Types Of Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma can be classified into two major groups, benign and malignant. Malignant mesothelioma is organized into four main categories based on the location of the tumor:

1. pleural – found in the chest cavity, on the surface of the lung and on the diaphragm,
2. peritoneal – found in the abdomen on the surface of the omentum and visceral organs,
3. pericardial – growing on the exterior surface of the pericardium, or lining of the heart, and
4. testicular – noted as a thickening of the ducts and glands in the testes.

While the rarest of the mesos, testicular mesothelioma is the second most common type of testicular cancer after soft tissue tumors.

Each of these categories of mesothelioma is further divided into one of three subtypes, epithelial, sarcomatoid or mixed. Among the total spectrum of asbestos patients there are a smaller number of cases with different cancers, such as lung cancer and metastatic cancer of the liver, kidneys, bones and other organs. In addition, sarcomatous varieties have been judged to be extremely aggressive, and are often associated with intracranial metastases – brain tumors.

In addition to the above, rare kinds of mesothelioma have been identified such as: small cell mesothelioma and lymphohistiocytoid mesothelioma. Due to their rarity, testicular and pericardial mesothelioma could also be classified in this category. As well, in the peritoneal category, there are mesos such as: benign/low grade proliferations, well differentiated papillary tumors, and peritoneal inclusion cysts.

The human genital tracts have also been found to contain adenomatoid tumors, which were originally thought to be endothelial. Recent research has reclassified these as a benign form of mesothelioma. From time to time, such incidental tumors have been discovered in the pleural cavities during lung resections for other reasons. There source and clinical development of these tumors remains unknown.

Types Of Mesothelioma

Rare malignancies associated with mesothelioma.