Mesothelioma is a rare and particularly deadly form of cancer. Cancer is a disease characterized by tumors, which are caused by rapid and uncontrolled cell division and the spread of these cells to other tissues. Mesothelioma affects a thin layer of cells that covers the walls of the chest and abdominal cavities and the outer surfaces of the organs in those cavities. This tissue is called mesothelium, and it acts as the body’s Teflon, producing a lubricating fluid that protects the internal organs when the lungs expand or organs shift. Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos. Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a major social and epidemiological issue because of its increasing worldwide prevalence.
Every year, scientists and doctors are making new discoveries that improve the chances of those at risk to develop the condition. Enormous effort is being expended to give sufferers the best chance for survival and the most relief from their pain. Within a generation, mesothelioma might be almost eradicated simply as a result of asbestos’ fall from grace, remaining only as an object for study and a testament to how far we have come from the days when the only concern society had for sufferers of mesothelioma was how it would affect their asking price in the slave market of the Roman agora.