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Mesothelioma Types

There are four types of malignant mesothelioma, each based on the tumor's location in the body.

Pleural Mesothelioma

Pleural mesothelioma may be found on the chest wall, on the lung surface, or on the diaphragm. It is the most common type of malignant mesothelioma, accounting for approximately 75% of all mesothelioma cases. Because its symptoms are common to other diseases affecting the lungs, pleural mesothelioma may be misdiagnosed. The symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include chronic chest pain, shortness of breath, chronic coughing, weight loss and fever.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the lining of the abdomen, known as the peritoneum. This type of mesothelioma occurs when inhaled asbestos fibers become lodged in the membranes of the mouth and esophagus, eventually traveling through the digestive tract, where tumors are formed. The symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma, which accounts for 10% to 20% of mesothelioma cases, include abdominal mass or swelling, abdominal pain, weight loss, anemia, fever, bowel obstruction and blood clotting problems.

Pericardial Mesothelioma

Pericardial mesothelioma accounts for less than 10% of all documented cases of mesothelioma. Because it affects the lining of the heart, also known as the pericardium, this is sometimes considered to be the most dangerous type of mesothelioma. The symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma include chest pain, abnormal breathing, chronic coughing, and irregular heartbeat.

Testicular Mesothelioma

Testicular mesothelioma occurs as a thickening of the ducts and glands in the testes. While it is the rarest type of mesothelioma, testicular mesothelioma is the second most common form of testicular cancer.

Mesothelioma Subtypes

Each of the four main types of mesothelioma is further grouped into three subtypes, based on the appearance of the mesothelioma cells under a microscope. These include epithelioid mesothelioma, sarcomatoid mesothelioma and mixed mesothelioma.

• Epithelioid mesothelioma

  accounts for 50% to 70% of all mesothelioma cases. Due to its slower growth and greater responsiveness to treatment, epithelioid mesothelioma has the best prognosis of the three subtypes of the disease.
  
  

• Sarcomatoid mesothelioma

  accounts for 10% to 15% of all cases. Sarcomatoid mesothelioma is a more aggressive form of mesothelioma and has a poorer prognosis than the other two subtypes.
  
  

• Mixed mesothelioma

  accounts for 10% to 15% of cases. Mixed mesothelioma has characteristics of both epithelioid-type and sarcomatoid-type mesothelioma, with survival rates lower than those of epithelioid mesothelioma.