Malignant Mesothelioma
While it’s true that there are instances of benign mesothelioma cancer, those cases are quite rare. Malignant mesothelioma is much more common among those who suffer from the disease. The most common form of malignant mesothelioma cancer is pleural mesothelioma, found in the lungs from inhaled asbestos or related compounds. Two other types, pericardial and peritoneal mesothelioma, are also among the 3000 new cases reported in the United States every year according to the National Cancer Institute.
Of the two types, peritoneal mesothelioma is more common than pericardial. Peritoneal mesothelioma occurs in the abdominal cavity with symptoms including weight loss, abdominal pain and swelling from accumulated fluid. Additional symptoms are obstructed bowels, blood clots, and anemia.
Malignant mesothelioma can spread from the original site to other parts of the body. In these cases, there is often additional pain, swelling of the neck or face and difficulty swallowing. Unfortunately, these are non-specific symptoms and could be indicators of a different condition. Only your doctor can properly diagnose mesothelioma lung cancer, peritoneal mesothelioma or any other manifestation of the disease.
Such diagnosis can be difficult unless your doctor knows about conditions which may have led to your exposure to asbestos. It is very important to inform your doctor of any potential asbestos exposure, including work renovating old buildings, removing insulation, exposure to fires or demolition of old structures, and natural disasters which destroyed buildings or other situations.
If your doctor suspects you have malignant mesothelioma, a number of tests may be scheduled to identify the source of your symptoms. You may need a complete physical examination, including x-rays, an MRI or CAT scan. You may also require a biopsy to remove and examine tissue samples from areas with signs of mesothelioma cancer or other abnormality.
Once the biopsy has been performed, the tissue is examined to see if there is indeed mesothelioma cancer growing, and the cancer’s current stage of development. Regardless of a diagnosis of pleural, pericardial, or peritoneal mesothelioma, there are two basic stages of the disease. If the cancer is found growing on the tissue’s surface, it is said to be localized. If the cancer has spread beyond the surface into other areas such as lymph nodes or the organs, mesothelioma cancer is said to be in advanced stages.
Treatment for malignant mesothelioma includes radiation therapy, chemotherapy and surgery. There are additional procedures which may be required to remove fluid from the chest or abdomen, and other procedures to prevent the buildup of more fluid.
In addition to these treatments, some patients may choose to volunteer for experimental therapies, alternative treatments and clinical trials. It is very important to get the advice of your doctor before taking part in any non-standard treatment or procedure. Mesothelioma specialists and patients alike can search for mesothelioma cancer treatments in the clinical trial phase, but your doctor should review the details of the trial to ensure it is appropriate for a particular patient. 
Additional resources about malignant mesothelioma can be found on the SimmonsCooper website:
Featured Video
What Does a Pleural Mesothelioma Diagnosis Mean?
Pleural mesothelioma is a rare, aggressive cancer caused by exposure to asbestos that attacks the lining of the lungs. Mary Hesdorffer, a nurse practitioner and Medical Liaison for the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (www.curemeso.org), gives an overview of pleural mesothelioma.
Rate, comment and share this pleural mesothelioma video on YouTube.
