Mesothelioma cancer is referred to by different names, depending on what
part of the body it is found in. In the abdomen, it is called the peritoneum,
in the lungs, the pleura, and in the heart, the pericardium. These correspond
to peritoneum mesothelioma (cancer of the abdomen/stomach), pleural mesothelioma
(cancer of the lung lining) and pericardium mesothelioma.
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What is Mesothelioma Cancer
Mesothelioma is a very rare form of lung cancer that arises in the mesothelium.
Malignant mesothelioma is an uncommon, but no longer rare, cancer that is difficult
to diagnose and poorly responsive to therapy. Malignant mesothelioma is the most
serious of all asbestos-related diseases.
What is the mesothelium
The mesothelium helps protect the organs by producing a special lubricating
fluid that allows organs to move around. For example, this fluid makes it
easier for the lungs to move inside the chest during breathing.
Symptoms of mesothelioma cancer
Since mesothelioma takes a long time to develop inside a human body it is often
difficult to identify the symptoms. In the early stages there may not even be
any symptoms at all. When they do appear the most common early mesothelioma
symptoms are shortness of breath and chest pains. These symptoms on their own
will not usually identify the disease and are often misdiagnosed as asthma or
other respiratory problems like pneumonia.
Stages of malignant mesothelioma
Once malignant mesothelioma is found, more tests will be done to find out if
cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body. This is called staging.
A doctor needs to know the stage of the cancer to plan treatment. The following
stages are used for malignant mesothelioma.
Localized malignant mesothelioma
Stage I: The cancer is found in the lining of the chest cavity near the lung
and heart or in the diaphragm or the lung.
Advanced malignant mesothelioma
Stage II: The cancer has spread beyond the lining of the chest to lymph nodes in the chest.
Stage III: Cancer has spread into the chest wall, center of the chest, heart, through the diaphragm, or abdominal lining, and in some cases into nearby lymph nodes.
Stage IV: Cancer has spread to distant organs or tissues.
Recurrent malignant mesothelioma
Recurrent disease means that the cancer has come back (recurred) after it
has been treated. It may come back in the lining of the chest or abdomen or in
another part of the body.
