doctors diagnose an estimated 3,000 cases of mesothelioma a year in the United States, and the majority of those are traced to job-related exposure.

Although asbestos use declined dramatically in recent decades in this country, the incidence of mesothelioma remains steady. That difference can be traced to the distinct latency period linked to mesothelioma. The disease can take anywhere from 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos before it shows obvious symptoms and an oncologist can make a definitive diagnosis. While no cure for the disease exists and the prognosis is typically poor, researchers made significant progress in recent years in understanding mesothelioma and developing new treatment options and alternative therapies.

How Asbestos Causes Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma cancer develops after exposure to asbestos, which most often occurs in the workplace – in industrial settings, shipyards, auto repair shops, old houses, schools and public buildings. It usually takes long-term exposure to put someone at risk, asbestos is highly toxic. Even short-term and one-time exposures are known to cause mesothelioma cancer.

Microscopic asbestos fibers are breathed in or swallowed. The human body has difficulty destroying or getting rid of these fibers. Over decades, the fibers cause biological changes that result in inflammation, scarring and genetic damage. The most susceptible area to these fibers is the lining of the lungs, called the pleura, although fibers also can become trapped in the lining of the abdominal cavity (peritoneum). Once fibers cause biological damage, the stage is set for the decades-long latency period for the development of malignant mesothelioma.

Learn more about the causes of mesothelioma

Types and Symptoms

Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of mesothelioma, representing about 75 percent of cases. Peritoneal mesothelioma is the second most common type, consisting of about 10 to 20 percent of cases. Approximately 1 percent of cases are of the pericardial variety. Another rare type known as testicular mesothelioma represents less than 1 percent of cases.

Pleural

This type forms in the lining of the lungs. An increased incidence rate led to more studies to improve treatment methods and survival rates.

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Peritoneal

Developing in the lining of the abdominal cavity, peritoneal mesothelioma responds best to a combination of surgery and heated chemotherapy.

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Pericardial

Emerging from the lining of the heart, pericardial mesothelioma is the most challenging to treat because of tumor location.

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Mesothelioma Symptoms

Because early symptoms of mesothelioma are so mild, few people notice or recognize them, and many don't experience any symptoms until later stages of the cancer. Fatigue and slight pain around the tumor may surface in early stages. Late-stage malignant mesothelioma symptoms are more noticeable and commonly provoke someone to visit the doctor. These late-onset symptoms can include shortness of breath, chronic pain near the tumor, weight loss, fluid buildup or bowel obstruction. Effective therapies are available to relieve symptoms, and some treatments, like talc pleurodesis, can even prevent symptom recurrence.

The mesothelium and its associated cancerous conditions:

The mesothelium and its associated cancerous condition, mesothelioma, is relatively unknown by most people. It is most often found in men, but sometimes in women.

The mesothelium is the membrane that lines three of the body's cavities: the pleura or thoracic cavity; the peritoneum or abdominal cavity; and the pericardium or heart sac. Mesothelial tissue is also found in the male internal reproductive organs and it covers the internal reproductive organs in women.

The mesothelium comes from the mesoderm cell layer that lines the body cavity in the embryonic state. It becomes the layer of cells that covers and protects our internal organs. The mesothelium has two layers of cells. The first layer immediately surrounds the organ and the second layer is the sac that surrounds the cavity.

The mesothelium produces a lubricating fluid that is released between the two layers, allowing moving organs, such as the beating heart, the expanding lungs and the active intestine, to glide easily within the body cavity.

Mesothelioma is a cancerous disease in which cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide without control. They can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs and thecancer cells can also spread from their original site to other parts of the body. Most cases of mesothelioma begin in the peritoneal cavity. Mesothelioma is linked to asbestos exposure and smoking.

Early symptoms of mesothelioma are generally non-specific, and may lead to a delay in diagnosis. Sometimes resembling viral pneumonia, mesothelioma patients who have the disease in their lungs may complain of shortness of breath, chest pain or persistent cough. Some patients don't have any symptoms at all. Symptoms for peritoneal mesothelioma can include pain or swelling in the abdomen, weight loss, bowel obstruction, anemia, or swelling of the feet.

Remember that only a doctor can make an exact diagnosis. Sometimes, the symptoms for mesothelioma are very similar to less serious conditions, so it is imperative that you discuss your symptoms with a physician.

Anatomy And Physiology Of  The Mesothelium:

Mesothelial cells are flat cells that produce a small amount of lubricating fluid. A layer of mesothelial cells form a membrane that lines body cavities and covers the outer surface of most of the body’s internal organs. The lining formed by the mesothelial cells is called the mesothelium or mesothelial membrane.

The mesothelium commonly lines the inside of the chest, the abdomen and the space around the heart (pericardium). Malignant mesothelioma most commonly starts in mesothelial cells in the pleura, followed by the peritoneum.

Structure

Pleura

The body has 2 pleural cavities in the chest, and each cavity contains a lung. The cavities are lined with a mesothelial membrane called the pleura or pleural membrane. The pleura is made up of 2 continuous layers:

• visceral pleura (inner pleura)
  • The visceral pleura covers the outer surface of the lung and sticks (adheres) to all its surfaces. It clings to the lung fissures, which separate the lobes of the lung, so that each lobe is also covered with visceral pleura.
• parietal pleura (outer pleura)
  • The parietal pleura lines the chest wall and extends over the diaphragm and mediastinum. The diaphragm is the thin muscle below the lungs and heart that separates the chest cavity from the abdomen. The mediastinum is the space in the chest between the lungs, breastbone and spine that contains structures such as the heart, blood vessels, trachea (windpipe), esophagus and lymph nodes.

The area between the 2 layers of pleura is called the pleural space. There is normally only a small amount of fluid in the pleural space.

Blood vessels, bronchi, nerves and the pleura come together at the entrance of the lung, called the hilum. Bronchopulmonary lymph nodes, which help drain lymph fluid from the lungs, are located here. The neck and chest contain many other lymph nodes that also help drain lymph fluid from the lungs and other structures in the chest:

• Scalene lymph nodes are located at the base of the neck.
• Supraclavicular lymph nodes are located above the collarbone.
• Internal mammary lymph nodes are located inside the chest, behind and around the breastbone (sternum).
• Subcarinal lymph nodes are located around the windpipe (trachea).
• Hilar lymph nodes are located in the chest where the bronchus enters the lung.
• Mediastinal lymph nodes are located around the mediastinum.
• Bronchopulmonary lymph nodes are located around the bronchi (large tubes, or airways) within the lung.

Peritoneum

The mesothelial membrane that covers the abdominal organs and lines the abdominal and pelvic walls is called the peritoneum. The peritoneum is made up of 2 layers:

• The visceral peritoneum covers and supports most of the internal abdominal organs.
• The parietal peritoneum lines the wall of the abdomen and pelvis.

A narrow fluid-filled space separates the parietal peritoneum from the visceral peritoneum.

Function

The mesothelial membranes help protect organs by making a special lubricating fluid that allows the organs to move around.

Pleura

The pleura help protect and cushion the lungs. The lubricating fluid that fills the pleural space allows the 2 layers of the pleura to slide easily over each other and makes it easier for the lungs to move inside the chest when we breathe.

Peritoneum

The peritoneum helps protect the organs in the abdomen and keeps them in place. It also makes a lubricating fluid that helps organs move smoothly against each other inside the abdomen as we move around