Mesothelioma Types, Symptoms & Diagnosis
Types of Mesothelioma
Medical experts recognize five types of mesothelioma. One form is benign, which means that is it not cancerous. However, the other four types are malignant mesothelioma, which are cancerous. Read on to learn the basics about each type. More information about each type is also offered on our website.
Pleural mesothelioma develops in the mesothelium, or lining, of the lungs. This lining is also known as the pleura, which gives this type of mesothelioma its name. Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of mesothelioma, affecting approximately 70 percent of mesothelioma patients.
Peritoneal mesothelioma develops in the lining, or peritoneal membrane, of the abdominal cavity. This form of mesothelioma comprised roughly 25 percent of all such cancer cases.
Pericardial mesothelioma develops in the pericardial lining of the heart cavity. This form is rare, accounting for about 5 percent of all mesothelioma diagnoses.
The rarest form of mesothelioma, testicular mesothelioma, has only been diagnosed in approximately 100 people who have been exposed to asbestos. Testicular mesothelioma develops in the lining of the testicles, known medically as the tunica vaginalis.
During the diagnosis process, doctors evaluate symptoms and conduct a series of tests to determine what type of mesothelioma a person has developed and what stage it may be in. After a proper diagnosis has been made, doctors can explain the details of this type of mesothelioma and determine the best approach to treatment, based on type and myriad other factors.
In addition to classification based on the area of the body, mesothelioma is also classified based on the cell type. Mesothelioma cancer can be made of three different types of cells: epithelial cells, sarcomatoid cells, and a mix of these two (called biphasic). The most common cellular composition of mesothelioma, affected 50 to 70 percent of all patients with this cancer, is epithelial mesothelioma. When epithelial mesothelioma affects the lungs, it can closely resemble another form of cancer, called adenocarcinoma, which also develops in epithelial cells.
