About Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that develops in the Mesothelial cells, and is the most serious of all asbestos-related diseases. These cells exist within the mesothelium, which is the sac that lines and protects vital organs such as the heart, the lungs, and the abdominal cavity (stomach). This disease causes the cells of the lining to become abnormal and malignant. About two thirds of all mesothelioma cases develop in the pleural mesothelium or lung lining. About one third, develop in the abdomen. Occassionally, mesothelioma can occur in other mesothelial tissue, such as around the heart or in the reproductive organs.

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Mesothelioma

Clinical presentation and treatment modality can be derived from an analysis of the anatomic location of the tumor. Based on the location, mesothelioma may then be separated into the following types:

Pleural Mesothelioma: Malignant Pleural mesothelioma is a cancer of the cells that make up the pleura or lining around the outside of the lungs and inside of the ribs.
 
Peritoneal Mesothelioma: Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma, sometimes referred to as abdominal mesothelioma, or chrysotile (white asbestos) peritoneal mesothelioma, is a cancer of the cells lining the abdominal cavity, or peritoneum.

Benign Multicystic Peritoneal Mesothelioma: Benign multicystic mesothelioma (BMM) is a rare form of mesothelioma that is not considered cancerous and whose pathogenesis is unclear.

Pericardial Mesothelioma: Sometimes doctors refer to this disease as Mesothelioma of the pericardium. 

Malignant Mesothelioma refers to the severity of the tumor in which it has the potential to invade and destroy nearby tissue and/or that may spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body.

Malignant mesotheliomas are then divided into four main histological subtypes based on the type of mesothelioma cells: epithelial, sarcomatous, and mixed or biphasic.

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