Mesothelioma Encyclopedia

Actinolite asbestos is an amphibole mineral recognized by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a Group 1 carcinogen. Like trem...

Amosite asbestos is an amphibole mineral also known as "brown asbestos" or grunerite asbestos. Its name is an acronym derived from Asbestos Mines o...

Asbestos abatement is the process of identifying, managing, and removing or containing asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) from buildings and stru...

Imagine spending a full career in the belly of a ship, insulating pipes and boilers with materials that your employer knew were dangerous. For hund...

Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY), located in Portsmouth, Virginia, is the oldest and one of the largest ship repair facilities in the United States. F...

Asbestos bankruptcy trusts are specialized legal entities created under Section 524(g) of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code to compensate current and future...

Asbestos brake pads and clutch facings were standard automotive friction products for most of the 20th century. Chrysotile asbestos fibers were emb...

Asbestos cement — commonly known by the brand name Transite — is a building material made by combining Portland cement with 10–15% asbestos f...

Asbestos exposure occurs when a person inhales or ingests microscopic fibers shed by asbestos-containing materials (ACMs). For most of the 20th cen...

Asbestos floor tiles — often referred to as vinyl asbestos tile (VAT) — were one of the most widely installed flooring products in the United S...

Asbestos gaskets and packing were essential sealing components used in virtually every industry that involved high-temperature or high-pressure pip...

Asbestos insulation refers to thermal and acoustic insulation products that contain asbestos fibers. For most of the 20th century, asbestos was con...

Asbestos joint compound — commonly called drywall mud or taping compound — was a paste-like finishing material used to seal seams, cover fasten...

Asbestos pipe insulation, commonly known as lagging, refers to thermal insulation materials containing asbestos that were wrapped around hot water ...

The history of asbestos regulation in the United States spans over five decades of evolving science, legal battles, industry resistance, and increm...

Asbestos roofing materials encompass a range of products — including shingles, corrugated sheets, roofing felt, and tar paper — that were manuf...

Asbestos testing and inspection is the systematic process of identifying asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) in buildings, homes, and other struct...

Asbestos textiles encompass a family of woven, braided, and knitted products made from asbestos fibers — including cloth, blankets, gloves, mitte...

Asbestos trust funds are financial reserves established by companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy due to overwhelming asbestos-related liti...

Asbestos-related lung cancer is a malignancy that develops within the lung tissue (bronchial epithelium or alveolar cells) as a direct result of as...

Asbestos-related pleural disease (ARPD) is an umbrella term encompassing a spectrum of non-malignant conditions affecting the pleural membranes as ...

Asbestosis is a chronic, non-cancerous lung disease caused by prolonged inhalation of asbestos fibers. The fibers cause progressive scarring (fibro...

Ascites — the pathological accumulation of fluid within the peritoneal cavity — is one of the most common and clinically significant manifestat...

Atezolizumab, marketed as Tecentriq, is a PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitor that is being investigated as a treatment for malignant pleural mesothe...

Auto mechanics have historically been exposed to asbestos through brake pads, clutch facings, gaskets, and other friction and sealing products that...

Banner University Medical Center Phoenix (BUMC Phoenix) is a 770-bed academic medical center located at 1111 E. McDowell Road in Phoenix, Arizona. ...

Benign mesothelioma — more accurately called solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) of the pleura — is a rare neoplasm that, despite its historical name,...

Bevacizumab, marketed as Avastin, is a monoclonal antibody that targets vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a protein that tumors use to sti...

Biphasic mesothelioma is the second most common histological subtype of malignant mesothelioma, accounting for approximately 20–30% of all diagno...

Boilermakers occupy a unique and deeply hazardous position in the history of occupational asbestos exposure. Their work — building, installing, m...

Imagine receiving a mesothelioma diagnosis after decades of working in a California shipyard, refinery, or construction site. The medical bills arr...

Carboplatin is a second-generation platinum-based chemotherapy drug used as an alternative to cisplatin in the treatment of malignant pleural mesot...

Chemotherapy for mesothelioma uses cytotoxic drugs to kill cancer cells or inhibit their growth. It is a cornerstone of mesothelioma treatment, use...

A chest X-ray (chest radiograph) is often the first imaging study performed when a patient presents with respiratory symptoms that may be related t...

If you or someone you love has just been diagnosed with mesothelioma, the single most consequential decision you'll make in the first weeks isn't a...

Chrysotile asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous silicate mineral belonging to the serpentine group. Often called "white asbestos," it accounts...

Cisplatin is a platinum-based chemotherapy drug that serves as the backbone of standard first-line treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma. As...

Construction workers are among the most commonly affected occupational groups when it comes to asbestos-related diseases. For decades, asbestos was...

Crocidolite asbestos, commonly known as "blue asbestos," is an amphibole mineral widely regarded as the most dangerous form of asbestos. Its extrem...

CT scan (computed tomography) is the primary imaging modality for the detection, staging, and treatment monitoring of mesothelioma. A contrast-enha...

Imagine a 19-year-old machinist's mate in 1944, working in the engine room of a destroyer escort somewhere in the Pacific Theater, scraping old pip...

Diffuse pleural thickening (DPT) is a fibrotic condition affecting the visceral pleura — the thin membrane that directly covers the lung surface....

Doxorubicin, marketed as Adriamycin, is an anthracycline chemotherapy antibiotic that has been used in the treatment of malignant mesothelioma sinc...

Durvalumab, marketed as Imfinzi, is a PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitor manufactured by AstraZeneca that has been studied extensively in malignant ...

Electricians have faced significant asbestos exposure throughout the twentieth century, primarily through direct contact with asbestos-containing e...

Emerging treatments for mesothelioma represent a rapidly evolving landscape of investigational therapies that aim to improve outcomes beyond what c...

Epithelioid mesothelioma is the most common histological subtype of malignant mesothelioma, accounting for approximately 60–70% of all diagnosed ...

Eric Poplonski is a mesothelioma patient whose diagnosis drew attention to the continued human toll of occupational asbestos exposure among America...

Imagine you've just received a mesothelioma diagnosis after working for decades at a Harrisburg-area steel plant, shipyard, or construction site. T...

Extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) is the most aggressive surgical procedure used in the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma. The operation i...

Firefighters face significant occupational exposure to asbestos from structural fires, building collapses, and demolition operations involving pre-...

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, known widely as Fred Hutch, is one of the United States' most prominent National Cancer Institute-designated compreh...

Gemcitabine, marketed as Gemzar, is a nucleoside analog chemotherapy drug used in the treatment of mesothelioma, primarily as a second-line option ...

Hospice care is a specialized form of medical care focused on providing comfort, dignity, and quality of life for patients with a terminal illness ...

Immunotherapy for mesothelioma uses drugs that harness the body's immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells. The FDA-approved immunotherap...

An indwelling pleural catheter (IPC) is a thin, flexible, tunneled silicone tube that is placed through the chest wall into the pleural space to al...

Ipilimumab, marketed as Yervoy, is a CTLA-4 immune checkpoint inhibitor approved by the FDA in combination with nivolumab (Opdivo) for the first-li...

Laryngeal cancer is a malignancy arising in the tissues of the larynx (voice box), most commonly as squamous cell carcinoma. In 2012, the Internati...

The Libby, Montana asbestos disaster is one of the worst environmental health crises in American history. For decades, a vermiculite mine operated ...

Mare Island Naval Shipyard, the U.S. Navy's first shipyard on the Pacific Coast, operated continuously from September 16, 1854, until its closure i...

Mesothelioma is a rare, aggressive cancer that arises in the mesothelium — the thin membrane lining the lungs, abdomen, heart, and testes. Approx...

Mesothelioma biopsy is a tissue sampling procedure that is absolutely required for a definitive diagnosis of mesothelioma. No treatment plan — wh...

Blood tests and biomarkers are an evolving component of mesothelioma diagnosis and management. While no blood test can definitively diagnose mesoth...

Clinical trials are carefully designed research studies that evaluate new treatments, treatment combinations, or treatment approaches in human volu...

Mesothelioma in children and young adults is an exceedingly rare occurrence, with fewer than 2% of all malignant mesothelioma cases diagnosed in pa...

Mesothelioma in women represents a distinct clinical and epidemiological profile compared to mesothelioma in men. While malignant mesothelioma pred...

A mesothelioma lawsuit is a legal action filed by individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma — or by their surviving family members — seeking comp...

Mesothelioma life expectancy describes how long a patient is expected to live following a diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma. While the overall me...

Mesothelioma metastasis occurs when malignant mesothelioma cells spread from the primary tumor site to distant organs or tissues. While mesotheliom...

Mesothelioma misdiagnosis is a significant clinical problem that affects an estimated 10–30% of patients during the initial pathology review. Mal...

Pain management is one of the most critical components of comprehensive mesothelioma care. Studies indicate that up to 90% of mesothelioma patients...

Mesothelioma prognosis refers to the expected course and outcome of malignant mesothelioma following diagnosis. The overall median survival for mes...

Mesothelioma recurrence refers to the return of malignant mesothelioma after initial treatment, most commonly surgery. Recurrence is unfortunately ...

A mesothelioma second opinion is a review of a patient's diagnosis, pathology, imaging, and treatment plan by an independent medical team — typic...

Mesothelioma settlements and verdicts represent the financial compensation awarded to patients and families affected by asbestos-related diseases. ...

Mesothelioma specialists are physicians and cancer centers with focused expertise in diagnosing and treating mesothelioma — a rare cancer that re...

Mesothelioma staging is the process of determining the extent of cancer spread in the body, which is essential for selecting the appropriate treatm...

Mesothelioma surgery encompasses a range of procedures from curative-intent tumor removal to palliative interventions for symptom relief. Surgery i...

Mesothelioma survival rates represent the percentage of patients who remain alive at specific time points after diagnosis. These statistics, drawn ...

When a doctor tells you or someone you love that mesothelioma is the diagnosis, the next question is almost always: where do we go from here? That ...

Mesothelioma and lung cancer are distinct malignancies that are frequently confused due to overlapping symptoms and anatomic proximity. Understandi...

Mesothelioma wrongful death claims are legal actions filed by the surviving family members or estate of a person who died from mesothelioma or anot...

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an advanced diagnostic imaging technique that plays a valuable role in the evaluation and staging of malignant ...

Multimodal therapy for mesothelioma is a treatment strategy that combines two or more distinct treatment modalities — typically surgery, chemothe...

Naval Submarine Base New London, located in Groton, Connecticut, is the oldest and largest submarine base in the United States, often called the "H...

Navy veterans face the highest rate of asbestos-related disease of any military branch. Ships constructed from the 1930s through the 1970s were bui...

Nintedanib, marketed as Ofev (and Vargatef in some regions), is a triple angiokinase inhibitor that was investigated as a treatment for malignant p...

Nivolumab, marketed as Opdivo, is a PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor that was approved by the FDA on October 2, 2020, in combination with ipilimuma...

When a patient in the Midwest receives a diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma or advanced lung cancer, one of the first referrals their oncologist is ...

Nutrition plays a vital role in the care of patients undergoing treatment for mesothelioma. The disease itself — combined with the side effects o...

Imagine you've spent three decades working in the petrochemical refineries along the Mississippi River corridor, a stretch of Louisiana industry so...

Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among women, and in 2012, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) confirme...

Palliative care is a specialized medical discipline focused on providing relief from the symptoms, pain, and stress of serious illness — with the...

Pembrolizumab, marketed as Keytruda, is a humanized monoclonal antibody that blocks the programmed death-1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint receptor. It is...

Pemetrexed, marketed under the brand name Alimta, is an antifolate chemotherapy drug that has been the cornerstone of mesothelioma treatment since ...

Pericardial mesothelioma is the rarest form of mesothelioma, accounting for fewer than 1% of all cases. It develops in the pericardium — the thin...

Peritoneal mesothelioma is the second most common type of mesothelioma, accounting for 15–20% of all cases. It develops in the peritoneum — the...

PET scan (positron emission tomography), typically performed as a combined PET/CT study, is an advanced imaging modality that plays a critical role...

Pleural effusion is the abnormal accumulation of fluid in the pleural space — the thin gap between the two layers of tissue (the pleura) that lin...

Pleural mesothelioma is the most common form of mesothelioma, accounting for approximately 80% of all diagnoses. It develops in the pleural membran...

Pleural plaques are the most common manifestation of asbestos exposure, consisting of well-defined areas of fibrous thickening or calcification on ...

Pleurectomy/decortication (P/D) is a lung-sparing cytoreductive surgery for malignant pleural mesothelioma that removes the diseased pleura and all...

Pleuroscopy, also called medical thoracoscopy, is a minimally invasive endoscopic procedure used to directly examine the pleural space, the thin fl...

Plumbers and pipefitters rank among the occupations with the highest documented rates of mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung disease. For decade...

Power plants built and operated from the 1930s through the 1980s were among the most asbestos-intensive environments in American industry. Every ma...

Radiation therapy uses high-energy beams to kill cancer cells or slow their growth. In mesothelioma treatment, radiation plays a supporting role wi...

Raltitrexed, marketed as Tomudex, is an antifolate chemotherapy drug that serves as an alternative to pemetrexed in the treatment of malignant pleu...

Rounded atelectasis is a form of peripheral lung collapse in which a portion of lung tissue folds inward upon itself, creating a rounded or oval ma...

Sarcomatoid mesothelioma is the least common and most aggressive histological subtype of malignant mesothelioma, accounting for approximately 10–...

Secondhand asbestos exposure, also called para-occupational or take-home exposure, occurs when individuals who do not work directly with asbestos a...

Shipyard workers represent one of the occupational groups most heavily affected by asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma, asbestosis, a...

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with mesothelioma after living or working in South Dakota, a specialized mesothelioma lawyer can be o...

Every year, roughly 3,000 Americans receive a mesothelioma diagnosis, according to the National Cancer Institute. Most of them were exposed to asbe...

Statutes of limitations for asbestos claims are legal deadlines that establish how long a person has to file a lawsuit after being diagnosed with a...

Talc pleurodesis is a medical procedure used to prevent the recurrence of pleural effusion — the abnormal accumulation of fluid between the two l...

Teachers and school employees represent a uniquely vulnerable population in the history of asbestos exposure. Unlike industrial workers who handled...

Testicular mesothelioma is the rarest form of malignant mesothelioma, arising from the tunica vaginalis — the membranous lining that surrounds ea...

Thoracentesis is a minimally invasive procedure in which a needle is inserted through the chest wall into the pleural space to remove accumulated f...

Thoracoscopy, also known as video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), is a minimally invasive procedure that allows direct visual examination of...

Transite is a composite building material made by binding asbestos fibers with Portland cement. Manufactured primarily by the Johns-Manville Corpor...

Imagine a sailor reporting for duty on a man-made island in San Francisco Bay in 1965, assigned to routine maintenance work aboard ships docked for...

Tremelimumab is a CTLA-4 immune checkpoint inhibitor that has been studied as a treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma in several clinical tr...

Tremolite asbestos is an amphibole mineral that, unlike chrysotile or amosite, was never commercially mined or intentionally used in industrial pro...

Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields), delivered by the NovoTTF-100L device marketed as Optune Lua, is an FDA-approved therapy for unresectable malignan...

VA benefits for mesothelioma veterans provide critical financial support and healthcare coverage to military veterans who developed mesothelioma or...

Vermiculite is a naturally occurring mineral that expands when heated, creating a lightweight, fire-resistant material widely used as loose-fill at...

Vinorelbine, sold under the brand name Navelbine, is a semi-synthetic vinca alkaloid chemotherapy drug used as a second-line treatment option for p...

Workers' compensation for asbestos diseases provides medical benefits and partial wage replacement to workers who developed mesothelioma, asbestosi...