Cancer mesothelioma is a malicious disease which is life threatening. It is developed in people who come in direct contact with asbestos. Inhalation of asbestos for a prolonged duration affects the mesothelium, which is the protective lining of our internal organs. The disease has destroyed the lives of many families by killing their dear and near ones. Since the disease is developed many years after the exposure to asbestos, even a ban on it has not helped much.

All the three forms of mesothelioma, that is, the pleural, peritoneal and pericardial are highly potent threats to human life. In many cases, the cancer is detected only after thirty years, making it difficult to either claim for damages from the offending employer or taking effective treatment.

Many governments have taken steps to help the victims. The use of asbestos in work places has been banned and there are laws which ensure adequate compensation measures. This comes as a great comfort for the family members to cope with the tragedy. Apart from this more and more researches are going on to find better treatment options for the patients suffering from cancer mesothelioma.

The early symptoms of the disease are fatigue, fever, wheezing etc. The patient is made to go through a long series of medications including chemotherapy once diagnosed with the disease. Chemotherapy is extremely painful with many side effects like nausea, fever, rashes, sores, fatigue, diarrhea or constipation etc. This can make the life of the patients extremely miserable. Surgery and radiotherapy are also employed as part of the treatment.

Newer technologies are increasingly employed for early detection and some modern treatment measures like angiogenesis, immunotherapy, photodynamic therapy, gene therapy, complementary and alternative medicine etc are providing that proverbial ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ to disheartened patients. In addition, palliative care, which endeavors to alleviate pain, is also gaining wide acceptance.

Cancer mesothelioma, being a peculiar disease, requires long term clinical care where the combined effects of medical professionals, oncology social workers, psychologists and nutritionists are required. They provide solace and hope to the otherwise crestfallen patient and family members and give them a new urge to live. Without this urge, any treatment effort would prove futile.