Mesothelioma Information

Adenocarcinoma is a type of epithelial cancer that originates in the body’s glandular tissue. Adenocarcinoma often presents itself as a benign glandular tumor (adenoma) that develops into a malignant state over time.

Mesothelioma affects a type of serous tissue called the mesothelium, the protective lining of the body’s largest cavities.  The mesothelium is a type of epithelium, specialized tissue that separates different “environments” in the body.  For example, the skin is a type of epithelial tissue because it separates the outside environment of the body from the inside environment of the body.  Epithelial cells typically line the surface of hollow organs like the mouth or colon.

Cancer that arrises in epithelial cells is commonly referred to as carcinoma, on of the five major cancer catagories.  The two most common types of carcinoma are squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma.  Adenocarcinoma is typically found in the lung, accounting for an approximate 30 to 40% of all lung-based carcinomas. It is common for lung-based adenocarcinomas to metastasize, spreading to the epithelial tissue lining of the lungs (mesothelium of the lungs; the pleura) and thus taking on the appearance of epithelioid mesothelioma.

Epithelioid mesothelioma and adenocarcinoma are both rooted in the epithelial tissue, and as such, have a similar cellular structure.  Histopathologists can often have a difficult time distinguishing between adenocarcinoma and epithelioid mesothelioma for this very reason.  Chemical staining of a section of suspect tissue will often yield the correct diagnosis; however, chemical staining of epithelioid mesothelioma cells and adenocarcinoma cells sometimes elicits similar results.

Knowledge of a family history can often help aid in distinguishing between adenocarcinoma and epithelioid mesothelioma.  If a patient has a family history of carcinoma, it is more likely that they suffer from a variant of the disease.  If a patient has a history of asbestos exposure, it is more likely that they suffer from epithelioid mesothelioma.