Our body has a thin lining of tissues called mesothelium, covering internal organs like the abdomen, lungs, and heart. The lining allows organs to slide against each other without friction. Mesothelial tumors can develop in the lining and cause cells to grow abnormally, destroying normal body tissues and leading to health complications. Statistics show that every year, about 3,000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma, and 80% of cases are related to the lungs.

Types of mesothelioma
Mesothelioma cancer can be categorized into four distinct types, depending on the body part it affects. The cancer cells in the mesothelium infiltrate and destroy normal body tissues in these parts, leading to fluid build-up, weakened immunity, and other complications. The types of cancers are: pleural (lungs and the chest), peritoneal (abdomen), pericardial (heart), and testicular (testicles) mesothelioma.

Symptoms
Mesothelioma Cancer is asymptomatic in its early stages. The signs only begin to show after 20 to 50 years of asbestos exposure, after which it grows rapidly and leads to health complications. Some of its common symptoms include shortness of breath, fever, loss of appetite, chest pain, persistent cough, coughing up blood, night sweats, lung collapse, and unusual lumps of tissue under one’s chest skin or swollen testicles. Apart from that, people with the condition may also experience breathing issues, pericardial effusion, difficulty swallowing, fatigue, pneumonia, wheezing, and respiratory failure. The symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma are similar to those of irritable bowel syndrome, hernia, or ulcerative colitis, while pleural mesothelioma symptoms are more comparable to asthma, pneumonia, and chronic bronchitis.

Causes and risk factors
Mesothelioma cancer is a rare disease more commonly observed in men. The number of patients, however, is no longer on the rise compared to the previous years. Here are some of the known risk factors of the disease:

Exposure to asbestos: This is the only known cause of mesothelioma, and it accounts for 70 to 80% of cancer cases. Asbestos is a group of fibrous minerals used extensively in construction, shipbuilding, and the automotive industry for strengthening and insulating different materials.

Age: While this cancer can affect youngsters, it is uncommon in those below 45. The average age of those who develop pericardial mesothelioma is 65 or higher. Additionally, based on the average workforce composition, men tend to work in industries with higher asbestos exposure, so they are more likely to develop mesothelioma.

Further, other less common risk factors include BAP1 gene mutation, which runs in families, and exposure to radiation therapy that causes cell damage.

Prevention
Asbestos fiber exposure of any kind does not have a “safe” limit. Even a few days of exposure can pose a serious threat to one’s health. Employers must abide by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards regarding asbestos exposure at work, particularly in the construction, shipbuilding, and automotive industry. The safety protocols like using respiratory protective equipment, disposable overalls, and proper sanitization should be followed. Those close to asbestos can use gloves, eye gear, and PPE kits for better protection.

Treatment options
Mesothelioma treatments can control and ease the symptoms. Doctors initially recommend tests for cancer detection, which can include blood tests, chest x-rays, and CT scans to look for tumors. Then they may recommend a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy to treat the disease if detected at an early stage. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy reduce the size of the tumor, while surgery removes it. The treatment options can be limited if mesothelioma cancer has spread to other organs and is detected in advanced stages. If one notices any common symptoms or is susceptible to the disease due to asbestos exposure, they should get consultations from multiple doctors, as the disease and its prognosis are rare, and some healthcare professionals may not be well-versed in detecting and treating the tumor.

The survival rate for people with the condition depends on various factors, like the type and stage at which the mesothelioma cancer is detected, the patient’s age, and the possibility of surgery. Peritoneal mesothelioma has a higher survival rate when compared with other types of mesothelioma cancers. Pleural mesothelioma is the most severe and common among the four types, while peritoneal has a comparatively better prognosis as it does not develop near vital organs. One of the reasons for the low survival rate associated with the disease is late diagnosis. The disease develops gradually without any obvious early symptoms and is only detected once it has spread to other organs. So, if one has a history of asbestos exposure and experiences any of the aforementioned symptoms, they should seek help and get tested immediately.