- The outlook for patients with mesothelioma depends on
how early the disease is detected and how aggressively it is treated.
- Mesothelioma is a cancer that
arises from the cells lining the chest or abdominal cavities.
- Mesothelioma typically results from exposure to asbestos.
- When mesothelioma affects the chest, the doctor may
look inside the chest cavity with a special instrument called a thoracoscope.
- When mesothelioma affects the abdomen, the doctor may
look inside the abdomen with a special tool called a peritoneoscope.
- Mesothelioma is diagnosed by a biopsy.
What is mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer (malignancy) that most frequently
arises from the cells lining the sacs of the chest (the pleura) or the abdomen
(the peritoneum). Pleural mesothelioma is the most common form, often
presenting with symptoms in the chest area. Peritoneal mesothelioma is much
less common. This can affect the organs in the abdomen, and its symptoms are
related to this area of the body, that is, abdominal swelling, nausea,vomiting, and bowel
obstruction. The rarest form of mesothelioma is pericardial mesothelioma, which involves the sac
surrounding the heart.
There are two major cell types of mesothelioma, epithelial and
sarcomatoid. Sometimes both of these cell types can be present. The sarcomatoid
type is rarer and occurs in only about 15% of cases; it portends a poorer
prognosis. In very rare cases, mesothelioma can originate from benign, non-malignant cells. This so-called benign
mesothelioma can be cured surgically.
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