Mesothelioma Types

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Mesothelioma Types.  There are three targeted areas that mesothelioma can affect and essentially three types of malignant mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma affects the pleural cavity around the lungs and is responsible for a majority (75%) of all cases diagnosed.

Peritoneal mesothelioma accounts for 10-20% of all cases and affects the tissues in the abdomen (especially the stomach and intestines). Pericardial mesothelioma is the rarest form which affects the sac and lining surrounding the heart. 

Pleural Mesothelioma: The Most Frequent Mesothelioma Type

Pleural mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that is also known as malignant pleural mesothelioma. This type of cancer affects the pleural sac that surrounds the lungs and is caused by exposure to asbestos.

The pleural sac contains the lungs and also a small membrane called the mesothelium. The mesothelium secretes a fluid that allows the lungs to contract and expand during breathing.

The inhalation of asbestos causes a build-up of asbestos fibers inside the lungs.

Due to the microscopic size and sharpness of these fibers it's possible for them to penetrate the walls of the lung and enter the pleural cavity.

As these fibers travel from the lung into the pleural cavity, the sharp strands shred and mutilate the mesothelium, potentially destroying it and causing cancer.

Peritoneal (Abdominal ) Mesothelioma

Peritoneal mesothelioma, also known as abdominal mesothelioma, is a rare form of mesothelioma that accounts for approximately 20% of all reported mesothelioma cases.

Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the tissue lining the abdomen which is called the peritoneum, hence the name of this form of the cancer. The peritoneum protects the contents of the abdomen and is therefore very important.

Pericardial Mesothelioma: The Rarest Form of Mesothelioma

Pericardial mesothelioma is the rarest form of mesothelioma and accounts for 5 to 10% of all reported cases. Pericardial mesothelioma affects the sac and lining surrounding the heart.

There are also benign (or non-cancerous) pleural diseases that are related to asbestos exposure that are not malignant (like mesothelioma), and exist only in the pleura. They can be divided into three groups: plaques, thickening, and effusions.

From a different perspective, malignant mesothelioma is generally divided into three histological categories, or types of cells: epithelioid, sarcomatoid, and biphasic mesothelioma.

Within each of these mesothelioma cancer cell types, subtypes exist. Many mesothelioma patients display more than one cell type.

Epithelioid mesothelioma is the most common cell type, constituting approximately 50% to 70% of all malignant mesothelioma.

These cells are relatively uniform in shape and have a tubular pattern with a distinct cell nucleus. The individual cells are shaped like cubes or multi-sided boxes.

Sarcomatoid mesothelioma is the least common type of mesothelioma cancer cell and accounts for approximately 10% to 15% of malignant mesothelioma incidences.

These cells typically have more of an oval, irregular shape and the nucleus of each cell is not as visible with a microscope as the epithelioid mesothelioma cancer cells.

Approximately 20% to 40% of the mesothelioma cancer cells fall into the biphasic category, which is combination of the sarcomatoid and epithelioid types.

The biphasic type can occur with the two types of cells intermixed continuously throughout the tumor, or with them in specific groupings.

The treatment options are basically the same for all three mesothelioma cancer cell types.

Mesothelioma Types: Conclusion

When discussing mesothelioma types, the following essentially covers the three main types of this disease: pleural mesothelioma which affects the pleural cavity around the lungs, peritoneal mesothelioma which affects the tissues in the abdomen, and pericardial mesothelioma which affects the sac and lining surrounding the heart.

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