The increased incidence rate of mesothelioma is causing concern for physicians and health care workers, as the disease is expected to peak within the next two decades. Epithelial mesothelioma is the most common type of this cancer, making up about 60% of all cases. Epithelial mesothelioma is a particular risk for those who were exposed to asbestos fibers in the workplace.
What is Epithelial Tissue?
Epithelial tissue is a group of cells that covers both external and internal organs. Skin cells are the most basic example of epithelial tissue. Epithelial tissue also covers and protects various organs, such as the lungs, heart and intestines. Some groups of epithelial tissue have names specific to the organs they protect. The tissue that surrounds the lungs is known as the “pleural mesothelium”.
What is Epithelial Mesothelioma?
“Malignant pleural mesothelioma” is the clinical name for the cancer that strikes the pleural mesothelium. Since the pleural mesothelium is made up of epithelial cells, the disease is also considered a form of epithelial mesothelioma. The disease targets the cells surrounding the lungs and can spread quickly through the blood and lymph systems. As the diseased cells reach other organs, those mutated cells can attack those organs and spread the cancer.
How does a patient contract Epithelial Mesothelioma?
As with some cancers, epithelial mesothelioma can occur as the result of a genetic defect. However, the incidence rate of the disease from a spontaneous genetic anomaly is nearly a million to one. The most common cause for contracting the disease is exposure to asbestos, either in the workplace or through contact with contaminated material. Patients inhale microscopic asbestos fibers, which work their way through the lungs and attack the pleural mesothelium.
What are the symptoms of Epithelial Mesothelioma?
Symptoms of epithelial mesothelioma often resemble those of other lung disorders: shortness of breath, diminished lung capacity and chest pain. The resemblance of the disease’s symptoms to those of other, more benign disorders often makes an accurate diagnosis difficult. If the patient has had a history of working around asbestos, the doctor may order additional tests, including a CT scan or a biopsy, to determine if the patient has contracted epithelial mesothelioma.
When do the symptoms of Epithelial Mesothelioma first appear?
The disease can lay dormant for several years, even decades, after a patient’s first exposure to asbestos. Since many buildings and ships constructed from the 1930s to the 1980s used asbestos, workers in those trades are reporting higher rates of mesothelioma due to their time working with asbestos-laced materials.
What are the treatments for Epithelial Mesothelioma?
Treatment regimens for epithelial mesothelioma can include surgery to remove the tumor, radiation therapy to kill the cancerous cells, chemotherapy to poison the tumors, or a combination of all three. Patients may also receive other medications to lessen the side effects that come with the treatment routines.
What is the outlook for patients with Epithelial Mesothelioma?
Epithelial mesothelioma is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer. The average survival time after receiving a diagnosis is twelve months, although effective treatment can prolong that estimate by weeks or months.
For more information, please visit our website at http://www.mesothelioma-aid.org/
