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Mesothelioma is extremely rare in children and young adults because the cancer typically develops decades after exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma cases in young people account for less than 5% of all diagnoses.
Written by Karen Selby, RN • Edited By Walter Pacheco • Medically Reviewed By Dr. Andrea Wolf
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Selby, K. (2024, February 2). Mesothelioma in Young Adults & Children. Asbestos.com. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from https://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma/children-young-adults/
Selby, Karen. "Mesothelioma in Young Adults & Children." Asbestos.com, 2 Feb 2024, https://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma/children-young-adults/.
Selby, Karen. "Mesothelioma in Young Adults & Children." Asbestos.com. Last modified February 2, 2024. https://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma/children-young-adults/.
There is no clear cause for mesothelioma in young people. The disease is spontaneous, though possible factors include toxic exposure or genetic disorders.
Mesothelioma is rare cancer most common in people over 65. There are only a few hundred cases in young adults and children worldwide.
The primary cause of this cancer in adults is occupational asbestos exposure. Most young people diagnosed with mesothelioma have no history of asbestos exposure. Asbestos-related illnesses take several decades to develop after exposure.
Researchers have looked for other potential causes in children and young adults. Mesothelioma in youth is so rare that it is challenging to study.
A study published in Oncotarget in June 2015 reviewed 12,345 mesothelioma patients. Only 2% of the patients were under 40 when they were first diagnosed.
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Asbestos exposure generally endangers adults working in certain jobs or the military. But children may encounter asbestos exposure in other ways, as well.
Asbestos-contaminated talc has found its way into many products. These include crayons, toys and cosmetics sold to parents and children.
Before the 1980s, several U.S. brands of talcum powder and baby powder contained traces of asbestos. In some countries, other products are still made with talc that has asbestos.
In 2015, the Environmental Working Group Action Fund performed independent tests. They found asbestos in crayons and toy crime lab kits made in China.
In 2017, Claire’s and Justice recalled several cosmetic products due to asbestos contamination. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration confirmed the test results in 2019.
In the U.S., old asbestos construction materials are in many buildings built before the 1980s. Millions of homes and half of America’s schools contain asbestos products from the 1950s and 1960s.
Any activity that disturbs deteriorating asbestos products, such as improper maintenance or renovation work, can release toxic asbestos dust into the air.
When someone is exposed to asbestos in their workplace and they bring asbestos dust home, this can cause secondhand asbestos exposure among their family members.
Today, regulations require employers to provide decontamination facilities to employees who work with asbestos. Before such regulations began to be passed in the 1970s, however, secondary asbestos exposure was a major problem for many families.
Children may be exposed to asbestos if they live in an area where asbestos is naturally found in sand or soil.
Some communities have also been directly contaminated by asbestos companies, leading to instances where children played on soil from asbestos mine tailings (such as in Libby, Montana) or piles of asbestos factory waste (such as in Ambler, Pennsylvania).
Because cases of mesothelioma in children and young adults usually do not trace back to asbestos exposure, researchers have proposed other possible causes.
Radiation exposure is a minor risk factor for mesothelioma, and there have been a couple recorded instances of pediatric mesothelioma linked to previously receiving radiation therapy for a disease called Wilms’ tumor.
Childhood mesothelioma has been linked to exposure to isoniazid, an antibiotic used to treat tuberculosis, while in the womb.
Children may have a genetic predisposition to mesothelioma if they are born with certain mutations in their DNA.
In 2013, a team led by Dr. Michele Carbone determined that a BAP1 gene mutation can increase a person’s risk of developing cancer after exposure to asbestiform mineral fibers.
Regardless of a patient’s age, the symptoms of mesothelioma are usually the same, including:
Some research suggests mesothelioma may spread more quickly in pediatric cases, causing symptoms to develop sooner than in adult cases. In either case, the early signs of mesothelioma can easily be mistaken for symptoms of more common diseases.
A 2021 clinical case study of a 14-year-old boy who developed peritoneal mesothelioma discussed how radiology plays a crucial role when there are few reference cases in the pediatric population.
Young patients receive the same types of mesothelioma treatments as older patients. The most common treatment is chemotherapy with cisplatin and pemetrexed, and the dosing schedule can be adjusted for the weight and size of children.
Younger patients are also more likely to be eligible for tumor-removing surgery, which gives them the best chance of long-term survival.
In 2015, researchers from the National Institutes of Health studied 12,345 mesothelioma patients and discovered some distinct differences among the small fraction of patients under 40.
Further, younger patients have a longer median survival and a higher five-year survival rate. This is primarily because older patients usually have additional health problems that interfere with their cancer treatment.
Patients under age 40 | Patients older than age 40 | |
---|---|---|
Relative Incidence | 2% of study population | 98% of study population |
Patient Gender | 51% male, 49% female | 78% male, 22% female |
Type of Mesothelioma | 47% pleural, 48% peritoneal | 90% pleural, 9% peritoneal |
Median Survival | 34 months | 8 months |
Five-Year Survival Rate | 38% | 3% |
The following stories show that, like all forms of cancer, mesothelioma can affect anyone — even if they do not seem to have any risk factors.
Austin was a football star at his high school in Pasadena, California. For nearly a year, doctors couldn’t pinpoint the cause of his suddenly failing health. He was eventually diagnosed with mesothelioma in May 2011 and died 10 days before his graduation ceremony.
Jayda was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma at 31, after a year and a half of seeing gynecologists who could not find any explanation for her symptoms other than “period pain.” Fortunately, she was still eligible for specialized treatment with surgery and chemotherapy.
Kevin was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma at 21, prompting the Boston Red Sox, Boston Bruins and New England Patriots to donate tickets to help raise funds for the former high school athlete’s treatment. He died six months after being diagnosed.
Randy was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma at 26 and passed away less than a year later. He chose to receive specialized hospice care rather than undergo surgery and chemotherapy, so he could maximize his quality of life during his remaining time.
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