About Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a rare form of asbestos cancer that develops in the mesothelial cells. These cells form tissue that surround or line the lungs, heart, and stomach. The mesothelial cells protect these organs by producing a lubricating fluid that allows them to move smoothly.

Tumors can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Much of the information provided in this site will address the topics and treatments around malignant mesothelioma. Symptoms are often typical of other less serious diseases and include coughing, fever, and shortness of breath.

Malignant mesothelioma, referred to as simply mesothelioma, has three main cell types:

• Epithelioid
• Sarcomatoid
• Mixed / biphasic

Epithelioid mesothelioma, the most common type, accounts for 50% to 70% of the cancer cells. Sarcomatoid mesothelioma, the least common type, accounts for 7% to 20% of the cells. Biphasic, or a mixture of epithelioid and sarcomatoid, account for 20% to 35% of the cells.

The types of cells do not impact the prognosis or treatment of mesothelioma. The symptoms, however, can delay an appropriate diagnosis since they are often attributed to other common health issues.

Causes of Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is caused primarily by exposure to asbestos. Typically the asbestos exposure occurred in an profession or work environmentover a prolonged period of time. However, there have been cases where less exposure resulted in mesothelioma, including exposure to asbestos particles from washing clothes.

The Most Common Form of Mesothelioma

The majority of people who develop mesothelioma have worked in professions where they inhaled asbestos particles. This means mesothelioma that forms in the lungs, or pleural mesothelioma, is the most common form.

Other Forms of Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma in the abdomen, called peritoneal mesothelioma, is not as common. Pericardial mesothelioma, which starts in the area around the heart, is very rare, as is mesothelioma that affects the covering of the testicles.
Malignant mesothelioma should not be confused with an adenomatoid tumor. These are benign tumors that develop in certain female and male reproductive organs and begin in the mesothelium.
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What is Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a rare form of asbestos cancer that develops in the mesothelial cells. These cells form tissue that surround or line the lungs, heart, and stomach. The mesothelial cells protect these organs by producing a lubricating fluid that allows them to move smoothly.
Asbestos is the overwhelming cause of mesothelioma in the United States. Typically the asbestos exposure occurred in an occupation or work environment over a prolonged period of time. However, it is also well-established that bystander (working near others using asbestos products) and household exposures (exposure from family members and their work clothes in the home) are known causes of mesothelioma. There is no known safe level of exposure to asbestos.

Types of Mesothelioma

There are three types of mesothelioma:  Pleural Mesothelioma, Peritoneal Mesothelioma, and Pericardial Mesothelioma.

• Pleural Mesothelioma accounts for 75% of all diagnoses.
• Peritoneal Mesothelioma accounts for less than 20% of all mesothelioma cases.
• Pericardial Mesothelioma is the most rare and accounts for very few cases.

Risk Factors

A risk factor is anything that increases your chance of getting a disease. While you may have one or many of the risk factors associated with a disease, such as mesothelioma, that does not mean that you will get the disease.

The main risk factor for mesothelioma is asbestos exposure. Prolonged exposure to asbestos through a job, or during a building demolition or remodel increases your chances. Other recognized, but very rare, known causes include exposure to zeolites (minerals primarily located in Turkey), therapeutic thoratrast radiation, and chronic inflammation of the pleura. However, there have been very few reported cases of mesothelioma from causes other than asbestos.

Symptoms of Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma symptoms include but are definitely not limited to:

• shortness of breath
• chronic cough,
• chest pain
• fatigue

Often mesothelioma is misdiagnosed because the symptoms are common to other ailments, such as colds and flu.

Stages of Mesothelioma

Stages of mesothelioma were established by the Mesothelioma Interest Group and adopted by the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC), and are similar to the staging system used by most other cancers.   At this time, the staging system is only applied to mesothelioma around the lung, and uses Roman numerals from I to IV (1 to 4) to describe the severity of the cancer.

Key Statistics

Each year, between 2,000 and 4,000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma. This cancer has a very long latency stage, and most often shows up late in life and primarily in men. Unfortunately, mortality is very quick after diagnosis, typically because mesothelioma is often far advanced by the time a diagnosis is made.
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