Mesothelioma cancer is a rare cancer primarily caused by a prolonged exposure to asbestos, usually in the workplace.

Steel yards, ship yards, auto repair shops, old houses, schools and public buildings have the potential to expose people to asbestos.

Mesothelioma lung cancer is the most common type of mesothelioma cancer. Pleural mesothelioma starts in the mesothelial lining of the lungs, called the pleura. Nearly 75 percent of all mesothelioma cases are this type.

Symptoms include shortness of breath, persistent dry cough, persistent chest pain, difficulty swallowing, night sweats/fever, and fatigue.

These symptoms are common with other diseases, which makes mesothelioma cancer difficult to diagnose. Xrays, MRIs, CT scans, PET scans, biopsies and blood tests all can assist in the mesothelioma diagnosis.

Mesothelioma Cancers

Nearly 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed each year in the United States. Although asbestos use in the U.S. has dropped in recent decades, the number of people diagnosed with the rare cancer has remained steady.

This could be because asbestos exposure can take from 20 to 50 years for symptoms to start appearing. It takes that long for the tiny fibers to do damage to the lungs, the heart, the abdomen or the testicles.

When asbestos materials are disturbed, they release tiny fibers into the air. When we inhale or swallow the microscopic fibers, they become embedded inside our bodies. It takes decades, but the trapped fibers can cause inflammation, scarring and genetic changes that sometimes lead to cancer.

In addition to becoming trapped in the linings of the lungs, the fibers also can collect in the lining of the abdominal cavity or the lining of the heart. When the fibers cause biological damage, they can ignite malignant mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma Life Expectancy

Depending upon the type of mesothelioma lung cancer and the stage it is detected, the life expectancy can vary.

The leading treatment options for a mesothelioma diagnosis include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Oncologists often opt for multimodal therapy, which means that two or more treatments are used to tackle the cancer. Clinical trials have shown this is a wise move that increases mesothelioma life expectancy.

Who Can Help?

An experienced mesothelioma doctor can oversee a protocol that works best for someone with this rare cancer. Mesothelioma specialists can be found in a variety of medical arenas: surgery, radiology, oncology, pathology and palliative care.

There are even treatment centers that concentrate on mesothelioma cancer and take part in critical research of asbestos-related diseases.

In addition, participating in an individual or class action lawsuit could help replace lost wages, compensate for pain and suffering, pay for treatment and hospitalization and other illness-related costs.

Asbestos mesothelioma lawsuits often allege that companies mined, manufactured and sold asbestos products when they knew the risks of asbestos exposure, and placed profit ahead of the health of their employees.

As of 2011, the Government Accountability Office stated that $36.8 billion remained in asbestos trusts, which was money allocated to compensate victims of asbestos exposure and their families.