What is it?
Mesothelioma is an asbestos-related cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), out of 1.4 million new diagnoses of cancer each year in the U.S., 3,000 are Mesothelioma and just 300 of those are women. Karen Peterson was one of them.

Mesothelioma takes its name from the mesothelial cells that line the chest cavity, abdominal cavity and the cavity around the heart. These specialized cells also cover the outer surface of most internal organs. The tissue formed by these cells is called the mesothelium. The mesothelium helps protect the organs by producing a special lubricating fluid that allows the organs to move around. For example, this fluid makes it easier for the lungs to move inside the chest while breathing.

Most people who contract mesothelioma have breathed in asbestos, a mineral fiber that is also a human carcinogen. The common theory is that the fibers are breathed in and pass through the lungs to the lining. A fiber gets lodged inside a cell and can fester for 30 years before something — illness, trauma, stress, an unknown risk factor — triggers it into the runaway cell division that forms a tumor. The lining, normally as thin as Saran Wrap®, expands as the tumor grows until it is several inches thick. The tumor blocks the lymphatic channels that drain several quarts of fluid a day. The combination of the tumor and the fluid buildup smothers the lung, then the heart.

People exposed at an early age, such as Karen Peterson, or for prolonged periods of time, are more likely to develop mesothelioma. There appears to be a period of latency from 20 – 50 years between exposure and the onset of the disease. The Bay Area, with its naval shipyards, major ports and extensive construction industry, has one of the highest rates of mesothelioma in the country. As the long-term health effects of 9/11 are being recognized and diagnosed, the number of cases of mesothelioma in New York City is expected to increase significantly.

What We’re Doing About It
The Foundation is a major supporter of the Thoracic Oncology Program at UCSF. Headed by the incredible David Jablons, MD, this program is one of the few programs in the country that specializes in mesothelioma, both in terms of patient care and innovative research. The program sees more than 500 patients annually, about 10% of who have mesothelioma.

The UCSF Thoracic Oncology Program and its Laboratory are an active part of the Comprehensive Cancer Center, the only one of its kind between Seattle and Los Angeles. Comprehensive Cancer Centers are the highest level designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), which makes significant contributions to advances in cancer research that are key to understanding, preventing, and treating this disease.

See Best of the West for our Doctor and Program recommendations.