Mesothelioma Information

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that affects multiple sections of the serous membrane; the pleura (lung cavity), the peritoneum (abdominal cavity) and the pericardium (heart sac).  Malignant mesothelioma cases are typed in accordance with the section of the serous membrane that is affected by the (pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma).  A given type of malignant mesothelioma is also broken into three distinct histological (microscopic anatomy of cells) categories:

• Epithelioid mesothelioma
• Sarcomatoid mesothelioma
• Biphasic mesothelioma

A mesothelioma sufferers' cancer cell type is determined through a histopathological examination.  A portion of the mesothelioma tumor is removed during a diagnostic surgical procedure called a biopsy.  The sectioned tissue sample is examined by a histopathologist, an expert in the study of diseased tissue who is capable of extracting a great deal of information by viewing a cancer cell under a high-powered electron microscope.   Special stains are applied and other highly specialized testing is carried out.  Based on the examination, a histopathologist can confirm a case of malignant mesothelioma, type it, stage it, and place it into an appropriate histological category.

A study was conducted on 167 patients in effort to determine the mean survival times associated with each of the mesothelioma histological categories:

• Epithelioid mesothelioma sufferers had a mean survival time of eight and a half months.
• Sarcomatoid mesothelioma sufferers had a mean survival time of seven months.
• Biphasic mesothelioma sufferers had a mean survival time of six months.

The study suggests that biphasic mesothelioma is the most aggressive of the histological categories because it has the shortest mean survival time.  Other medical information also determines prognosis and these statistics are not meant to predict an individual's unique prognosis.  Keep in mind that your individual prognosis needs to be determined by your doctor who has all of your detailed medical information.  For an excellent discussion of what determines prognosis, see the National Cancer Institute's Understanding Prognosis fact sheet.

Finally, there are a number of benign mesotheliomas which are noncancerous conditions that can be confusing.