MesoRC: Mesothelioma Resource Center

Mesothelioma Information
• What is mesothelioma?
• Mesothelioma medical glossary
• Mesothelioma causes
• Mesothelioma types
• Mesothelioma symptoms
• Mesothelioma risk factors
• Worldwide exposure

Mesothelioma Diagnosis and Treatment
• Diagnosed with mesothelioma
• Mesothelioma stages
• Mesothelioma research
• Mesothelioma treatment
• Mesothelioma clinical trials
• Mesothelioma doctors & healthcare professionals
• Importance of seeing a specialist
• Communicating with your doctor
• Mesothelioma treatment centers
• Choosing a treatment center
• Mesothelioma pain & management
• Diet & nutrition tips
• Exercise & mesothelioma
• Traveling with mesothelioma

Caring For a Loved One
• A loved ones' diagnosis
• Learning to cope
• Caregiver tips
• Mesothelioma support groups
• Getting organized
• Advanced care planning
• Financial planning
• Financial assistance
• Hospice care
• Benefits of companion pets
• Benefits of online support
• Holiday guide for patients
• Holiday guide for caregivers

This section of the website provides a detailed overview of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer linked to asbestos exposure. The information found in these pages has been gathered from leading mesothelioma authorities such as the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute. You’ll learn about:

• Types of Mesothelioma:  When mesothelioma is present in the chest cavity, it is called pleural mesothelioma. Another type of mesothelioma is called peritoneal mesothelioma, which occurs in the abdomen. Paricardial mesothelioma affects the cells in the lining of the heart.  Learn more >

• Mesothelioma Symptoms:  Symptoms of mesothelioma typically do not appear until many years after asbestos exposure. The nature of the symptoms are generally dictated by where in the body the cancer is located.  Learn more >

• Causes of Mesothelioma:  The American Cancer Society lists exposure to asbestos as the main risk factor for developing mesothelioma. Asbestos exposure at work is reported in70 to 80 percent of all mesothelioma cases. Learn more >

• Mesothelioma Treatments:  Treatments for mesothelioma vary and depend on the location of the cancer, how advanced the cancer is, and the patient's overall health and age. Typical treatments include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Learn more >

Basic Mesothelioma Facts and Figures

When viewed collectively, the facts about mesothelioma are startling. Consider the following truths about this devastating illness:

• An estimated 2,000 to 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed each year in the U.S.
• Approximately three-quarters of these cases are pleural mesothelioma, which occurs in the chest.
• Most people who get mesothelioma have worked in jobs where they breathed in asbestos fibers at some point in their lives.
• Mesothelioma can take 25 to 40 years to develop after the initial asbestos exposure.
• Mesothelioma affects men 3 to 5 times more often than women.
• Three-fourths of people with mesothelioma are over age 65.
• The disease only metastasizes, or spreads outside the initial cancer area, in 5% of cases.
• The average survival time after a person has been diagnosed with mesothelioma is one year.
• The Environmental Workers Group (EWG) estimates that between 1979 and 2001, at least 43,000 Americans died from mesothelioma and an often-fatal non-cancer disease of the lungs called asbestosis.
• The truth about asbestos exposure has been known and mostly hidden from the American public since the early 20th Century.
• Up to 8 million Americans may have been exposed to asbestos.
• The use of asbestos has still not been banned in the United States.