What is Mesothelioma?

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare, asbestos-related cancer that forms on the thin protective tissues that cover the lungs and abdomen. A combined approach to treatment is helping people improve their survival and ease symptoms.

Mesothelioma (malignant mesothelioma) Types?

1. Pleural (lungs)
2. Peritoneal (abdomen)
3. Pericardial (heart)
4. Testicular

Pleural and peritoneal are the most common types, comprising nearly 90 percent of all diagnoses.

Primary Cause of All Mesothelioma Types
All the different types and subtypes of this disease share one common thread. They are caused primarily by a prolonged exposure to asbestos, usually in the workplace. If a doctor suspects that you have any form of mesothelioma, you should think back through your work background to find a connection to when you worked with or around asbestos materials and products.

Pleural Mesothelioma

Pleural mesothelioma develops in the mesothelial lining of the lungs, known as the pleura. This type represents approximately 75 percent of all mesothelioma cases. Although symptoms may vary, the most common pleural mesothelioma symptoms include:

Shortness of breath
Persistent dry cough
Persistent chest pain
Difficulty swallowing
Night sweats / fever
Fatigue

reatment for pleural mesothelioma largely depends on the stage of the cancer, which doctors use to describe how far it has progressed. When mesothelioma is diagnosed at an early stage, potentially curative surgery may be an option for patients

Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Peritoneal mesothelioma develops in the mesothelial lining of the abdomen, known as the peritoneum. Approximately 20 percent of all mesothelioma cases are peritoneal. Common symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include:

Gastrointestinal icon
Abdominal pain
Abdominal swelling
Weight loss
Nausea / vomiting
Constipation or diarrhea
Fatigue

Patients with peritoneal mesothelioma may have symptoms caused by thickening of the peritoneal membrane and the build-up of fluid. Because peritoneal mesothelioma spreads throughout the body faster than other types of mesothelioma, treatment may be difficult. 

Pericardial Mesothelioma

Pericardial mesothelioma develops on the exterior lining of the heart, known as the pericardium. This type of mesothelioma is rare and accounts for about 1 percent of all mesothelioma cases. Symptoms develop when fluid builds up in the spaces between the layers of the pericardium. Pericardial mesothelioma symptoms include:

heart organ icon
Irregular Heartbeat
Chest Pain
Difficulty Breathing
Coughing
Night Sweats / Fever
Fatigue

As with other types of mesothelioma, doctors most commonly treat pericardial mesothelioma with palliative therapies that relieve symptoms. Removing pericardial tumors with surgery is risky because they grow so close to the heart.

Testicular Mesothelioma

Testicular mesothelioma develops in the tunica vaginalis, the lining of the testes. This is the rarest type of mesothelioma, accounting for less than 1 percent of all cases. Many patients are diagnosed while receiving surgery or treatment for another condition.

Because of the rarity of this type, it has been difficult for medical researchers to come up with a complete list of symptoms. The two main indicators of this cancer are painless testicular lumps and swelling of the scrotum. This form of mesothelioma is usually not diagnosed until lumps develop.

Testicular mesothelioma patients may undergo surgery to remove all or part of the affected testicle. Doctors sometimes recommend adjuvant therapy, which involves chemotherapy or radiation therapy after the surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells.

Most Common Mesothelioma Cell Types

Epithelial Mesothelioma

Accounting for 50 to 70 percent of all cases, epithelial mesothelioma is by far the most common histological subtype. Compared with other cell types, epithelial mesothelioma typically responds best to treatment. It is therefore associated with the best survival.

Papillary mesothelioma, also known as well-differentiated papillary mesothelioma (WDPM), is a rare subtype of epithelial mesothelioma. WDPM is considered a benign type of mesothelioma that grows slowly and responds well to treatment. It most commonly occurs in the abdomen of women, but can develop in the pleura as well.

Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma

The least common of the three major histological subtypes, sarcomatoid mesothelioma is observed in about 10 to 20 percent of all cases. Because this subtype is particularly aggressive, survival is usually poor.

Biphasic Mesothelioma

In about 20 to 35 percent of cases, mesothelioma tumors contain a mix of epithelial and sarcomatoid cells. This subtype is called biphasic mesothelioma. The ratio of epithelial to biphasic cells can vary significantly from case to case, which influences the patient’s outlook. When a biphasic tumor has a greater number of epithelial cells, survival is generally better.

What Are the Most Common Mesothelioma Symptoms?

Unfortunately, asbestosis and mesothelioma symptoms, mirror many other types of lung-related diseases. Symptoms can be different based on the type of cancer and can be vague and mild even as the disease progresses into a later stage. Early signs can be so slight that they are mistaken as normal aches and pains or symptoms of other illnesses, making asbestos-related cancer hard to detect.

Dry Cough or Wheezing
Shortness of Breath
(dyspnea)
Respiratory Complications
or Difficulty Breathing
Pain in the Chest or Abdomen
Fever
Pleural Effusions
Anemia
Muscle Weakness
Chest Pain
Weight Loss
Respiratory Complications

Symptoms or signs of mesothelioma may not appear until 20 to 50 years (or more) after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath, cough, and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleural space (pleural effusion) are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma.

The most common symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma are abdominal swelling and pain due to ascites (a buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity). Other features may include weight loss, fever, night sweats, poor appetite, vomiting, constipation, and umbilical hernia. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face

Chest wall pain
Pleural effusion, or fluid surrounding the lung
Shortness of breath
Fatigue or anemia
Wheezing, hoarseness, or cough
Blood in the sputum (fluid) coughed up (hemoptysis)
Abdominal pain
Ascites, or an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen
A mass in the abdomen
Problems with bowel function
Weight loss
Blood clots in the veins, which may cause thrombophlebitis
Disseminated intravascular coagulation, a disorder causing severe bleeding in many body organs
Jaundice, or yellowing of the eyes and skin
Low blood sugar level
Pleural effusion
Pulmonary emboli, or blood clots in the arteries of the lungs
Severe ascites