Mesothelioma is a cancer that affects the lining of the lungs or abdomen ...

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Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that primarily affects the lining of the lungs, but can also affect the heart, abdomen and other organs. Approximately 2,000 to 3,000 cases of mesothelioma cancer are diagnosed each year in the United States, comprising around .3 percent of all cancer diagnoses. The average age at diagnosis is 62 years of age, occurs about four times more frequently in men than in women and is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos.

The life expectancy for mesothelioma patients is generally reported as less than one year following diagnosis, however, a patient's prognosis can be positively affected by numerous factors including how early the cancer is diagnosed and how aggressively it is treated.

Mesothelioma Types
The type of mesothelioma you are diagnosed with effects what treatment you will receive, as well as your prognosis.

Pleural Mesothelioma Developing in the lining of the lungs, pleural mesothelioma is the most common form of the cancer. Approximately 75 percent of cases involve the pleura.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma Developing in the lining of the abdominal cavity, peritoneal mesothelioma represents about 20 percent of all mesothelioma cases.

Pericardial Mesothelioma Representing about 5 percent of mesothelioma cases, pericardial mesothelioma is a very rare form of the cancer that develops in the lining of the heart.

Mesothelioma Causes
Exposure to asbestos is the leading cause of mesothelioma cancer. Exposure can occur by either inhaling or ingesting asbestos fibers, which typically become airborne after asbestos-containing products have been damaged. When these microscopic fibers are inhaled, they can become lodged in the lining of the lungs and cause pleural mesothelioma. When ingested, the fibers can become lodged in the lining of the abdomen and lead to peritoneal mesothelioma.

Occupational exposure to asbestos presents the greatest risk of developing mesothelioma later in life since workers were exposed to asbestos through the products they used regularly. Secondary exposure to asbestos - which occurs when someone occupationally exposed to asbestos brings home the toxic fibers on their clothing, skin and hair - can also lead to mesothelioma. Environmental exposure to asbestos is another cause of mesothelioma cancer, and one of the most prominent examples is the city-wide exposure that has taken place in Libby, Montana.

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