Childhood Mesothelioma: Rare Cases & Causes

Mesothelioma is a fatal form of cancer as a result of asbestos exposure. However, children who have not been exposed to asbestos and have not been alive long enough for asbestos exposure to be the underlying cause have been diagnosed with mesothelioma .

Time Frame

• Cases of mesothelioma in which asbestos exposure was not the cause are rare. Development of mesothelioma takes years after the exposure to asbestos, so when it is diagnosed in children, the likelihood of it being due to asbestos is slim as they generally have not lived long enough for asbestos to be the factor.

Types

• The most common form of mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma, which is cancer of the lining of the lungs. In children, most cases if not all, are peritoneal mesothelioma which is cancer of the lining of the abdominal cavity.

Research

• Little is known about mesothelioma other than in almost all instances it can be linked to asbestos, but can occur without asbestos exposure, so researchers are looking for hereditary links as well as other possible causes.

Mortality

• Malignent mesothelioma is generally fatal and once the symptoms present; death is within 18 months.

Symptoms of Peritoneal Mesothelioma

• Peritoneal mesothelioma is the most common form found in children and the symptoms include abdominal distention, ascites, weight loss and abdominal mass.