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Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that affects cells (called mesothelium) that line the pleura (chest cavity) or the peritoneum (abdominal cavity). Most people with mesothelioma have worked in jobs where they breathed in fibers of asbestos. Others have been exposed to asbestosis fibers in their homes, often without knowing it.
The disease process
Irritant dust particles present in some work environments or homes can cause chronic lung disease, generally called pneumoconiosis. The type of pneumoconiosis caused by asbestos fibers is called asbestosis. Asbestos is a mineral fiber that was commonly added to many products in the past to strengthen them, as well as to provide heat insulation and fire resistance. Asbestos in a home or building is not hazardous until it becomes damaged over time, releasing asbestos fibers into the air. Breathing in these fibers can cause scarring in the lungs and gradual destruction of the lung tissue. Over time, asbestos may trigger the development of mesothelioma.
Because of the long delay between exposure to asbestos and the onset of mesothelioma, exposure that occurred even decades ago (for example, among shipyard workers during World War II), may place a person at risk for developing this type of cancer. An exposure lasting only one or two months can result in mesothelioma developing 30 or 40 years later. People diagnosed with mesothelioma today were usually exposed in the 1940s through the 1970s.
Survival rates
Like most cancers, the outlook for recovery (prognosis) often depends on how early the disease is diagnosed and how aggressively it acts and is treated. Patients are often told that the expected survival time is only 12 to 18 months. However, specialists at leading cancer centers often have better statistics. For example, the five-year survival rate has approached 40 percent for selected patients at Brigham and Women's Center in Boston.
This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.
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