A: Not every person who is exposed to asbestos gets mesothelioma but you should know that almost all the patients diagnosed with this disease have actually made contact with asbestos. Also, the exposure to asbestos is the only known cause of mesothelioma. Read more>>

A: Mesothelioma is a rare type of lung cancer, which affects the thin layer of tissue that covers the internal organs. The disease usually alters the lining of the lungs and chest wall. The most common symptoms of mesothelioma are fatigue, swollen abdomen, shortness of breath, chest pain, cough and weight loss. Read more>>

A: The symptoms of mesothelioma might not appear until 20 to 50 years after the exposure to asbestos. The most common signs of the disease are chest pain, shortness of breath and cough. Read more>>

A: The most important difference between the malignant and benign form of mesothelioma consists in a decreased capacity of invasion and diffusion of the benign type in comparison with the malignant one. Read more>>

A: The time between initial exposure to asbestos and when the mesothelioma is definitively diagnosed by a doctor is called the latency period. It is a common feature of mesothelioma to be a long period of time, 20 to 50 years, between exposure and diagnosis. Read more>>

A: Mesothelioma can be difficult to treat with the common approaches because it is not typical cancer and many doctors lack the experience in treating it. However, there are options to be taken into account, from the typical surgery and/or radiation to alternative methods. Read more>>

A: Mesothelioma is defined as a type of cancer that occurs in the covering of the lung, but also in the lining of the pleural and abdominal cavities (mesothelium). Mesothelioma is a relatively rare, and also an aggressive and deadly form of cancer. Read more>>

A: Although there are certain similarities between pleural mesothelioma and lung cancer, the two diseases are very different in terms of prevalence, causes, the region of the lung affected, latency period, as well as the structure of cancerous tumors. Read more>>

A: Pleural mesothelioma and lung cancer are two major types of cancer generally caused by significant exposure to asbestos. They may have overlapping symptoms, but they are actually different. Read more>>

A: No, smoking has not been proved to cause mesothelioma. Read more>>

A: The available therapeutic options include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, multimodal therapy and supportive therapies. The purpose of all these alternatives is to extend the survival period and to improve the quality of life. Read more>>

A: Pleural mesothelioma is the most widespread type of mesothelioma and thus there are an increased number of alternative treatments available, such as treatment with measles virus, immunotherapy, intrapleural virotherapy, gene therapy and photodynamic therapy. Read more>>

A: Chemotherapy is usually the primary treatment for patients diagnosed with pulmonary cancer or mesothelioma and it is also recommended after a surgical intervention in order to remove the remaining cancerous cells. Read more>>

A: Yes. There are numerous treatment options for pleural mesothelioma available through clinical trials, as this type of cancer is the most prevalent among patients diagnosed with mesothelioma. Read more>>

A: Yes. Men are more frequently diagnosed with pulmonary malignant mesothelioma than women and there is a maximum incidence of the disease after 35-45 years after the exposure to asbestos. Read more>>

A: Due to the aggressive and complex process by which pleural mesothelioma affects the body, the chances of this form of cancer recurring are very high. Read more>>

A: The symptoms of the metastasis are similar to the normal symptoms of mesothelioma and manifest themselves in the area of the body where the affected organ is located. Read more>>

A: Doctors use the staging of the disease in order to determine the most efficient treatment. Stage 1 cancer can be treated surgically while for a more advanced mesothelioma (stage 2, 3 or 4) a surgical intervention might not be an option anymore. Read more>>

A: There are four stages used to assess the severity and evolution of pleural mesothelioma. Read more>>

A: The general survival rate for patients with mesothelioma is one year. However, almost 37% of the patients younger than 45 and 20% of the patients aged 45-54 survive for 3 years or longer. Read more>>

A: Most of the doctors choose to perform a thoracentesis (drainage of the lung using a needle) but 50% of the tests of this type have a negative result. Therefore, more aggressive tests are recommended like biopsy or pleuroscopy. Imaging techniques are also helpful but only a tissue sample can lead to a correct diagnosis. Read more>>

A: Yes, sometimes mesothelioma can be misdiagnosed as a less serious disease or another type of cancer. The initial symptoms of mesothelioma can mislead doctors as they resemble other affections like bowel disease or pneumonia. Read more>>

A: The next step after being diagnosed with mesothelioma is to seek a second opinion. You can contact a cancer center, which is specialized in mesothelioma and they can tell you if your diagnosis is right or not. Read more>>