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Mesothelioma Information
What is mesothelioma?Mesothelioma (cancer of the mesothelium) is a disease in which cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide without control or order. They can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also metastasize (spread) from their original site to other parts of the body. Most cases of mesothelioma begin in the pleura or peritoneum. What is the mesothelium?The mesothelium produces a lubricating fluid that is released between these layers, allowing moving organs (such as the beating heart and the expanding and contracting lungs) to glide easily against adjacent structures. It is a membrane that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the body. Composed of two layers of cells: One immediately surrounds the organ, the other forms a sac around it. It has different names depending on its location. The pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. The pericardium covers and protects the heart. The mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis testis. The tunica serosa uteri covers the internal reproductive organs in women. The peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity. How common is mesothelioma?Mesothelioma is still a relatively rare cancer, although reported incidence rates have increased in the past 20 years. Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and risk increases with age, but this disease can appear in either men or women at any age. About 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year. What are the risk factors for mesothelioma?A history of asbestos exposure at work is reported in about 70 percent to 80 percent of all cases. However, mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos. The combination of smoking and asbestos exposure significantly increases a person's risk of developing cancer of the air passageways in the lung. However, smoking does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma. adapted from the national cancer institute Further InformationMesothelioma Home Page - cancer.govInformation treatments, prevention, trials and more literature. www.cancer.gov/ |
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