Mesothelioma FAQ
Here you can find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) about malignant mesothelioma. You should also explore other pages in this section for more detailed information on this asbestos-caused cancer.
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What Is the Mesothelium?
The mesothelium is the membrane that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the body. It is composed of two layers of cells: one layer immediately surrounds the organ; the other forms a sac around it. 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. The mesothelium has different names, depending on its location in the body. The peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity. 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.
How Common Is Mesothelioma?
Although reported incidence rates have increased in the past 20 years, mesothelioma cancer is still relatively rare. About 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year. Mesothelioma cancer 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.
What Are the Risk Factors for Mesothelioma?
Exposure to asbestos is the only real cause of 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 who almost certainly had asbestos exposure, but were unable to recall their exposure to asbestos. Smoking does not increase the risk of mesothelioma. However, the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure significantly increases a person’s risk of developing lung cancer.
Who Is at Increased Risk for Developing Mesothelioma?
Asbestos has been mined and used commercially since the late 1800s. Its use greatly increased during World War II. Since the early 1940s, millions of American workers have been exposed to asbestos dust. An increased risk of developing mesothelioma was found among insulators, shipyard workers, people who work in asbestos mines and mills, producers of asbestos products, workers in the heating and construction industries, and other tradespeople.
The risk of asbestos-related disease increases with heavier exposure to asbestos and longer exposure time. However, some individuals with only brief exposures have developed mesothelioma. On the other hand, not all workers who are heavily exposed develop asbestos-related diseases.
Family members and others living with asbestos workers have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, and other asbestos-related diseases. This risk is the result of exposure to asbestos dust brought home on the clothing and hair of asbestos workers.
