What Are The Types of Mesothelioma?  - The most common form of asbestos-related cancer is pleural mesothelioma, which forms in the lining of the lungs and makes up approximately 75 percent of all diagnosed cases. The second most common form is peritoneal, which accounts for between ten and twenty percent of cases, while another one percent of cases form in the pericardium. Even fewer are known to form in the testicles.

Pleural

Pleural Mesothelioma

This type of asbestos-related cancer impacts the lining of the lungs. Because it is most common, the majority of research into treatment has focused on this type. With long-term exposure to asbestos fibers, a person may inhale a lot of the particles. The fibers get embedded in the pleura where they cannot be released. Over many years they cause inflammation and other types of damage that may lead to the formation of tumors.

Peritoneal

Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Peritoneal mesothelioma is the second most common form of this type of cancer. The tumors grow in the peritoneum, the tissue that lines the abdominal cavity and organs. While inhalation of asbestos fibers most often causes the pleural form of mesothelioma, fibers may also be ingested and this is thought to be the main way the get into the peritoneum and cause damage. Fibers from the chest cavity may also migrate into the abdominal cavity, although this is not well understood.

The most common symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma are swelling in the abdomen, a feeling of fullness or a mass in the abdomen, and abdominal pain. Patients may also experience bowl obstructions and digestive problems, weight loss, and anemia. As with pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma may be initially misdiagnosed as a more common illness with similar symptoms, like irritable bowel syndrome.

Pericardial

Pericardial Mesothelioma

This extremely rare form of asbestos-related cancer occurs in just one percent of all diagnosed cases. It is extremely difficult to treat because of the proximity of the disease to the heart. This cancer attacks the part of the mesothelium that lines the heart. This is called the pericardium. Only about 200 cases of this type of mesothelioma have ever been described in scientific journals.

Pericardial mesothelioma symptoms include:

   Breathing difficulties
   Heart palpitations
   Fever
   Chest pain
   Fatigue
   Coughing
   Shortness of breath


Testicular Mesothelioma

Also very rare is the type of mesothelioma that attacks the lining of the testicles. Less than one percent of cases of this disease are testicular. Most patients who do develop this form of mesothelioma have not been exposed to asbestos. Why this rare type of mesothelioma exists is not known and research is limited because there are so few cases of it.

What Are the Symptoms of Mesothelioma?

One of the most difficult aspects is the fact that its initial symptoms are so subtle and benign that in many cases they are ignored. As the disease slowly progresses into more advanced stages these mild symptoms become more pronounced and expand to include moderate pain, weight loss, and overall malaise or fatigue. By the time the patient is aware of these symptoms they have progressed so much that a visit to the doctor is scheduled, and the disease has already entered its later stages.

Depending upon the type of cancer, symptoms of advanced disease can include pain around the site of the tumor, unexplained weight loss, constipation caused by bowel obstruction and a buildup of fluid in the chest or abdomen. There are a number of therapies available to relieve these symptoms. The specific symptoms by type of mesothelioma include:

Pleural mesothelioma usually causes shortness of breath, chest pains, a painful cough, wheezing, coughing up blood, body aches, rattling when breathing, a build-up of fluid around the lungs, and a reduced ability to expand the chest or take a deep breath.

-   Patients with peritoneal mesothelioma are likely to experience a loss of appetite followed by weight loss, fluid build-up in the abdomen, swelling and tenderness in the abdomen, a sense of being too full, hernias, distention in the abdomen, fatigue, and bowel obstruction

-   The symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma are similar to those for the pleural form and include chest pains and difficulty breathing as the major signs of the disease.

-    Understanding the symptoms of testicular mesothelioma is challenging because there are so few cases of it. In most instances the main indication of the disease is a lump or lumps in one or both of the testicles.

A lot of times, people confuse pleural mesothelioma symptoms with common respiratory illnesses. If you’ve been exposed to asbestos, always tell your physician, and always get a medical check-up, even if you feel that your symptoms are from the common cold or other similar ailments. Unfortunately, many people experience these symptoms and blow them off, thinking they’ll get better in time. Starting mesothelioma treatment as early as possible crucial.

Next: How is Mesothelioma Diagnosed?