Sacromatoid Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer caused by asbestos exposure. It is usually diagnosed by a Histopathologist who examines a section of suspect tissue that is obtained by performing a biopsy, and using a high powered microscope views each section of tissue, looking for spindle-shaped patterns of cells that appear to overlap each other.
These types of mesothelioma cells can further divide into other types of cancerous cells called:
• Clear cell: Clear cell sarcoma (CCS), malignant melanoma of soft parts, is a rare malignant tumor with a poor prognosis.
• Small cell: A sarcoma characterized by the presence of small cells, cells measuring 9-14 micrometers with a faint or indistinct rim of cytoplasm and an oval-to-elongated nucleus with relatively dense chromatin.
• Acinar cell
• Tubopapillary cell
Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma is sometimes confused with other sarcomas, such as lung sarcomatoid carcinoma, because the cells affected by pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma are very similar in appearance and feature other characteristics that are indicative of malignant sarcomatoid mesothelioma as well, such as the fact the they originate from the same area of the body and have a similar cellular structure (sarcomas are another form of cancer).
Sarcamatoid mesothelioma is the most serious form of the disease, mesothelioma, and is both very aggressive and fatal. This type of mesothelioma has been resistant in responding to any type of therapy. Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma attacks the support tissues of the body, such as bone, cartilage, fat, and muscle, and cancers in these areas are notoriously difficult and painful to treat.
Also, patients can present with similar symptoms, such as chest pain, pleural effusions and respiratory difficulty. Smoking can also increase your risk for sarcomatoid mesothelioma. Approximately (10-20%) of all Mesothelioma cases falling into this type of category and this disease type mostly affects males.
