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Medical Author:

Winston W Tan, MD

Coauthor:

Shehnaz Shaikh, MD

Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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Next Steps

Prevention

Because asbestos is the major known cause of mesothelioma, eliminating the exposure to asbestos can significantly decrease the risk of mesothelioma.

If you are exposed to asbestos at the workplace, you should wear protective clothing and masks. You should change your clothing before leaving the workplace to avoid carrying any asbestos particles home. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides useful safety and health information for people exposed to asbestos.

Outlook

Like most cancers, the outlook of mesothelioma depends on how early it is diagnosed and how aggressively it is treated. Without treatment, mesothelioma is fatal within four to eight months.

With trimodal treatment (surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy), survival was noted in some people at 16-19 months. A few people survived as long as five years.

Support Groups and Counseling

Dealing with a life-threatening disease is difficult. Reading the experiences of other people with mesothelioma helps to cope with the condition. You can access their stories at the following Web pages:

• Mesothelioma Survivors & Fighters, available at http://www.mesotheliomaweb.org/fighters.htm



• Sharing with Other Mesothelioma Patients and Families, available at http://www.mesothelioma-aid.com/sharing.htm



• Thoughts from a Mesothelioma Patient, available at http://www.oncolink.org/types/article.cfm?c=9&s=32&ss=254&id=1744

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Glossary