Mesothelioma Types

Mesothelioma is a cancer in which the lining of the three major organs of our body gets affected. These three organs are lungs (pleural lining), abdomen (peritoneum) and heart (pericardium). Depending upon the affected part, there are three types of mesothelioma, pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma.

The most common mesothelioma out of the three types is pleural mesothelioma. The symptoms of pleural mesothelioma are somewhat similar to lung cancer and often these symptoms are mistaken for lung cancer. The difference between them is that lung cancer developed due to malfunctioning of lung tissues, whereas pleural mesothelioma is developed due to malignancy of pleura, which is the lining of the lungs. The primary symptoms of pleural mesothelioma are shortness of breath, fatigue and chest pain. These symptoms occur due to the presence of excess fluid in the pleural cavity.

Peritoneal mesothelioma is another type of mesothelioma. The disease occurs due to malignancy of the peritoneum, the lining that cases the abdomen. Ingestion of fibrous materials especially asbestos is the most common cause of peritoneal mesothelioma. People working in industries where they are exposed to asbestos are at a higher risk of getting it.

The rarest type of mesothelioma is pericardial mesothelioma. This happens when the pericardium, which is the linings of the heart cavity, is affected. As in the lung, the rapid growth of the cancerous tumors can cause expansion of the tissue and accumulation of fluid. Some initial symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma are chest pain and persistent coughing. These symptoms occur due to the interference of fluid disturbing the functioning of the heart.

Tunica vaginalis testis is yet another type of mesothelioma, though only a handful of patients are affected by this disease. Tunica vaginalis testis is developed when fluid accumulates in a sac near the testicles. Removal of the affected testis is the appropriate treatment suggested by doctors.

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