nzou.com

What is Mesothelioma?

Mesothelium is the name of a very thin membrane of tissue that covers the lungs, the heart and the large cavity in your abdomen.  Think of it like plastic shrink-wrap that lines the inside of the chest and abdominal cavities and that hugs the lungs and heart.  The mesothelium that wraps around the lungs is called the pleura, the mesothelium around the heart is called the pericardium, and the mesothelium lining the inside of the abdominal cavity is called the peritoneum.  The suffix “oma” refers to a growth.  Thus, mesothelioma literally means a growth on a mesothelium.

Mesothelioma has been strongly associated with asbestos exposure, radiation exposure and certain viruses that carry specific genes.

Malignant mesotheliomas are very rare, and are usually found on the pleura and have a poor prognosis, even with aggressive surgical intervention.  Individuals considered to be at the highest risk for mesothelioma are those with a history of asbestos exposure.  It can be as long as 20 to 30 years before exposed individuals develop symptoms, with shortness of breath being the most common symptom.