Who Is At Increased Risk For Developing Mesothelioma?

Since the late 1800's Asbestos has been mined and used commercially. The use of Asbestos dramatically increased during World War II and since the early 1940's millions of Americans have been exposed to asbestos dust working within industries where initally the risks were not known. There has been widespread exposure to Asbestos by workers within shipyards, mines and mills, producers of asbestos products, workers in the heating and construction industries, and other tradespeople and an increase risk of deveolping mesothelioma has been the result. .

Today, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets limits for acceptable levels of asbestos exposure in the workplace. By contrast, the British Government's Health and Safety executive (HSE) states formally that any threshold for mesothelioma must be at a very low level and it is widely agreed that if any such threshold does exists at all, then it cannot currently be quantified. For practical purposes, therefore, HSE does not assume that any such threshold exists. People who work with asbestos wear personal protective equipment to lower their risk of exposure.

The risk of asbestos-related disease increases with heavier exposure to asbestos and longer exposure time. However, some individuals with only brief exposures have developed mesothelioma. On the other hand, not all workers who are heavily exposed develop asbestos-related diseases. Family members and others living with asbestos workers have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, and possibly other asbestos-related diseases. This risk may be the result of exposure to asbestos dust brought home on the clothing and hair of asbestos workers.

To reduce the chance of exposing family members to asbestos fibers, asbestos workers are usually required to shower and change their clothing before leaving the workplace.
The combination of smoking and asbestos exposure significantly increases a person's risk of developing cancer of the air passageways in the lung. The Kent brand of cigarettes used asbestos in its filters for the first few years of production in the 1950s and some cases of mesothelioma have resulted. Smoking current cigarettes does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma.

There is no curative treatment. Close monitoring (routine X-rays or even pleural biopsy) for mesothelioma is mandated. Oxygen therapy at home is often necessary to relieve the shortness of breath. Supportive treatment of symptoms includes respiratory treatments to remove secretions from the lungs by postural drainage, chest percussion, and vibration. Aerosol medications to thin secretions may be prescribed.

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Treatments And Clinical Trials For Mesothelioma

For years, chemotherapy has been used as treatment for mesothelioma to shrink tumors. More recently, doctors have used surgery in combination with chemotherapy with more success.

In addition, newer chemotherapy drugs in combination with surgery has increased survival rates of mesothelioma patients.

Radiation has been used to control cancer symptoms such as pain, but it is not a primary treatment for mesothelioma. It is also used in combination with other treatments for mesothelioma and may possibly assist in killing cancer cells after surgery to prevent further growth of cancer cells in the chest area.

Much more research is required to improve treatment options through clinical trials. Clinical trials are used to evaluate new cancer treatments and their effectiveness. They are an important aspect of improving treatments and the ultimate prognosis of cancer patients.

Mesothelioma patients who participate in clinical trials are able to receive new treatments before they are available to other patients.

Clinical trials have three phases. Phase I trails are the first studies of a new treatment. The goals are to determine the correct dosage and the side effects. Phase I trials are only offered to patients who haven't responded to other approved treatments.

Phase II trials are further studies of treatments proven to be effective from phase I trials. They are a continuation of determining treatment safety and effectiveness on a particular type of cancer.

Phase III trials are used to compare a new treatment method with a currently used treatment program. Doctors can thus determine if the new treatment is more or less effective than the already approved treatment.

A patient must be willing to partcipate and provide written consent prior to starting a clinical trial. The use of clinical trials is very important in improving the treatments used in the fight against mesothelioma.

Over the past few years treatments have improved for treating mesothelioma, but further clinical trials are needed to continue mesothelioma treatment methods.

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