Cancer that begins in the tissue mesothelium that lines the lungs, heart, stomach, and other organs. This causes painful cough, difficulty in breathing, chest pain, abdominal pain and weight loss.

Symptoms

    Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include:

• Coughing
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Weight loss

    Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include:

• Abdominal pain
• Lumps in the abdomen
• Abdominal swelling

Causes

• Cancer begins when genetic mutations in a cell causes overproduction of abnormal cells that multiply to form a tumour.
• It usually affects men who are 40 years and older
• This type of cancer can develop as a result of many risk factors, including;
• Asbestos exposure, asbestos is a mineral that is naturally found in the environment and is broken up during mining producing dust which may get collected in the lungs or the stomach. Mesothelioma may develop after 20 to 40 years.
• Family history – if a close relative has mesolithemia, there is a higher risk of acquiring the disease

Prevention

• Reducing exposure to asbestos
• Wear protective clothing against asbestos exposure

Screening Options available at JNCHRC

• Physical examination: Physical exam is done to check for lumps.
• X-ray: To look for abnormalities and staging of the cancer.
• CT scan: Done to look for abnormalities and staging of the cancer.
• Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA): A small needle is used to remove fluid for testing so that it can be tested for the presence of malignancy.
• Thoracoscopy: Procedure where a small tube with a camera is inserted into the chest, and portions of tissue are cut away by special surgical tools.
• Laparoscopy: This procedure allows the diagnosis of the abdomen.
• Thoracotomy and laparotomy: The procedure involves opening the chest (thoracotomy) and abdomen (laparotomy) to check for signs of disease.