Mesothelioma Risk

Mesothelioma and Asbestos

Asbestos-related deaths have increased fourfold in the past three decades. Although asbestos exposure causes mesothelioma, the latency period after exposure could last 15 to 50 years. This means if you worked in a job with asbestos 40 years ago you could be developing mesothelioma now. If you were exposed to loose asbestos fibers, you should be tested regularly for mesothelioma.

Virtually all cases of mesothelioma are related to inhaling of asbestos fibers. There are about 3,000 cases per year (mostly men over the age of 40) and there will be about 300,000 cases before 2030. Mesothelioma usually spreads rapidly through the mesothelial cells to the heart and abdominal organs. The life span is typically 24 months after diagnosis, but it depends on what stage the cancer is detected, the health of the patient and other factors.

The onset of mesothelioma symptoms usually takes a long time. The first symptom is often a constant chest pain. This pain is later accompanies by difficulty breathing due to an accumulation of fluid in the chest. Other symptoms include coughing, fever and weight loss. Mesothelioma can be diagnosed by your doctor with a chest CT-scan.

The FDA recently approved a new drug used to treat malignant pleural mesothelioma, a rare cancer usually associated with asbestos exposure.

The drug is called Alimta, or pemetrexed disodium, and it's distributed by Eli Lilly and Company. Alimta is intended to be used along with cisplatin. If you have mesothelioma, you should ask your doctor about this drug to see if it is right for you.