MALIGNANT MESOTHELIOMA

Tumors of the mesothelium can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). A malignant tumor of the mesothelium is called a malignant mesothelioma. Because most mesothelial tumors are cancerous, malignant mesothelioma is often simply called mesothelioma

Clinical determination of a malignant mesothelioma condition results from diagnostic analysis of internal organ tissue. The malignant mesothelioma is verified via pathology lab tests of sample tissue collected typically during a thoracic exploratory surgery. Prior to the biopsy tests to determine the presence of malignant mesothelioma cancer cells, you will go through extensive physician interviewing as well as diagnostic testing before a definitive judgment can be made.

Your physician will interview you based initially on symptomology indicating potential malignant mesothelioma. Your indicator symptoms may include shortness of breath, fatigue, weight loss, swollen abdomen, sore back, coughing of blood, an excess build up of fluid between the lining of the lungs and chest wall as possible indicators of pleural mesothelioma, fever and aches, hoarseness and difficulty in swallowing.

Necessary prior conditions leading up to your current symptoms profile for presumptive malignant mesothelioma include direct or indirect exposure to asbestos, as may have occurred while you or a family member worked in industrial or construction related environments where asbestos was present, bonded to pipes or drywall insulation and related materials. In order to further qualify a judgment and treatment protocol for presumptive malignant mesothelioma, your physician, along with your insurance carrier, will seek related health records including your family's health history, disease incidence, known family genetics, lifestyle factors including diet and nutrition, age, gender, and whether you used or were exposed to tobacco products.

Because of the intertwining of complex health factors, predictive certainty for malignant mesothelioma often moves the diagnosis to other possible descriptions including chronic lung disorder such as asbestosis. On the other hand, where a biopsy has been conducted and the prior symptoms included fever, bowel disorder, stomach pain and swelling reflecting excess fluid build up or tumor growth, then the consulting physician will likely predict peritoneal mesothelioma as the underlying disease condition.

Unquestionably the rogue factor underscoring malignant mesothelioma is asbestos. A mined mineral broadly used in a range of construction environments, asbestos in any of its forms, such as crocidolite and amosite are lethal. In the reported 2000 new cases of malignant mesothelioma reported in the USA each year, victims can expect to pay over $200,000 in annual treatment costs, yet have less than a two-year life expectancy from the date of initial diagnosis.

Baffling to government and private researchers are statistics showing that seemingly identical populations, such as World War II ship building crews or drywall construction fabricators, evidence radically different outcomes while exposed to identical levels of asbestos in terms of the incidence of malignant mesothelioma. One population segment exposed to asbestos experiences nothing. The next population segment cycles towards asbestosis, a non-cancerous albeit chronic lung condition. Meanwhile, in the third broad population segment a 45 year gestation period of imbedded fibrous asbestos suddenly explodes into full-blown diagnosable malignant mesothelioma!

Since the speed of malignant mesothelioma constitutes a two-year life expectancy, chemo therapy or even radiation therapy can merely dampen one set of symptoms in exchange for a build-up of seemingly equivalent symptoms related to the therapy itself. Once diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, you need to undertake a regimen of rest, follow the health maintenance guidelines set out by your physician, consider your spiritual needs, and make appropriate plans relating to your estate and financial planning. If legal conditions indicate that you might join a class action mesothelioma lawsuit, then you'll want to identify a qualified contingency law firm to handle your interests.

Malignant mesotheliomas are divided into 3 main types:

1. About 50% to 70% of mesotheliomas are the epithelioid type. This type has the best prognosis (the outlook for survival).
2. The sarcomatoid type (7%-20%)
3. The mixed/biphasic type (20%-35%)

Treatment options for all 3 types are the same.

About three-fourths of mesotheliomas start in the chest cavity. They are known as pleural mesotheliomas. Another 10% to 20% begin in the abdomen. These are called peritoneal mesotheliomas. Pericardial mesotheliomas, those starting in the cavity around the heart, are very rare. The covering layer of the testicles is actually an outpouching of peritoneum into the scrotum. Mesotheliomas that affect this covering of the testicles are quite rare.