Main types of mesothelioma:

Types of Mesothelioma include pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma.

1.Pleural Mesothelioma:

Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of malignant mesothelioma (accounting for an approximate 75% of all documented cases of the disease) and affects the section of the mesothelium called the pleura. Although the most common type of malignant mesothelioma, the disease is still somewhat of a rarity. As a result, pleural mesothelioma is often confused with other types of diseases, such as lung cancer and viral pneumonia. Lung cancer can be caused by asbestos (asbestos lung cancer), though it differs from pleural mesothelioma in that it is a malignancy of the lung tissue itself, as opposed to pleural mesothelioma which is a malignancy of the tissue casing of the lungs. Viral pneumonia shares certain symptomatic similarities with pleural mesothelioma and is often misdiagnosed as such.

The most common presenting symptom of pleural malignant mesothelioma is chronic chest pain. A buildup of fluid inside the pleural space can cause severe and chronic chest pains; this is called pleural effusion. Steps can be taken to drain the fluid and relieve the pain (with the possibility of recurrence) or surgery can be performed to close the pleural space (with virtually no possibility of recurrence). Some of the other notable symptoms associated with pleural mesothelioma include:

* Shortness of breath

* Chronic coughing

* Weight loss

* Fever

2.Peritoneal Mesothelioma:

Malignant mesothelioma peritoneal is the second most common type of malignant mesothelioma (accounting for an approximate 10% to 20% of all documented cases of the disease) and affects the section of the mesothelium called the peritoneum (the mesothelial lining of the abdomen). Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is most often caused by the ingestion of carcinogenic asbestos fibers. Inhaled asbestos fibers can become lodged in mucous lining the mouth and esophagus. Once swallowed, it travels through the digestive system where it can potentially become lodged and develop into a tumor.

Some of the notable symptoms that are associated with peritoneal mesothelioma include:

* Swelling

* Abdominal pain (resulting from fluid buildup in peritoneal space)

* Weight loss

* Abdominal mass

* Lowered red blood cell count (anemia)

* Fever

* Bowel obstruction

* Blood clotting problems

3.Pericardial Mesothelioma:

Pericardial mesothelioma is much less common than malignant mesothelioma of the pleura or peritoneum. In fact there are only about 150 cases ever reported in the medical literature. It affects the section of the mesothelium called the pericardium (the mesothelial lining of the heart). People in the fourth to seventh decades of life are most likely to have this cancer, and there is a 2:1 male to female ratio. Currently, surgical excision (removal) of the pericardium is the treatment for pericardial mesothelioma, primarily to lessen symptoms of constriction around the heart.

Symptoms that are associated with pericardial mesothelioma include:

* Chest pain

* Fluid buildup around the heart

* A mass in the space between the lungs

* Abnormal or difficult breathing (dyspnea)

* Chronic coughing

* Irregular heartbeat (palpitations)

Epithelial mesothelioma:

Epithelial mesothelioma is the most common form of malignant mesothelioma that develops as a result of asbestos exposure. Epithelial malignant mesothelioma is a type of cancer that effects the epithelial or tissue membranes that line the organs. Fifty to seventy percent of malignant mesothelioma is considered epithelial malignant mesothelioma. Epithelial malignant mesothelioma victims often have a better prognosis (chance at increased survival time) than do victims of other Metastatic mesothelioma types.

The second most common mesothelioma accounts for seven to twenty percent of cancer cases. Sarcomatoid malignant mesothelioma involves malignant tumors that develop from affected connective tissues. The third type which occurs twenty to thirty percent of the time is a combination of sarcomatoid and epithelial malignant mesothelioma. Treatment options in each of these cases are about the same.

Epithelial malignant mesothelioma can affect different areas of the body. Mesothelioma is cancer to any of the tissues that surround internal organs. Sixty percent of epithelial malignant mesothelioma occurs in the pleural tissues of the lungs. This develops almost exclusively as a result of asbestos inhalation. The symptoms of epithelial malignant mesothelioma that affect the lungs include:

* Shortness of breath

* Persistent cough

* Pain in the chest

* Viral pneumonia symptoms

Many mesothelioma patient are asymptomatic. The right lung is affected sixty percent of the time, the left lung thirty five percent, and both lungs are affected in five percent of epithelial malignant mesothelioma cases.

Epithelial malignant mesothelioma is also common in the peritoneum of the abdomen. This is caused by the ingestion of asbestos that enters the air. Patients with this type of mesothelioma may also remain asymptomatic for years and years, though the following symptoms may be present: weight loss, nausea, effusion (fluid build-up) in the stomach, bowel difficulties, foot swelling and anemia. Malignant mesothelioma can also affect the reproductive organs, the heart, and other major organs.

A person who has been exposed to asbestos for one or two months has the potential to develop epithelial malignant mesothelioma or other asbestos related illnesses up to fifty years later. Mesothelioma has a long latency period. Once diagnosed the prognosis is often bleak. The average patient has a year left to live after they discover their condition.

Asbestos lung mesothelioma:

Lung Mesothelioma is the leading cause of death in asbestos-related injuries and illnesses. Asbestos is a highly toxic group of fibrous minerals that was widely used in the production of buildings, homes, schools, automobile brakes and clutch parts, ceiling and floor tiles, cement, and thousands of other products around the world.

If asbestos fibers are compromised by renovation, remodeling, deterioration, or disturbance, the fibers may break loose and become airborne. Once these fibers are inhaled or ingested, they may become trapped in the lungs or the digestive tract permanently, causing serious illness or disease such as Mesothelioma asbestos lung cancer.

Lung mesothelioma cancers risk factors:

While smoking is the highest risk factor for Mesothelioma asbestos lung cancer, frequent workplace or non-occupational exposure to high levels of asbestos is another leading cause of the disease. Tradesmen in the steel, plumbing, electrical, auto, milling, mining, and insulation industries, among others, are at the highest risk of developing lung cancer caused by asbestos exposure. Studies have found that workers who are regularly exposed to asbestos increase their risk of lung cancer by seven to ten times than those in the general population. In addition, asbestos workers who also smoke cigarettes are 50 to 100 times more likely to die from lung cancer.

Symptoms of Mesothelioma asbestos lung cancer:

Lung mesothelioma cancers is difficult to diagnose early, spreads at a rapid rate, and is rarely cured. Lung cancer caused by asbestos exposure typically occurs at a younger age than other lung cancers and is most likely found in the lower lobes. Some common symptoms of lung cancer include, but are not limited to:

* Change in breathing patterns

* Shortness of breath

* Persistent chest pains

* Coughing

* Hoarseness

* Anemia.