On this page

Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Prevention and Risk Factors
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Related Issues

See, Play and Learn

• No links available

Research

• Statistics and Research
• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Find an Expert

For You

• Children
• Patient Handouts

Summary

The tissue that lines your lungs, stomach, heart, and other organs is called mesothelium. Mesothelioma, also known as malignant mesothelioma, is cancer of that tissue. It usually starts in the lungs, but can also start in the abdomen or other organs.

Malignant mesothelioma is rare but serious. Most people who get it have worked or lived in places where they inhaled or swallowed asbestos particles. After being exposed to asbestos, it usually takes a long time for the disease to form.

Symptoms include:

• Trouble breathing
• Cough
• Pain under the rib cage
• Pain, swelling, or lumps in the abdomen
• Weight loss for no known reason
• Blood clots
• Constipation
• Fatigue

Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference between malignant mesothelioma and lung cancer. To find out if you have mesothelioma, your health care provider will likely use a physical exam, imaging tests, and a biopsy.

Malignant mesothelioma is often found when it is advanced. This makes it harder to treat. Treatment options may include:

• Surgery
• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy
• Immunotherapy
• Targeted therapy, which uses drugs or other substances that attack specific cancer cells with less harm to normal cells

NIH: National Cancer Institute

Start Here

• General Information about Malignant Mesothelioma (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Malignant Mesothelioma (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
• Mesothelioma (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

• Stages of Malignant Mesothelioma (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Tests for Malignant Mesothelioma (American Cancer Society)

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Can Malignant Mesothelioma Be Found Early? (American Cancer Society)
• Learn about Mesothelioma (American Lung Association)
• What Causes Malignant Mesothelioma? (American Cancer Society)

Treatments and Therapies

• Drugs Approved for Malignant Mesothelioma (National Cancer Institute)
• Treatment Option Overview (Malignant Mesothelioma) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

• Asbestos Exposure and Cancer Risk (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish

Statistics and Research

• Key Statistics about Malignant Mesothelioma (American Cancer Society)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Mesothelioma (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Efficacy and safety of novel multiple-chain DAP-CAR-T cells targeting mesothelin in...
• Article: Capsaicin Exerts Antitumor Activity in Mesothelioma Cells.
• Article: Morphological analysis and cytotoxicity of acrylamide on SPC212 human mesothelioma cells:...
• Mesothelioma -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• American Cancer Society
• American Lung Association
• National Cancer Institute Also in Spanish

Children

• Childhood Mesothelioma Treatment (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• Malignant mesothelioma (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Solitary fibrous tumor (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish