Malignant Mesothelioma is a rare cancer of the lining of the lung (pleural mesothelioma) or the lining of the abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma). The only known cause of mesothelioma in the U.S. is exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma is a long latency period, the time between first exposure to asbestos and diagnosis of the disease. In rare cases the latency was as short as 10-15 years after the first exposure to asbestos, mesothelioma, but usually occurs between 20 and 40 years or more after the first exposure of an individual.

Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult because symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions.Benign mesothelioma is a noncancerous tumor of the pleura (lining of the lungs and chest cavity). Men are more likely then women to be affected by malignant mesothelioma caused by localized. The tumor may reach large size and compressing the lungs, causing the following symptoms: chronic cough, wheezing, chest pain, weight loss and cachexia, abdominal fluid swelling and pain due to ascites (abdominal cavity), Mesothelioma, .

Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include anemia, abnormal blood clotting, fever and intestinal obstruction. Symptoms such as difficulty swallowing, pain or swelling in the neck and face can be considered that the cancer has spread beyond mesothelioma in other parts of the body. These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions.Approximately half of mesothelioma patients are asymptomatic (without symptoms). During a physical examination, a health care provider may notice a clubbed appearance of the fingers in a patient, which is an indication of exposure / disease.

The health care professional can perform tests to identify mesothelioma. These tests include a chest radiograph, CT of the chest and / or lung biopsy.There is open and no universally accepted protocol for screening for people who have been exposed to asbestos. However, some research indicates that serum levels of osteopontin may be useful in screening people exposed to asbestos for mesothelioma. The protein level is high Mesothelin bound in the serum of about 75% of patients at diagnosis, and it was suggested that mesothelin assessment of soluble protein in question can usually help screening.

Surgery is usually necessary for a solitary tumor (if found) but according to current statistics, the result should be good with prompt treatment. One of the most common complications are pleural effusion (fluid leak in the membranes surrounding the lungs), which can be very serious.People involved in jobs that involve construction or other professions that can cause exposure to asbestos who develop mesothelioma than usual. It is also possible for persons who exposed to asbestos dust and fibers in a more indirect, like as washing clothes of someone who worked with asbestos are at risk of contact with the disease.