Malignant Mesothelioma - Pleural Mesothelioma, Asbestos
An Introduction to Malignant Mesothelioma - Contraction to Treatment
Malignant mesothelioma is a somewhat rare type of cancer affecting 2,000 to 3,000 Americans each year. There are three distinct types of malignant mesothelioma, each affecting a different section of mesothelial tissue:
- Pleural mesothelioma - mesothelioma cancer affecting the mesothelial tissue lining of the lung cavity (pleura) is called pleural mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of malignant mesothelioma and is often confused with asbestos lung cancer.
- Peritoneal mesothelioma - mesothelioma cancer affecting the mesothelial tissue lining of the abdominal cavity (peritoneum) is called peritoneal mesothelioma. Peritoneal mesothelioma is the second most common type of malignant mesothelioma.
- Pericardial mesothelioma - mesothelioma cancer affecting the mesothelial tissue lining of the heart sac (pericardium) is called pericardial mesothelioma. Pericardial mesothelioma is the least common type of malignant mesothelioma.
Asbestos exposure is the only known cause of malignant mesothelioma. Inhalation of the carcinogenic mineral is the cause of a variety of lung diseases, including asbestos lung cancer, asbestosis, diffuse pleural thickening and fibrosis; however, malignant mesothelioma is the worst of the asbestos-related disease because it is fatal and incurable. Mesothelioma cancer is believed responsible for more than 200,000 deaths worldwide.
Malignant Mesothelioma Detection
Detection of mesothelioma begins when symptoms of the disease force a sufferer to consult with a doctor. The most common presenting mesothelioma symptom is chronic chest pain caused by a buildup of fluid in the pleural space (pleural effusion). Pleural effusion can be detected via x-ray, though the problem is often misdiagnosed as viral pneumonia. In order to confirm a suspected case of malignant mesothelioma, a biopsy is needed.
A biopsy is a type of diagnostic surgery through which a section of suspect tissue is removed for histopathological examination. Histopathologists are experts in the microscopic study of diseased tissues. A case of malignant mesothelioma cannot be properly diagnosed without histopathological analysis.
There are three types of mesothelioma cancer cells that are detectable through microscopic examination:
- Epithelioid mesothelioma cancer cells account for 50 to 70% of all mesothelioma cancer cells. Epithelioid cancer cells have a uniform shape and tubular pattern.
- Sarcomatoid mesothelioma cancer cells account for 10 to 15% of all mesothelioma cancer cells. Sarcomatoid cancer cells are more irregularly oval shaped.
- Biphasic mesothelioma cancer cells have recently been seen in 46 to 63% of all mesothelioma cancer cells. Biphasic cancer cells are a combination of epithelioid and sarcomatoid cancer cell types.
Histopathologists are able to stage malignant mesothelioma patients based on how far the cancer has progressed; this leads to an estimated survival prognosis.
Malignant Mesothelioma Treatments
The average post-diagnosis survival time of malignant mesothelioma sufferers is between one and two years. Mesothelioma treatments have not been successful in providing sufferers anything more than a brief extension of life. Treatment options are broken down into two categories; traditional mesothelioma treatments and new mesothelioma treatments.
Traditional mesothelioma treatments include:
- Surgery
- Mesothelioma chemotherapy
- Mesothelioma radiation therapy (radiotherapy)
New mesothelioma treatments include:
- New mesothelioma chemotherapy drugs
- Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)
- Photodynamic therapy
- Mesothelioma immunotherapy
- Mesothelioma gene therapy