What is Mesothelioma

Tumors of the mesothelium can be benign or they can be cancerous. A cancerous tumor of the mesothelium is called malignant mesothelioma, but this is often reduced to just mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is a cancer that begins in cells that line certain parts of the body, especially the chest, abdomen, and heart. The coating formed by these cells is called mesothelium. These cells protect the organs by making a special fluid that allows organs to move. For example, this fluid, it is easier for the lungs to move during breathing.

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that most often arises from cells lining the alveoli of the chest (the pleura) or abdomen (the peritoneum). Pleural mesothelioma is the most common form, often with symptoms in the chest area. Peritoneal mesothelioma is much less common. This may make the abdominal organs, and its symptoms are related to this area of ​​the body, that is, abdominal swelling, nausea, vomiting and intestinal obstruction. The rarest form of mesothelioma is pericardial mesothelioma, which implies the sac surrounding the heart.

There are two main types of mesothelioma cells, epithelial and sarcomatoid. Sometimes these two cell types may be present. The sarcomatoid type is rarer and occurs in about 15% of cases, it portends a worse prognosis. In very rare cases, mesothelioma can be from mild, non-malignant cells. There are three main types of mesothelioma based on how the cells look under a microscope.

• epithelioid: This is the most common type. It tends to have better prospects than other types.
• sarcomatoid: about 1 or 2 of 10 mesotheliomas are of this type.
• Mixed: This type has the characteristics of these two types above. about 3 or 4 of 10 mesotheliomas are of mixed type.

What causes mesothelioma?

Most people with malignant mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they breathed asbestos. Usually it is men over 40 years. Others have been exposed to asbestos in a home environment, often without knowing it. About 3 in 4 mesothelioma begin in the chest cavity. These are the pleural mesothelioma. Another 10% -20% starting in the abdomen. It is the peritoneal mesothelioma. Those starting around the heart are very rare. This cancer can also begin in the tissues around the testicles, but it is also very rare.

Written by admin on February 19th, 2012 with no comments.
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