Malignant Mesothelioma, Mesothelioma Treatment

Mesothelioma, a cancer caused by asbestos exposure, can be categorized in two ways. The first is by location such as the lungs or abdominal area and the second by type of tissue cells involved. Epithelial malignant mesothelioma is one kind of the cancers that affect the epithelial tissues that cover body cavities.
Other forms of mesothelioma afflicting tissue cavities are sarcomatoid and biphasic.

Sarcomatoid is the less common of the two varieties and is the most difficult version to diagnose because it's resistant to treatment and its cells look similar to those of another type of cancer called carcinoma. Biphasic mesothelioma is also known as 'mixed' mesothelioma because it is a combination of both epithelial and sarcomatoid cells to make biphasic mesothelioma tumors. Epithelial malignant mesothelioma is the most common pleural mesothelioma. Mesothelial cells are a type of epithelial cell found throughout the body.

 They become cancerous when malignant mesothelioma develops in the pleura, peritoneum or pericardium. Epithelial malignant mesothelioma is mostly common in the pleura and mainly causes breathlessness and chest pain. Some patients experience both symptoms while others experience the dyspnea without chest pain due to pleural effusions. Other symptoms such as dysphasia are possible but it is normally discovered late.