Mesothelioma Faq

FAQ: What is mesothelioma?
A: Malignant mesothelioma is a rare disease in which cancer cells are found in the sac lining the chest, or pleura; the lining of the abdominal cavity, or peritoneum; or the lining around the heart, pericardium.

FAQ: How do you get mesothelioma?
A: Most people with malignant mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they breathed asbestos. Others have been exposed to asbestos in the household, usually without knowing it.

FAQ: How much exposure does it take to get the disease?
A: Exposure of as little as 30 to 60 days can result in mesothelioma anywhere from 20 to 40 years later.

FAQ: What is the prognosis for mesothelioma?
A: Like most cancers, the prognosis for this disease often depends on how early it is diagnosed and how aggressively it is treated.

FAQ: What treatment options are available for patients with malignant mesothelioma?
A: Mesothelioma treatments include surgery (taking out the cancer); chemotherapy (using drugs to fight the cancer); radiation Therapy (using high-dose x-rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer cells). Many times two or more of these are combined in the mesothelioma treatment course.

FAQ: What treatment options are available for mesothelioma?
A: Treatment options will vary according to the age, over-all health of the patient, and how advanced the disease is. Surgery, chemotherapy, and clinical trials, as well as new approaches such may be offered. As your doctor for details about procedures.