Mesothelioma Cancer Centers

Malignant mesothelioma, often just called mesothelioma, is a rare cancer that originates in lining surrounding certain organs such as the lungs, heart and stomach. The mesothelium produces fluid that helps the organs move against each other, such as when you breathe. The mesothelium has different names in different parts of the body: In the chest, it’s the pleura; in the abdomen, it’s the peritoneum; around the heart, it is the pericardium; in the testicles is the tunica vaginalis. It is most common in the chest, where it is known as pleural mesothelioma.

Unlike other cancers, it doesn’t grow as a single large tumor. Instead it begins in the lining, which leads to symptoms. For instance, if the cancer starts in the lining around the lungs, it can eventually affect their ability to expand. Over time, the cancer can grow into nearby organs or spread to other parts of the body.

Mesotheliomas can also be grouped based on how the cancer cells look under a microscope:

• The epithelioid type is the most common and has a better outlook than the other types.
• The sarcomatoid type tends to be harder to treat.
• The mixed (biphasic) type has both epithelioid and sarcomatoid areas. It tends to have an outlook in between the other two types.