Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that develops in the lining that covers the outer surface of some of the body's organs. It's usually linked to asbestos exposure.

Mesothelioma mainly affects the lining of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma), although it can also affect the lining of the tummy (peritoneal mesothelioma), heart or testicles.

More than 2,600 people are diagnosed with the condition each year in the UK. Most cases are diagnosed in people aged 60-80 and men are affected more commonly than women.

Unfortunately it's rarely possible to cure mesothelioma, although treatment can help control the symptoms.

This page covers:

Symptoms of mesothelioma

What causes mesothelioma?

How mesothelioma is diagnosed

Treatments for mesothelioma

Outlook for mesothelioma

Links to more information

The symptoms of mesothelioma tend to develop gradually over time. They typically don't appear until several decades after exposure to asbestos.

Symptoms of mesothelioma in the lining of the lungsinclude:

Symptoms of mesothelioma in the lining of the tummyinclude:

See your GP if you have any persistent or worrying symptoms. Tell them about any exposure to asbestos you may have had in the past.

Mesothelioma is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos, agroup of minerals made of microscopic fibres thatused to be widely used in construction.

These tiny fibres can easily get in the lungs, where they get stuck, damaging thelungsover time.It usually takes a while for this to cause any obvious problems, with mesotheliomatypically developing more than20 yearsafter exposure to asbestos.

The use of asbestos was completely banned in 1999, so the risk of exposure is much lower nowadays. However,materials containing asbestos are still found in many older buildings.

Read more about asbestos and people at risk of exposureand avoiding exposure to asbestos.

If your GP suspects mesothelioma, they will refer you to a hospital specialist for some tests.

Anumber of different tests may need to be carried out, including:

These tests can help diagnose mesothelioma and show how far it has spread.

The best treatment for mesothelioma depends on several factors, including how far the cancer has spread and your general health.

As mesothelioma is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, treatment is usually focused on controlling the symptoms and prolonging life for as long as possible.This is known aspalliative or supportive care.

Possible treatments include:

You'll alsoprobably have treatment for your individual symptoms to help you feel as comfortable as possible. For example, regularly draining fluid from your chest may help your breathing and strong painkillers may helprelieveyour pain.

Sometimes, a procedure is carried out to stop the fluid coming back again by making the outside of the lungs stick to the inside of your chest (pleurodesis), or a tube is put in your chest to drain the fluid regularly at home. Your doctors should discuss these treatments with you.

Unfortunately the outlook for mesothelioma tends to be poor. This is because it doesn't usually cause any obvious symptoms until late on and it can progress quite quickly once it reaches this stage.

Overall:

There arecurrently around 2,500 deaths from mesothelioma each year in the UK.

If you'd like tofind outmore about mesothelioma, the following organisations can providefurther information, advice and support:

Cancer Research UK

Macmillan Cancer Support

British Lung Foundation

Mesothelioma UK

GOV.UK - mesothelioma payments

Page last reviewed: 02/03/2016

Next review due: 01/03/2019

Excerpt from:

Mesothelioma - NHS Choices