Mesothelioma is closely associated with which of the following: September 2011, March 2013 (f, h)

Ans. D: Asbestosis Mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer of the pleura and peritoneum, has been shown to have a strong association with the crocidolite variety of asbestos Mesothelioma/Malignant mesothelioma It is a rare form of cancer that develops from the mesothelium. It is usually caused by exposure to asbestos. Its most common site is the pleura, but it may also occur in the peritoneum, the pericardium, or the tunica vaginalis. Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos, or they have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in other ways. It has also been suggested that washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos can put a person at risk for developing mesothelioma. Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking, but smoking greatly increases the risk of other asbestos-induced cancers. The symptoms of mesothelioma include shoness of breath due to pleural effusion or chest wall pain, and general symptoms such as weight loss. The diagnosis may be suspected with chest X-ray and CT scan, and is confirmed with a biopsy and microscopic examination. A thoracoscopy can be used to take biopsies. It allows the introduction of substances such as talc to obliterate the pleural space (pleurodesis), which prevents more fluid from accumulating and pressing on the lung. Despite treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or sometimes surgery, the disease carries a poor prognosis. Indeed, the relationship between asbestos and mesothelioma is so strong that many consider mesothelioma a "signal" or "sentinel" tumor. In rare cases, mesothelioma has also been associated with irradiation, intrapleural thorium dioxide (Thorotrast), and inhalation of other fibrous silicates, such as erionite. Screening tests might diagnose mesothelioma earlier than conventional methods thus improving the survival prospects for patients.The serum osteopontin level might be useful in screening asbestos-exposed people for mesothelioma. The level of soluble mesothelin-related protein is elevated in the serum of about 75% of patients at diagnosis and it has been suggested that it may be useful for screening.