Mesothelioma

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Basics

• Summary
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• Diagnosis and Tests
• Prevention and Risk Factors
• Treatments and Therapies

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• Related Issues
• Specifics

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• Statistics and Research
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Summary

The tissue that lines your lungs, stomach, heart, and other organs is called mesothelium. Mesothelioma, also known as malignant mesothelioma, is cancer of that tissue. It usually starts in the lungs, but can also start in the abdomen or other organs.

Malignant mesothelioma is rare but serious. Most people who get it have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles. After being exposed to asbestos, it usually takes a long time for the disease to form.

Symptoms include

• Trouble breathing
• Pain under the rib cage
• Pain, swelling, or lumps in the abdomen
• Weight loss for no known reason

Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference between malignant mesothelioma and lung cancer. Your doctor uses imaging tests and a biopsy to make the diagnosis. Malignant mesothelioma is often found when it is advanced. This makes it harder to treat. Treatment may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and/or targeted therapy. Targeted therapy uses substances that attack cancer cells without harming normal cells.

NIH: National Cancer Institute

Start Here

• General Information about Malignant Mesothelioma (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Mesothelioma (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• What Is Malignant Mesothelioma? (American Cancer Society)

Diagnosis and Tests

• How Is Malignant Mesothelioma Diagnosed? (American Cancer Society)
• Stages of Malignant Mesothelioma (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Can Malignant Mesothelioma Be Found Early? (American Cancer Society)
• Do We Know What Causes Malignant Mesothelioma? (American Cancer Society)

Treatments and Therapies

• Drugs Approved for Malignant Mesothelioma (National Cancer Institute)
• Treatment Option Overview (Malignant Mesothelioma) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Treatment Options for Malignant Mesothelioma (National Cancer Institute)

Related Issues

• Asbestos Exposure and Cancer Risk (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish

Specifics

• Peritoneal Mesothelioma (Abdominal Mesothelioma) (Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation)

Statistics and Research

• What Are the Key Statistics about Malignant Mesothelioma? (American Cancer Society)
• What's New in Malignant Mesothelioma Research and Treatment? (American Cancer Society)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Mesothelioma (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: What can independent research for mesothelioma achieve to treat this orphan...
• Article: Biomarkers for detecting malignant pleural mesothelioma: Protocol for a reanalysis of...
• Article: Small intestinal intussusception in an adult.
• Mesothelioma -- see more articles
• Asbestos related mesothelioma -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• American Cancer Society
• American Lung Association
• National Cancer Institute Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• Malignant mesothelioma (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Solitary fibrous tumor (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish