Note: The information on cancer types on the ACRF website is not designed to provide medical or professional advice and is for information only. If you have any health problems or questions please consult your doctor.
Malignant Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that occurs in the thin layer of cells lining the body’s internal organs, known as the mesothelium. Exposure to asbestos is the only recognised cause of this type of cancer, though factors such as smoking can increase the likelihood.
There are three recognized types of Mesothelioma:
Symptoms include shortness of breath and chest pain, however the disease is usually only detected after the cancer has spread. These cells often spread to other parts of the lung where they form a secondary cancer.
At present, there is no screening method for Mesothelioma. Detection usually occurs many years after exposure to asbestos has taken place, often as long as 30 years later.
There are three traditional kinds of treatment for patients with malignant mesothelioma:
Often two or more of these are combined in the course of treatment.
824
new cases are estimated to be diagnosed in 2018
5.8%
is the estimated five-year survival rate for mesothelioma
75
years is the median age of diagnosis
Together we can change the statistics and outsmart cancer for good
REFERENCES
Cancer in Australia 2017, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
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