Sources

The first version of this article was adapted from a public domain U.S. National Cancer Institute fact sheet at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Sites-Types/mesothelioma

Tumors (and related structures), Cancer, and Oncology

Benign - Premalignant - Carcinoma in situ - Malignant Topography: Anus - Bladder - Bone - Brain - Breast - Cervix - Colon/rectum - Duodenum - Endometrium - Esophagus - Eye - Gallbladder - Head/Neck - Liver - Larynx - Lung - Mouth - Pancreas - Penis - Prostate - Kidney - Ovaries - Skin - Stomach - Testicles - Thyroid Morphology: Papilloma/carcinoma - Choriocarcinoma - Adenoma/adenocarcinoma - Soft tissue sarcoma - Melanoma - Fibroma/fibrosarcoma - Metastasis - Lipoma/liposarcoma - Leiomyoma/leiomyosarcoma - Rhabdomyoma/rhabdomyosarcoma - Mesothelioma - Angioma/angiosarcoma - Osteoma/osteosarcoma - Chondroma/chondrosarcoma - Glioma - Lymphoma/leukemia Treatment: Surgery - Chemotherapy - Radiation therapy - Immunotherapy - Experimental cancer treatment Related structures: Cyst - Dysplasia - Hamartoma - Neoplasia - Nodule - Polyp - Pseudocyst Misc: Tumor suppressor genes/oncogenes - Staging/grading - Carcinogenesis/metastasis - Carcinogen - Research - Paraneoplastic phenomenon - ICD-O - List of oncology-related terms

References

1. United States Department of Health and Human Services.
2. "Cigarette smoking, asbestos exposure, and malignant mesothelioma" by Muscat JE, Wynder EL in Cancer Research (1991) volume 51 pages 2263-7 Entrez PubMed 2015590.
3. "Soluble mesothelin-related protein--a blood test for mesothelioma" by B. W. Robinson, J. Creaney, R. Lake, A. Nowak, A. W. Musk, N. de Klerk, P. Winzell, K. E. Hellstrom and I. Hellstrom in Lung Cancer (2005) volume 49, pages S109-S111 Entrez PubMed 15950789.
4. "Malignant mesothelioma and occupational exposure to asbestos: a clinicopathological correlation of 1445 cases" by V. L. Roggli, A. Sharma, K. J. Butnor, T. Sporn and R. T. Vollmer in Ultrastruct Pathol (2002) volume 26 pages 55-65 Entrez PubMed 12036093.
5. "Advances in Malignant Mesothelioma" by Bruce W. S. Robinson and Richard A. Lake in The New England Journal of Medicine (2005) volume 353 pages 1591-1603 Entrez PubMed 16221782.
6. "SV40 in human tumors: new documents shed light on the apparent controversy" by D. S. MacLachlan in Anticancer Res (2002) volume 22, pages 3495-3499 Entrez PubMed 12552945.
7. "A review of peritoneal mesothelioma at the Washington Cancer Institute" by P. H. Sugarbaker, L. S. Welch, F. Mohamed and O. Glehen in Surg Oncol Clin N Am (2003) volume 12, pages 605-621 Entrez PubMed 13782506. Online manual: Management of Peritoneal Surface Malignancy.
8. "Diffuse pleural mesothelioma and asbestos exposure in the North Western Cape Province" by J. C. Wagner, C. A. Sleggs and P. Marchand in Br J Ind Med. (1960) volume 17, pages 260-271 Entrez PubMed 13782506.
9. "Malignant pleural mesothelioma in an asbestos worker" by J. C. McNulty in Med J Aust (1962) volume 49, pages 953-954 Entrez PubMed 13932248.

Latest Research

1). Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 2006 Jan;29(1):14-9. Epub 2005 Dec 15.

Multimodality approach in management of malignant pleural mesothelioma. Neragi-Miandoab S.

Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA. sneragi@yahoo.com

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a solid, locally aggressive tumor, which has been closely linked to asbestos exposure. The survival rate without treatment ranges from 4 to 12 months. Response to chemotherapy and radiation is poor, and surgery is the most effective therapy. There are currently 3000 new MPM cases per year in the United States, with the peak incidence in the United States and Europe expected to occur in the year 2020. The prognosis depends on the stage of the tumor at the time of diagnosis, its histological type, lymph node status, and resection margins. While the diagnosis is often delayed, earlier intervention may improve life expectancy. Single-modality therapy has not been effective in changing the natural history of MPM. As a result, multimodality regimens involving surgery with radiation, chemotherapy, or immunotherapy have been initiated. Multiple modality approach has demonstrated favorable outcome, particularly in patients with epithelial histology, negative resection margins and presence of no metastases to extrapleural lymph nodes. Cisplatin and mitomycin have demonstrated modest efficacy in management of distant tumor recurrence. Cisplatin and gemcitabine regimen as well as cisplatin/pemetrexed followed by 54 Gy of adjuvant hemithorax radiation have been reported to improve the outcome.

2). Special Issue on mesothelioma: Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 2005 Dec;19(6):

Several articles, e.g., Gene therapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma, Antiangiogenic therapies for mesothelioma, An overview of chemotherapy for mesothelioma., Radiotherapy for mesothelioma, Multimodality treatments in the management of malignant pleural mesothelioma: an update, Prognostic factors for mesothelioma. etc

History

The first lawsuit against asbestos manufacturers was brought in 1929. The parties settled that lawsuit, and as part of the agreement, the attorneys agreed not to pursue further cases. It was not until 1960 that an article published by Wagner et al in 1960 first officially established mesothelioma as a disease arising from exposure to crocidolite asbestos. The article referred to over 30 case studies of people who had suffered from mesothelioma in South Africa. Some exposures were transient and some were mine workers. In 1962 Dr McNulty reported the first diagnosed case of malignant mesothelioma in an Australian asbestos worker. The worker had worked in the mill at the asbestos mine in Wittenoom from 1948 to 1950.

In the town of Wittenoom, asbestos-containing mine waste was used to cover schoolyards and playgrounds. In 1965 an article in the British Journal of Industrial Medicine established that people who lived in the neighbourhoods of asbestos factories and mines, but did not work in them, had contracted mesothelioma.

Despite proof that the dust associated with asbestos mining and milling causes asbestos related disease, mining began at Wittenoom in 1943 and continued until 1966. It is difficult to understand why the mine and mill was allowed to initially open and operate without adequate risk control measures; and why nothing was done to force the owner (CSR) to clean them up, adopt safer work practices or close down their operations.

In 1974 the first public warnings of the dangers of blue asbestos were published in a cover story called "Is this Killer in Your Home?" in Australia's Bulletin magazine. In 1978 the Western Australian Government decided to phase out the town of Wittenoom, following the publication of a Health Dept. booklet, "The Health Hazard at Wittenoom", containing the results of air sampling and an appraisal of worldwide medical information.

By 1979 the first writs for negligence related to Wittenoom were issued against CSR and its subsidiary ABA, and the Asbestos Diseases Society was formed to represent the Wittenoom victims.