What is Mesothelioma?

Your chest contains an outer and inner layer of cells. One layer lines the inside of your rib cage and the other layer covers your lungs – these layers are called the pleura and pleural membrane.

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that starts to grow in the lining of the lungs, usually only affecting one side of the chest. As the cancer cells grow, it begins to form tumours and causes the pleural membrane to become thicker.

There are three different types of mesothelioma:

• Epithelioid Mesothelioma. This is the most common type of mesothelioma. As it grows more slowly than the others, it may respond better to treatments.
• Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma. This type is less common and usually progresses more quickly.
• Biphasic Mesothelioma. This is quite uncommon and is more aggressive than epithelioid but grows more slowly than Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma.

What causes Mesothelioma?

The main cause of Mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos dust. As a naturally occurring fibre, it was widely used across industries until the late 1990s. Factory workers, construction workers, shipbuilders and railway engineers commonly dealt with the substance without safety measures in place.
Although products containing asbestos were banned in the UK in 1999, it is still found today in many buildings, which is why there are now strict guidelines that have been put in place to remove asbestos safely.

Mesothelioma can also develop if you lived with someone who worked with asbestos, as they may have carried asbestos fibres home on their clothing, allowing family members to breathe the fibres in.

What are the symptoms of Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is slow to appear but quickly progresses. The symptoms of Mesothelioma only begin to appear up to 40 years after a person came into contact with asbestos and include:

• Feeling out of breath
• Coughing
• Chest pain

How can developing Mesothelioma be prevented?

If exposure to asbestos in the workplace cannot be avoided, it is the role of the employer to ensure certain regulations are put in place to protect employees from a harmful level of exposure. The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 requires employees to inspect the workplace to check for asbestos, carry out risk assessments on materials containing asbestos, record and provide information on the location and condition of asbestos to anyone who is likely to work near it, and consult trade union safety reps.

Although measures are put in place to protect workers, it is important employees take the right precautions to protect themselves, including never cutting, sawing, drilling or scraping materials containing asbestos; always wearing proper protective gear when handling asbestos; and always disposing of asbestos materials according to the appropriate regulations.

How is Mesothelioma treated?

Once an individual has been diagnosed with Mesothelioma, treatment often begins within one month. Unlike other kinds of cancer, there isn’t a clear medical agreement about treatment, but chemotherapy, surgery, radio therapy and palliative care are commonly chosen as treatment.

How can MLA help you with your Mesothelioma claim?

As the undisputed leader in Industrial Disease Medical Reports, MLA understands how complex Mesothelioma claims can be. Our experienced team knows these particular kinds of cases require detailed evidence from medical and liability experts, so that’s what we deliver.

Our expert panel provides detailed reports that cover medical history, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment received, future treatment and prognosis. You can rely on our experts to gather the medical evidence necessary and deliver quality advice on the level of respiratory disability and any reduction in life expectancy as a result of the diagnosis.

If you’d like to learn more about our Industrial Disease service, please click here.

Or, to learn more about the British Lung Foundation’s Action Mesothelioma Day, follow this link.