Mesothelioma is a malignant tumor of the mesothelium covering consisting of two layers between which is a liquid lubricant. This mesothelium surrounds many organs: he called for the lung pleura, peritoneum to the intestine, pericardium to the heart.
The most frequent is that of the pleura is the pleural mesothelioma
It is almost always secondary to the inhalation of asbestos dust (this is known since the 60s) and possibly some RCFs. Microfibers inhaled asbestos will lodge deep in the respiratory tree into the alveoli, these high strength fibers migrate to the pleura where mechanical irritation of the pleura, the lesion base is mostly physical, not chemical. The period between exposure and disease often reaches several tens of years but may be shorter in some cases. This exposure may be short (one year or two) and therefore difficult to trace and prove 40 or 50 years later.
Mesothelioma is one of the pathologies induced by asbestos (see our article on the subject)
Smoking increases the risk of lung injury but does not affect the risk of developing mesothelioma.
The signs of the disease are not very evocative and often late: Chest pain, neuralgia in the arm, back pain in the scapula. Therefore considered rather banalMore evocative: pleural effusion (fluid between the often bloody sheets in the pleura) with dyspnea (breathlessness)
The chest X-ray is rarely useful except at an advanced stage.Microscopic examination of aspirated fluid if effusion can find malignant cellsCT and MRI are the most useful tests and diagnosis will be confirmed by a biopsy of the pleura or by thoracoscopy
Treatments: early surgery can produce results, then radiation therapy can slow the progression, then chemotherapy will be only palliative. The prognosis is usually terrible (one year survival in many cases only).
Prevention is therefore essential: removal of sprayed asbestos, protection of workers and their families (wife who cleans clothing)Asbestos is banned in France since 1997 and in many Western countries (but there are other countries where everything remains to be done ...)
Occupations at risk are numerous.Those who pay the heaviest price were, are and will (the maximum number of cases is expected between 2010 and 2020):
Plumbers, welders, pipefittersWorkers in the construction of iron or steel (carpenters, shipbuilding and rail car)Sheet metal workers, boilermakers, auto mechanics and truckElectriciansConstruction workers in generalDIYers "madmen"Employment in the manufacture of asbestos (asbestos cement, asbestos textile industry activity through 1996 with carding, spinning or weaving)Jobs in the insulation (thermal or acoustic), in the manufacture of electrical insulators, thermal power plants, refineriesCar repair and other vehicles (brakes and clutch)Assemblers ventilation / heating / refrigeration, boiler installerSteel industry (blast furnaces, coke ovens, steel mills)Glass IndustryDockers
The most frequent is that of the pleura is the pleural mesothelioma
It is almost always secondary to the inhalation of asbestos dust (this is known since the 60s) and possibly some RCFs. Microfibers inhaled asbestos will lodge deep in the respiratory tree into the alveoli, these high strength fibers migrate to the pleura where mechanical irritation of the pleura, the lesion base is mostly physical, not chemical. The period between exposure and disease often reaches several tens of years but may be shorter in some cases. This exposure may be short (one year or two) and therefore difficult to trace and prove 40 or 50 years later.
Mesothelioma is one of the pathologies induced by asbestos (see our article on the subject)
Smoking increases the risk of lung injury but does not affect the risk of developing mesothelioma.
The signs of the disease are not very evocative and often late: Chest pain, neuralgia in the arm, back pain in the scapula. Therefore considered rather banalMore evocative: pleural effusion (fluid between the often bloody sheets in the pleura) with dyspnea (breathlessness)
The chest X-ray is rarely useful except at an advanced stage.Microscopic examination of aspirated fluid if effusion can find malignant cellsCT and MRI are the most useful tests and diagnosis will be confirmed by a biopsy of the pleura or by thoracoscopy
Treatments: early surgery can produce results, then radiation therapy can slow the progression, then chemotherapy will be only palliative. The prognosis is usually terrible (one year survival in many cases only).
Prevention is therefore essential: removal of sprayed asbestos, protection of workers and their families (wife who cleans clothing)Asbestos is banned in France since 1997 and in many Western countries (but there are other countries where everything remains to be done ...)
Occupations at risk are numerous.Those who pay the heaviest price were, are and will (the maximum number of cases is expected between 2010 and 2020):
Plumbers, welders, pipefittersWorkers in the construction of iron or steel (carpenters, shipbuilding and rail car)Sheet metal workers, boilermakers, auto mechanics and truckElectriciansConstruction workers in generalDIYers "madmen"Employment in the manufacture of asbestos (asbestos cement, asbestos textile industry activity through 1996 with carding, spinning or weaving)Jobs in the insulation (thermal or acoustic), in the manufacture of electrical insulators, thermal power plants, refineriesCar repair and other vehicles (brakes and clutch)Assemblers ventilation / heating / refrigeration, boiler installerSteel industry (blast furnaces, coke ovens, steel mills)Glass IndustryDockers