Mesothelioma is a form of cancer located in the lining of either the lungs, abdomen or the heart. These linings are narrow layers of tissue covering the organ.
what is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a rare but serious cancer. there’s two types of mesothelioma based on the types of cancerous cells. The most common type is epithelioid & consists of 50-70% of total cases & has the best prognosis. The second type is called sarcomatoid, consists of 10-20 % of mesothelioma cases & is more unpredictable in nature. The third type of mesothelioma is called biphasic, it is a combination of the other three types & consists of 20-35% of all cases.
The pleura is the tissue covering the lungs & the wall of the chest cavity which cushions & protects the lungs. The peritoneum lines the abdominal wall & surrounds most of the organs in the abdomen. The pericardium is the tissue surrounding the heart.
The pleura is a narrow lining of mesothelial cells. there’s three pleuras in the chest, the parietal pleura & the visceral pleura. The parietal pleura lines the chest wall including the inside of the ribs, diaphragm & pericardium. The visceral pleura covers the lungs & filters liquid to & from the chest. If the pleura becomes diseases it is not effective at eliminating liquid from the chest resulting in pleural effusion or much liquid in the chest.
there’s an estimated 2000-3000 new cases of mesothelioma in the United States every year. The majority of these cases begin in the chest wall (pleural mesothelioma), a few start in the abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma) & rare are the cases starting in the lining surrounding the heart (pericardial mesothelioma).
Although rare, mesothelioma is a serious form of cancer which is often in its advanced stage when a diagnosis is made. In general, prognosis for mesothelioma patient is poor, however, some patients live with the disease for a long time. As mentioned earlier, the type of mesothelioma has an impact on the prognosis, as well as, the age of the patient, how much tumor has developed & if treatment is rendered. there’s plenty of variables in evaluating a mesothelioma case, so only the patients doctor can determine the best treatment & possible prognosis on an individual basis.
Mesothelioma is usually the result of exposure to asbestos. Most people who are diagnosed with mesothelioma have had jobs where they breathed asbestos fibers. It may take up to 60 years from the time of asbestos exposure until mesothelioma develops.