Mesothelioma

Forms of Mesothelioma and Mesothelioma Symptoms

The disease takes on several major forms:

Pleural mesothelioma
Malignant pleural mesothelioma is the most common form of the disease, and involves the pleura, the lining that surrounds the lungs and covers the inside of the chest cavity. The space between the two layers of the pleura is known as the pleural cavity. The small amount of fluid normally found in the pleural cavity serves as a lubrication between the lungs and the chest wall. The most common symptom is persistent chest pain.

Peritoneal mesothelioma
Peritoneal mesothelioma involves the abdominal cavity, and can infiltrate the liver, spleen or the bowel. As with pleural mesothelioma, pain is the most common symptom, but symptoms can also include fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity, nausea, vomiting, swelling of the feet, fever and difficulty with bowel movements.

Pericardial mesothelioma
Pericardial mesothelioma involves the membranes surrounding the heart, and is the rarest form of the disease. Symptoms include chest pain, persistent coughing, shortness of breath and palpitations.

Asbestos Linked As Causing Mesothelioma

Exposure to asbestos may either be through inhalation (breathing) or ingestion (swallowing) of microscopic asbestos fibers and dust particles. While most cases of mesothelioma are through occupational exposure (actually working with the substance), even incidental contact with asbestos materials or products, such as during home renovation, has been known to cause the disease. Exposure to asbestos can also be environmental (home or workplace), or even by contact with the work clothes of family members who worked with asbestos.

Once the disease developes into a diagnosable cancer, it typically spreads rapidly through the mesothelial cells. Often symptoms of mesothelioma do not occur until many years, even several decades, following exposure to asbestos. Many current sufferers of the disease were exposed to asbestos fibers up to several decades ago. At greatest risk of developing asbestos related disease are those who worked in shipbuilding, asbestos mining, construction, and even automobile brake lining repair industries. If you worked in these industries, either directly with the application of asbestos insulation, or even in buildings where asbestos was used, you may be at risk.

Asbestos has been used extensively as an insulation material in commercial and residential buildings, including schools and apartment structures, particularly around heating pipes and ducts. It has also been used in roofing, flooring and even residential siding materials. Because it is not flamable, it was also used in fireproofing applications. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), nearly 20% of all buildings contain asbestos in one form or another. While relatively safe when fully covered and sealed, microscopic asbestos fibers are easily released if these coverings are damaged or disturbed.

The removal of asbestos, or asbestos abatement, can be more dangerous than leaving it intact. If done, asbestos abatement must be performed only by those properly trained and equipped, using proper precautions.

In most cases, hazardous asbestos materials can be identified by experienced plumbers, heating contractors, or other building professionals. In some cases an analysis of the hazard is performed by a scientific process known as polarized light microscopy. The important thing is not so much the presence of asbestos, but whether its fibers may become airborne, subject to being inhaled by humans. Where it is determined that such a risk is involved, abatement of the problem may be done through removal or encapsulation. Sometimes encapsulation, the sealing of asbestos containing materials in place, is far less hazardous than removal. Removal should be done only by qualified persons, certified asbestos abatement contractors.

If you know, or have reason to believe, that you were ever exposed to loose asbestos fibers at any time in your life, even decades ago, you should consider being tested for this disease, even before the onset of symptoms.

Often the first mesothelioma symptom is chest pain, eventually worsening to include coughing and difficulty in breathing, sometimes accompanied by fever or weight loss. Diagnosis is accomplished by means of a chest CT scan.

The Mesothelioma Epidemic

Mesothelioma is a serious disease worldwide. In Great Britain mesothelioma mortality has reached epidemic proportions. The number of people dying of mesothelioma in 2001 (1,848) was twelve times greater than the number of mesothelioma deaths in 1968 (153). (Source: Mesothelioma mortality in Great Britain from 1968 to 2001.)

This mortality study concluded that, "Geographical areas and occupations associated with high exposure to asbestos in the past continue to drive the mesothelioma epidemic in Great Britain. However, the trends over time suggest a change in the balance of risk away from traditional asbestos exposure industries to industries where one could describe the exposure as secondary, such as plumbers and gas fitters, carpenters, and electricians."

This British study also showed that mesothelioma mortality is on the rise. The researchers predict that mortality rates will peak between 2011 and 2015, and that, "Between 1968 and 2050, there will have been approximately 90,000 deaths from mesothelioma in Great Britain, 65,000 of which will occur after 2001." (Source: The expected burden of mesothelioma mortality in Great Britain from 2002 to 2050.) The anticipated decline in death rates following the year 2015 will be as a result of the current decline in asbestos exposure. An Italian study suggests that mesothelioma mortality will peak between 2012 and 2024. (Source: Predictions of mortality from pleural mesothelioma in Italy: a model based on asbestos consumption figures supports results from age-period-cohort models, published by the Epidemiology Unit, Occupational Medicine Department, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Prevention, Rome, Italy)

The largest producers of asbestos used to be the Soviet Union and Italy. Following its identification as a known carcinogen, Asbestos exposure reduction measures were introduced in the 1970s, and use of asbestos was banned in Italy in 1992. In the United States, however, the use and production of asbestos products remains legal. In the early 1970s public health professionals finally succeeded in bringing the growing deaths and illnesses related to asbestos exposure to the attention of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As these agencies became aware of asbestos-related health hazards, they issued safety standards and regulations dealing with asbestos. In 1971 the EPA, under the Clean Air Act, put forth an emissons standard dealing with asbestos. Begining in 1972 and continuing over the next decade, OSHA promulgated increasingly protective occupational standards. By 1979 these agencies had become serious enough about the health hazards of asbestos, that the EPA issued a notice of intent to regulate asbestos under authority of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). This prompted the producers of asbestos, most notably those in Canada, to pressure the government to halt these efforts. In a typically insane court decision, the Fifth Circuit vacated the ban that had been sought by the EPA. (Source: The Failed EPA Asbestos Ban)

Mesothelioma Litigation

Because the dangers of asbestos exposure and the potential for causing disease have been known for many years, and because the diagnosis of Mesotheliooma almost always involves exposure to asbestos, employers and asbestos suppliers have often been found negligent. Multi-million dollar settlements have been won by those seeking legal remedies, since medical remedies are ineffective at producing a cure. A number of lawyers have found that working to help mesothelioma sufferers seek compensation has proven to be quite lucrative. While this is certainly not a cure, those suffering from Mesothelioma can take some comfort in knowing that many personal injury attorneys are familiar with the disease and applicable case law. Many lawyers and law firms specialize in mesothelioma litigation, where negligence awards are sometimes in the millions of dollars. Here is a case where lawyers may ultimately have a positive impact on society as a whole, for the more asbestos-related lawsuits they win, and the more they make the asbestos industry pay, the sooner this extremely hazardous substance will be removed from the market.

More Mesothelioma Information

For more information on asbestos in consumer products, contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission at 1-800-638-2772.

For names of laboratories qualified to analyze test samples for asbestos, or for further guidance and technical assistance, contact the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at 1-800-334-8571 or (202) 554-1404.