Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos or asbestos related materials. Like most other forms of cancer, it is separated into two groups, malignant and benign. Rarely is mesothelioma benign, so frequently any mention of the condition refers to its malignant state, known as a tumor. A malignant tumor will grow and expand, and can spread cancerous cells into other parts of the body.
There are three main types of malignant mesotheliomas cells: epithelioid, sarcomatoid, and mixed/biphasic.
Epithelioid is the most common kind; 50-70% cases reported are of this type, which also has the best possibility of survival. This type affects the covering surrounding the internal organs and internal surfaces in the body. Sarcomatoid is much more serious, and it affects the secondary tissues such as bone, muscles, cartilage, and/or fat. This cell is much rarer, occurring 7-20% of the time. Mixed/biphasic refers to both types of cancers at once, and make up the rest of the 20-35% of the occurrences.
Aside from the types of cancerous cells, there are three main types of mesothelioma, and each affects a different area of the body. The three types of this deadly cancer are:
- Pleural Mesothelioma
- Peritoneal Mesothelioma
- Benign Mesothelioma
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