What is Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a very rare type of cancer a rare form of carcinoma of the mesothelium lining lungs or abdomen or heart; usually associated with exposure to asbestos dust. When it develops, mesothelioma is almost always caused by asbestos.

There are two types:

Pleural Mesothelioma is a Cancer of the pleura, which is the membrane that lines the lungs and chest cavity.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma is a cancer of the peritoneum, which is the lining of the abdomen.

Mesothelioma, like other cancers, will not normally develop for many years after first exposure to asbestos. However, some people have developed mesothelioma merely from being around a worker's contaminated clothing.

The Facts:

• Through 2003, more than 700,000 people have filed claims against more than 6,000 companies. Asbestos companies knew of the dangers for many years before ever warning the public of those risks.

• About 4,000 people die from Mesothelioma every year, the rare cancer caused by asbestos exposure.

• It is estimated that 27.5 million Americans were exposed to asbestos between 1940 and 1979.

• There are currently about 3000 new cases of Mesothelioma diagnosed per year, mostly in men over the age of 40.

• It is estimated that there will be about 250,000 cases of Mesothelioma before 2020.

• Mesothelioma has a latency period of 20 to 50 years after the first exposure to asbestos.

• During the twentieth century, some 30 million tons of asbestos were used in industrial sites, homes, schools, shipyards and commercial buildings in the United States. Many asbestos-containing products remain in buildings, ships, industrial facilities and other environments where the fibers can become airborne.

• You must file an asbestos-related lawsuit within 1 year of when you knew of or should have reasonably known of your medical diagnosis and disability.

• The executor of the estate of a person who has died from an asbestos-related disease may be eligible to file a claim. Legal action must be taken within 1 year from the date of death.

What is Peritoneal Mesothelioma ?

Peritoneal Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is found in the abdomen in a thin membrane called the peritoneum.

Symptoms include abdominal swelling, loss of appetite, and weakness. The only known cause to this disease is exposure to asbestos.

Due to the latency effect of this cancer, this exposure is likely to have taken place 20 or more years ago.

This type of mesothelioma is the less common and is found in less than 30% of all mesothelioma cases.

The Facts:

• Through 2003, more than 700,000 people have filed claims against more than 6,000 companies. Asbestos companies knew of the dangers for many years before ever warning the public of those risks.

• About 4,000 people die from Mesothelioma every year, the rare cancer caused by asbestos exposure.

• It is estimated that 27.5 million Americans were exposed to asbestos between 1940 and 1979.

• There are currently about 3000 new cases of Mesothelioma diagnosed per year, mostly in men over the age of 40.

• It is estimated that there will be about 250,000 cases of Mesothelioma before 2020.

• Mesothelioma has a latency period of 20 to 50 years after the first exposure to asbestos.

• During the twentieth century, some 30 million tons of asbestos were used in industrial sites, homes, schools, shipyards and commercial buildings in the United States. Many asbestos-containing products remain in buildings, ships, industrial facilities and other environments where the fibers can become airborne.

• You must file an asbestos-related lawsuit within 1 year of when you knew of or should have reasonably known of your medical diagnosis and disability.

• The executor of the estate of a person who has died from an asbestos-related disease may be eligible to file a claim. Legal action must be taken within 1 year from the date of death.

Mesothelioma Treatment Options

There are three treatments for all patients with malignant mesothelioma.

• surgery (taking out the cancer)
• radiation therapy (using high-dose x-rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer cells)
• chemotherapy (using drugs to fight the cancer)

Surgery is a common treatment of malignant mesothelioma. The doctor may remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it. Depending on how far the cancer has spread, a lung also may be removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy. Sometimes part of the diaphragm, the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing, is also removed.

Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body (external radiation therapy) or from putting materials that produce radiation (radioisotopes) through thin plastic tubes in the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy).

If fluid has collected in the chest or abdomen, the doctor may drain the fluid out of the body by putting a needle into the chest or abdomen and using gentle suction to remove the fluid. If fluid is removed from the chest, this is called thoracentesis. If fluid is removed from the abdomen, this is called paracentesis. The doctor may also put drugs through a tube into the chest to prevent more fluid from accumulating.

Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be taken by pill, or it may be put into the body by a needle in the vein or muscle. Chemotherapy is called a systemic treatment because the drug enters the bloodstream, travels through the body, and can kill cancer cells throughout the body. In mesothelioma, chemotherapy may be put directly into the chest (intrapleural chemotherapy).

Intraoperative photodynamic therapy is a new type of treatment that uses special drugs and light to kill cancer cells during surgery. A drug that makes cancer cells more sensitive to light is injected into a vein several days before surgery. During surgery to remove as much of the cancer as possible, a special light is used to shine on the pleura. This treatment is being studied for early stages of mesothelioma in the chest.

Treatment by stage

Treatment depends on where the cancer is, how far it has spread, and the patient's age and general health. Standard treatment may be considered because of its effectiveness in patients in past studies, or participation in a clinical trial may be considered. Not all patients are cured with standard therapy and some standard treatments may have more side effects than are desired. For these reasons, clinical trials are designed to find better ways to treat cancer patients and are based on the most up-to-date information. Clinical trials are ongoing in many parts of the country for many patients with malignant mesothelioma.

Drugs / Medications

ALIMTA [ (pemetrexed) is now available on expanded access basis. ALIMTA will be available on an expanded access use for people with malignant pleural mesothelioma, a cancer usually associated with exposure to asbestos. As of July 9, 2002 the Food and Drug Administration agreed to place ALIMTA in an expanded access program, which gives patients access to an agent that isn't yet commercially available, although the sponsor is actively pursuing marketing approval. Eli Lilly is pursuing approval of ALIMTA in combination with cisplatin for the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma, a disease that causes tumors to grow in the linings of the lung, or pleura. Patients live an average of six to nine months following diagnosis. The company said results of a Phase III trial showed that patients treated with ALIMTA and cisplatin combined lived longer and had less pain and shortness of breath, than patients treated with cisplatin alone. In the trial, the most common side effect from cisplatin and ALIMTA was a decrease in infection- fighting white blood cells. Under the expanded access program, ALIMTA will be given free of charge to patients who meet medical eligibility requirements.

L-NDDP (aroplatin). Intrapleural administration is intended to exceed the usefulness of other platinum drugs like Cisplatin that are limited by toxicity and drug resistance.

Endostatin. Has been shown to inhibit a tumor's ability to grow blood vessels without destroying normal healthy cells. Works with angiostatin. Lovastatin. A cholesterol drug shown to potentially inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

Intrapleural interferon gamma. The anti-cancer drug, Interferon Gamma is directly administered into the affected area.

Photodynamic therapy. Light energy is used to destroy cancer cells. Immunotherapy. Focuses on strengthening the immune system to assist the body in fighting the disease.

Gene Therapy. Focuses on pinpointing and correcting the genetic defect that first allowed the tumor to develop.

Cancer Treatment and Research Centers in the US

Cancer Centers are designated by the National Cancer Institute. They do basic laboratory research; translate research findings into clinical practice;conduct clinical studies and trials; research cancer prevention and control; offer information about cancer to patients, the public, and health care professionals; and provide community service related to cancer control.

Alabama:

University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center
Basic Health Sciences Building
1824 Sixth Ave. South
Birmingham, AL 35294-3300
205-934-5077

Arizona:

University of Arizona Cancer Center
1501 N. Campbell Ave.
Tucson, AX 85724
602-626-7925

California:

Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center
University of California at Los Angeles
10833 Le Conte Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1781
800-825-2631
310-825-5268

USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
University of Southern California
1441 Eastlake Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90033-0800
213-764-0816

City of Hope National Medical Center
Beckman Research Institute
1500 East Duarte Road
Duarte, CA 91010
818-359-8111
818-301-8164
Clinical Cancer Center

University of California at Irvine Cancer Center
101 The City Drive
Orange, CA 92668
714-456-6310
Clinical Cancer Center

University of California at San Diego Cancer Center
200 W. Arbor Drive
San Diego, CA 92130
619-543-3325
Clinical Cancer Center

Colorado:

University of Colorado Cancer Center
4200 East 9th Ave.
Denver, CO 80262
303/270-3007
Clinical Cancer Center

Connecticut:

Yale Comprehensive Cancer Center
Yale University School of Medicine
333 Cedar Street
New Haven, CT 06520-8028
203-785-4095

Washington, DC:

Lombardi Cancer Research Center
Georgetown University Medical Center
3800 Resevoir Road NW
Washington, DC 20007
202/687-2110

Florida:

Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
University of Miami Medical School
1475 Northwest 12th Ave.
Miami, FL 33136
305-548-4918

Illinois:

University of Chicago Cancer Research Center
5841 S. Maryland Ave.
Chicago, IL 60637
312-908-5250
Clinical Cancer Center

Robert H. Lurie Cancer Center
Northwestern University
303 E. Chicago Ave.
Olson Pavilion, Rm 8250
Chicago, IL 60611
312-908-5250
Clinical Cancer Center

Maryland:

The Johns Hopkins Oncology Center
600 N. Wolfe Street
Baltimore, MD 21287-8943
410-955-8822

Massachusetts:

Dane-Farber Cancer Institute
33 Binney Street
Boston, MD 02115
617-632-2233

Michigan:

University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center
102 Observatory
Ann ARbor, MI 48109-0724
313-936-1831

Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute
110 E. Warren Ave.
Detroit, MD 48201
313-833-1146

Minnesota:

Mayo Cancer Center
Mayo Foundation
200 Fist Street, SW
Roghester, MN 55905
507-284-3753
Clinical Cancer Center

New Hampshire:

Norris Cotton Cancer Center
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
One Medical Center Drive
Lebanon, NH 03756
603-650-4141

New York:

Albert Einstein College of Medicine Cancer Research Center
Chanin Building
1300 Morris Park Ave.
Bronx, NY 10461
718-430-2302
Clinical Cancer Center

Roswell Park Cancer
Elm and Carlton Streets
Buffalo, NY 14263
800-767-9355
213-845-5770

Columbia Presbyterian Comprehensive Cancer Center
College of Physicians and Surgeons
701 W. 168th STreet
New York, NY 10032
212-305-6921

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
1275 York Ave.
New York, NY 10021
800-525-2225
212-639-6561

Kaplan Cancer Center
New York University Medical Center
550 First Ave.
New York, NY 10016
212-263-5349
Clinical Cancer Center

University of Rochester Cancer Center
601 Elmwood Ave.
Rochester, NY 14642
716-275-6292
Clinical Cancer Center

North Carolina:

UNC Libeberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
University of North Carolina
School of Medicine
Chapel Hill, NC 27599
919-684-5613

Comprehensive Cancer Center of Wake Forest University at Bowman Gray School of Medicine
Medical Center Boulevard
Winston-Salem, NC 27157

Ohio:

Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital
300 W. 10th Ave.
Columbus, OH 43210
800-638-6996
614-293-4878

Case Western Reserve University Cancer Research Center
11100 Euclid Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44106
Clinical Cancer Center

Pennsylvania:

Fox Chase Cancer Center
7701 Burholme Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19111
215-728-2781

University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center
3400 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
215-662-6334

University of Pittsburgh Cancer Center
200 Meyran Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2592
800-537-4063
412-692-4670

Jefferson Cancer Center
Thomas Jefferson University
233 South 10th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-503-4645
Clinical Cancer Center

Tennessee:

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
332 North Lauderdale
Memphis, TN 38105
901-495-3301
Clinical Cancer Center

Vanderbilt Cancer Center
Vanderbilt University
649 Medical Research Building
Nashville, TN 37232

Texas:

The University of Texas
MD Anderson Cancer Center
1515 Holcolmbe Boulevard
Houston, TX 77030
713-792-7500

Utah:

Huntsman Cancer Institute
University of Utah Health
Science Center
Building 533
Salt Lake City, UT 84112
801-581-4048
801-581-4330
Clinical Cancer Center

Vermont:

Vermont Regional Cancer Center
University of Vermont
1 S. Prospect Street
Burlington, VT 05401
802-656-4414

Virginia:

Cancer Center
University of Virginia
Health Sciences Center
Charlottesville, VA 22908
804-924-2562
Clinical Cancer Center

Massey Cancer Center
Medical College of Virginia
1200 E. Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23298
804-828-0450
Clinical Cancer Center

Washington:

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
1124 Columbia Street
Seattle, WA 98104
206-667-5000
206-667-4302

Wisconsin:

University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center
600 Highland Ave.
Madison, WI 53792
608/263-8610

Mesothelioma Diagnosis

The earlier mesothelioma is detected, the better your chances are for an effective treatment. To determine whether a person has mesothelioma, doctors may use one or more of these diagnostic methods:

•  Chest X ray

•  CAT scan - CT or Computerized Tomography

•  MRI - Magnetic Resonance Imaging

•  PET scan - Positron Emission Tomography

•  PFT - Pulmonary Function Test

•  Transbronchial biopsy - A flexible, lighted scope is passed down the trachea to the bronchi area of the lungs.

•  Thoracotomy - During surgery, the chest is opened and examined, usually between two of the lower ribs on one side.

•  Thoracoscopy - A thoracoscope with a video camera is sent through an incision between the ribs.

•  Centesis - Pleural, peritoneal, or pericardial fluid is drained and evaluated. This technique is used both for diagnosis and to relieve pressure, pain, and fullness in the chest or abdominal areas.

There are three types of mesothelioma.

Pleural mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the lung (pleura), peritoneal mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the abdominal cavity (peritoneum), and pericardial mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining surrounding the heart (pericardium). Sub-types (or cell types) of mesothelioma are epithelial (the most common, and considered the most amenable to treatment), sarcomatous (a much more aggressive form), and biphasic or mixed (a combination of both of the other cell types).

How is mesothelioma diagnosed?

Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions. Diagnosis begins with a review of the patient's medical history, including any history of asbestos exposure. A complete physical examination may be performed, including x-rays of the chest or abdomen and lung function tests. A CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI may also be useful. A CT scan is a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. In an MRI, a powerful magnet linked to a computer is used to make detailed pictures of areas inside the body. These pictures are viewed on a monitor and can also be printed.

Your doctor will review your work history, especially whether you have worked in an industry in which you may have been exposed to asbestos.

The diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma begins with a thorough medical history to document the patient's symptoms and any possible asbestos exposure, followed by a complete physical examination. These steps generally are followed by a chest or abdominal X-ray, computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. The imaging studies allow the physician to assess the size, location and extent of the tumor in the chest or abdomen.

If fluid is present in the pleura or peritoneum, a thin needle may be used to collect a small sample of the fluid for examination. This procedure, called fine-needle aspiration, also may be used to drain the fluid to relieve symptoms such as chest pain and shortness of breath that can result from an effusion. Occasionally, mesothelioma can be diagnosed with this fluid sample alone, but usually a tissue sample (biopsy) is required. The tissue sample can be obtained via thoracoscopy (for a pleural tumor) or via laparoscopy (for an abdominal tumor). In both procedures, a tubelike instrument inserted through a small incision allows the physician to view the tumor and collect a tissue sample. Patients suspected of having pleural mesothelioma also may need a procedure called bronchoscopy.

Staging

Once the diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma has been confirmed, the next step is determining the extent of the disease (called staging). Imaging studies, such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), allow physicians to assess the stage of the disease and determine the most appropriate treatment. The stages of malignant mesothelioma are:

•  Stage I - The tumor is found in the pleura with or without some involvement of the lung, pericardium (lining of the heart) or diaphragm.

•  Stage II - The tumor is found in a stage I location, plus there is involvement of some lymph nodes in the chest.

•  Stage III - The tumor has extended into the chest wall, ribs or heart, through the diaphragm or into the peritoneum (the abdominal lining). There also may be involvement of the lymph nodes.

•  Stage IV - The tumor has spread through the bloodstream to distant sites (that is, it has metastasized).

•  Recurrent mesothelioma - The tumor has recurred after treatment.

Stage I also is called localized disease, whereas stages II to IV are called advanced disease. Stage I disease generally has the best prognosis, particularly when the tumor is of the epithelial type.

Expected Duration

Once it develops, this type of cancer will continue to grow and spread until treatment is provided.

Prevention

To reduce your risk of malignant mesothelioma, you should reduce your exposure to asbestos. Because there is no safe level of asbestos exposure, any asbestos exposure is too much. Especially if you have an older home, check for areas of exposed asbestos-containing insulation or other areas of deteriorating asbestos. These areas must be removed professionally or safely sealed off. Workers who routinely deal with asbestos-containing materials should use approved measures to limit their exposure and to keep from bringing asbestos dust home on their clothing.

Treatment

The treatment of malignant mesothelioma has proven difficult. Because the disease begins in the pleura and peritoneum, which are the membranes surrounding the chest cavity and abdominal cavity respectively, progression of the malignancy results in spread to the underlying organs. The tumor spread makes complete surgical removal nearly impossible. Furthermore, the effectiveness of different treatments has been difficult to evaluate in large treatment trials because there are relatively few cases of malignant mesothelioma.

Although the general prognosis for malignant mesothelioma is not encouraging - on average, patients live about one year after diagnosis - an early diagnosis and aggressive treatment can improve survival - up to two years in almost 50 percent of cases and five years (or longer) in 20 percent. Some of the factors that affect prognosis are the type of mesothelioma, the stage of disease at diagnosis, the patient's age and the patient's overall health. The prognosis is best when the mesothelioma is the epithelial type and stage I.

Types Of Treatment

The primary treatment options for malignant mesothelioma are surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

Surgery - Before any surgery is considered for the treatment of malignant mesothelioma, the patient's overall health is carefully evaluated. Tests are performed to make sure the patient has no metastatic disease (cancer spread to distant sites) and to evaluate the patient's lung and heart function. Lung function often is compromised in patients with pleural mesothelioma for several reasons. The pleural effusion (fluid collection) and the tumor mass caused by mesothelioma can compress the lung. Also, the patient's exposure to asbestos may have decreased lung function, which also decreases with age. In addition, some patients have a history of smoking cigarettes, which further decreases lung function.

Surgery for malignant mesothelioma can be aimed at long-term control (aggressive surgery) or relief of symptoms (palliative procedures).

Aggressive surgery - Extrapleural pneumonectomy involves removal of the pleura, the lung, the diaphragm and the pericardium. The intent of this very aggressive, complicated surgery is to remove as much of the tumor as possible. Not all centers will perform this procedure because of its complexity and because it carries a high risk of death within 30 days after surgery. Extrapleural pneumonectomy typically is performed only in younger patients in good overall health with stage I disease. Patients are evaluated carefully to determine their ability to tolerate the surgery.

Palliative procedures - When malignant mesothelioma is advanced, palliative procedures can be performed to relieve and/or control symptoms such as breathlessness, which are caused by effusion (fluid collection) or by the tumor compressing the lung or other organs. These procedures do not aim to cure the disease.

•  Thoracentesis can be used to treat effusion in pleural mesothelioma. A needle is inserted into the chest to drain the fluid, relieving breathlessness and pain. Talc may be introduced into the pleura to limit recurrence of the effusion. Similar procedures are used to treat ascites (fluid collection) in peritoneal mesothelioma.

•  Pleurectomy/decortication is the surgical removal of the pleura. This procedure can be performed to reduce pain caused by the tumor mass or to prevent the recurrence of pleural effusion. For peritoneal mesothelioma, surgery generally is aimed at relieving symptoms, such as recurrent ascites or bowel obstruction. As with pleural mesothelioma, complete surgical removal of the entire tumor is unlikely.

Radiation Therapy

Because of the location of malignant mesothelioma, it is extremely difficult to deliver high enough doses of radiation to kill the tumor without damaging the surrounding organs. Lower doses of radiation can result in some reduction in the disease, but it is unclear whether this reduction actually results in longer survival than does no treatment.

Using radiation therapy after surgery has not been shown to improve survival. However, because surgery is very unlikely to remove the entire tumor, radiation commonly is administered after surgery in the hopes of killing remaining tumor cells. In addition, radiation therapy can be used to relieve symptoms of mesothelioma, including chest pain.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy - the use of medications to treat cancer - has had disappointing results in the treatment of malignant mesothelioma. Some chemotherapy drugs have a partial effect in some patients. Combination chemotherapy (using more than one drug at the same time) may be given in an attempt to improve response. Some combinations have shown some promise, and some new medications are being tried.

Like radiation therapy, chemotherapy may be administered after surgery in an attempt to kill cancer cells that could not be removed during the procedure.

Treatment By Stage

Pleural mesothelioma can be treated according to stage; there are no standard treatment options by stage for peritoneal mesothelioma.

Stage I (localized) mesothelioma - If a patient wants aggressive treatment and is deemed fit to undergo surgery, some centers may perform an extrapleural pneumonectomy. Another surgical option is pleurectomy/decortication, which is sometimes performed to alleviate some of the symptoms of mesothelioma. Both of these procedures may be followed by radiation therapy or chemotherapy.

Stages II, III and IV (advanced) mesothelioma - Pleurectomy/decortication may be performed to relieve symptoms in pleural mesothelioma. Other procedures such as thoracentesis may be performed to drain pleural effusions and prevent them from recurring. Radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy also may be administered for symptom relief.

Recurrent malignant mesothelioma - There is no standard treatment for recurrent mesothelioma. Generally, treatments are considered that were not used in the first treatment attempt.

Clinical Trials And Future Treatments

New treatments for malignant mesothelioma (and possible preventive measures, such as a vaccine) are being evaluated in clinical trials, and the future holds some promise. Clinical trials are research studies that evaluate new treatments for safety and effectiveness. There are no guarantees that a new treatment will work, and there are some risks. However, a clinical trial is not undertaken unless the researchers believe the treatment may have some value.

Here are some of the treatments for malignant mesothelioma that are being evaluated:

•  Combination chemotherapy - Different combinations of chemotherapy drugs have been tried with mixed results. A recent study showed some benefit of combining cisplatin (Platinol) and gemcitabine (Gemzar). The researchers used the combination to treat 21 patients with advanced mesothelioma, of whom 47 percent showed a partial response.

•  Intracavitary chemotherapy - Instilling chemotherapy drugs directly into the pleural or peritoneal space is being researched because of its advantage over traditional chemotherapy. Because the drug is instilled directly into the cavity, much greater doses can be given to patients without causing severe side effects. Some studies have shown this therapy to result in control of effusions and reduced tumor size.

•  Brachytherapy (intracavitary radiation therapy) - In this treatment, a radioactive substance is placed directly into the pleural or peritoneal space.

•  Multimodality therapy - Any combination of surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy is multimodality therapy. For example, researchers have combined surgery with intracavitary radiation or chemotherapy and then administered radiation or chemotherapy afterward.

•  Gene therapy - In this approach, a virus that has been genetically altered is introduced into the tumor. The virus infects the tumor cells and makes them vulnerable to anticancer drugs.

•  Immunotherapy - Treatments that stimulate the body's immune system to fight cancer cells are called immunotherapy.

•  Photodynamic therapy - In this treatment, drugs that are sensitive to light are taken up by the tumor cells, which are then exposed to light.

When To Call A Professional

Call your doctor promptly if you have any of the symptoms of lung cancer, especially if you have worked in an industry with high exposure to asbestos.

Prognosis

Malignant mesothelioma usually is advanced by the time it is diagnosed and thus has a poor prognosis. On average, the survival time after diagnosis is about one year. However, several factors affect prognosis, including the extent of the tumor and the age and health of the patient. In some cases, survival time can be increased with early detection and aggressive treatment, and improved treatments should be available in the near future.

Mesothelioma Organizations

If you have any questions not answered by this site, please do not hesitate to contact us directly for additional information.

Mesothelioma Research Foundation of Association

800) 909-Meso (6376)
5716 Corsa Avenue, Suite 203
Westlake Village, CA 91362

www.mesothelioma-rfa.org

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Building 31
Room 10A03
31 Center Dr., MSC 2580
Bethesda, MD 20892-2580
Phone: (301) 435-3848
Toll-free: (800) 422-6237
http://www.nci.nih.gov/

American Cancer Society (ACS)

1599 Clifton Rd., NE
Atlanta, GA 30329-4251
Toll-free: (800) 227-2345
http://www.cancer.org/

American Lung Association

1740 Broadway
New York, NY 10019
Phone: (212) 315-8700
Toll-free: (800) 586-4872
E-Mail: info@lungusa.org
http://www.lungusa.org/

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

6701 Rockledge Dr.
P.O. Box 30105
Bethesda, MD 20824-0105
Phone: (301) 592-8573
E-Mail: NHLBIinfo@rover.nhlbi.nih.gov
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

4676 Columbia Parkway, Mail Stop C-18
Cincinnati, OH 45226
Toll-free: (800) 356-4674
Fax: (513) 533-8573
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh

More Resources

http://cancernet.nci.nih.gov

Reviews of current medical articles that deal with the diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma.

http://www.gretmar.com/webdoctor/OncologyCLSoft.html

Cancer News offers many links for many types of cancer, including breast cancer; colon cancer; gynecologic cancers; leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma; lung cancer; brain cancer and other central nervous system tumors; prostate and testicular cancers; skin cancers; links to sites created by cancer patients; and support groups.

http://www.cancernews.com/quickload.htm

A site that is scientific in nature but that provides thorough explanations of mesothelioma and its different forms.

http://www.graylab.ac.uk/cancernet/201071.html

Support Groups

Lung Cancer Online is intended to facilitate the time consuming and often frustrating process of learning about lung cancer, treatment options and support services.

http://www.lungcanceronline.org/

The American Cancer Society Web site offers comprehensive information and resources to help those who fight cancer.

http://www.cancer.org/

Oncolink is a multimedia oncology resource for information about cancer, and to provide educational information to both health care personnel and cancer patients and their families.

http://www.oncolink.upenn.edu/

The American Lung Association's mission is to prevent lung disease and promote lung health.  

http://www.lungusa.org/

Information about UPMC's Comprehensive Lung Center, and links to other sites.

http://www.upmc.edu/clc/

Research Sites

This provides a wealth of information related to clinical trials, such as a listing of more than 41,000 industry- and government-sponsored clinical trials as well as new drug therapies recently approved by the FDA.

http://www.centerwatch.com/

The Lung Cancer Information Center is an electronic library of comprehensive educational materials on cancer for healthcare professionals and patients.