Pleural Mesothelioma

from wikipedia

Mesothelioma is a malignant tumor of the mesothelium, envelope consists of two layers between which is a lubricating fluid. The mesothelium surrounding many organs: it called for the lung pleura, peritoneum for digestive viscera, pericardium to the heart.

The most common is that of the pleura: pleural mesothelioma is

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 be housed deep within the respiratory tree in the cells, these high strength fibers migrate to the pleura where mechanical irritation of the pleura, the lesion base is primarily physical, not chemical. The time between exposure and disease, often by several decades, but may be shorter in some cases. This exposure can be short (one or two years) and therefore difficult to find 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 shoulder blade. Therefore considered to be rather banal
More evocative: pleural effusion (fluid between the often bloody layers of the pleura) with dyspnea (breathlessness)

The chest X-ray is rarely helpful except at an advanced stage.
Microscopic examination of aspirated fluid if effusion malignant cells can be found
CT and MRI examinations are the most useful and the diagnosis will be confirmed by a biopsy of the pleura or by thoracoscopy

Treatment: early surgery may be successful, then radiation therapy may slow the progression finally chemotherapy will be only palliative. The prognosis is generally awful (one year survival in many cases only).

Prevention is essential: removal of sprayed asbestos, protection of workers and their families (wife who cleans clothes for example)
Asbestos is banned in France since 1997 and in many Western countries (but there are other countries where everything needs to be done ...)

Occupations exposed are numerous.
Those who pay the highest price were, are and will (if the maximum is expected between 2010 and 2020):

Plumbers, welders, pipe fitters
Workers in the construction of iron or steel (carpenters, shipbuilding and rail car)
Sheet metal workers, boilermakers, auto mechanics and truck
Electricians
Construction workers in general
DIYers "madmen"
Employment in the manufacture of articles containing asbestos (asbestos cement, asbestos textile industry until 1996 with activity of carding, spinning or weaving)
Employment in the insulation (thermal or acoustic), in the manufacture of electrical insulators in power plants, refineries
Automotive repair and other vehicles (brake and clutch)
Assemblers in ventilation / heating / cooling, boiler installer
Steel industry (blast furnaces, coke ovens, steel mills)
Glass Industry
Dockers
And so on. ...