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Mesothelioma
Lawyers & Mesothelioma Diagnosed
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Pericardial mesothelioma is a disease that affects the lining
of the heart, or pericardium. Sometimes doctors refer to this
disease as mesothelioma of the pericardium. It is a common
misconception that mesothelioma is a type of primary lung cancer; it
is not. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the serous membranes. These
membranes enclose a number of organs throughout the midsection of
the body, including the heart. The most common type of mesothelioma
is pleural mesothelioma, which affects the serous membranes of the
lungs.
The least common form of mesothelioma cancer is pericardial
mesothelioma. Pericardial mesothelioma can spread to the lungs and
when this occurs, it is considered secondary lung cancer.
Mesothelioma is also sometimes referred to as an asbestos lung
cancer. Technically, this is also incorrect, since it does not
originate in the lungs. Asbestosis is a type of asbestos lung
disease that does originate in the lungs and is often confused with
mesothelioma.
Pericardial
mesothelioma cancer is found in less than 10% of mesothelioma
patients. The only known cause of mesothelioma is exposure to
asbestos. For pleural mesothelioma (cancer of the lung lining), the
disease process is fairly well understood: it's caused by the
inhalation of asbestos fibers that settle in the lungs, and become
inserted in the lung lining (or pleura). These asbestos fibers are
very durable and cannot be eliminated through the body’s processes.
Over time, these fibers cause chronic inflammation that eventually
leads to growth of cancerous tumors or, in some cases, asbestosis.
For pericardial mesothelioma, it is not clearly understood how the
asbestos fibers become lodged in the heart serous lining or
pericardium. It is possible that asbestos fibers, after being broken
into smaller pieces in the lungs, are carried from the lungs into
the blood stream. As the fibers are pumped through the heart, they
become lodged in the heart lining. Once lodged in the pericardium,
the chronic inflammation process leading to cancerous growths is
similar to that occurring in pleural mesothelioma.
Because pericardial mesothelioma is so rare, there is little
specific research on this type of mesothelioma. Approximately 2,000
new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed each year, and fewer than
200 of them are pericardial mesothelioma.
Symptoms of Pericardial Mesothelioma
chest pain
irregular heartbeat
Shortness of breath
cough
Back
: 1. Pleural
Mesothelioma ; 2. Peritoneal
(abdominal) Mesothelioma
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