Though mesothelioma usually involves the membrane (mesothelium) surrounding the lungs, there are also types of mesothelioma that instead involve the peritoneum (layer surrounding the abdominal organs), pericardium (the membrane layer around the heart), and the tunica vaginalis (the membrane surrounding the testicles). Mesothelioma survival rates depend on the stage at which the disease is diagnosed. Unfortunately, mesothelioma often doesn’t produce symptoms until the disease is advanced, and in these cases, five-year survival rates average about 10%.
Pleural
Pleural mesothelioma is the most common of all the types of mesothelioma. In pleural mesothelioma, the membrane around the lungs develops cancer after having been exposed to asbestos for a long period of time – exposure that usually has taken place on the job. The disease causes thickening of the pleura, and pleural calcification.
The pleura is made up of two layers, an outer layer that lines the diaphragm and chest cavity, and the inner layer, which provides a covering for the lungs. Pleural mesothelioma usually develops in one layer, but can spread to the other. Pleural mesothelioma impairs lung function. It is a very aggressive cancer that can spread to the abdominal cavity and heart.
If a doctor knows a patient has risk factors such as on-the-job exposure to asbestos, then the patient can be monitored regularly in hopes of catching any cancerous changes before they have had a chance to spread. In these cases, surgery can be very effective, extending life by several years beyond the life expectancy of a typical mesothelioma patient.
For pleural mesothelioma patients who would not benefit from surgery, traditional chemotherapy can be used to make the disease more manageable. Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include a persistent cough, shortness of breath, painful breathing, coughing up blood, night sweats, and lumps under chest skin. It can be difficult to diagnose, particularly if a doctor does not know if a person worked in a job where asbestos exposure is common. The symptoms are general enough to suggest a number of other diseases, such as pneumonia and influenza. X-rays and CT scans are used in the diagnosis, as are tissue biopsies.
Peritoneal
Peritoneal mesothelioma is the second most common of the types of mesothelioma and is cancer in the membrane layer that covers the abdominal cavity. Like other forms of mesothelioma, it is caused by exposure to asbestos, particularly by asbestos fibers becoming lodged in the space between the cells that make up the mesothelium.
Mesothelioma in the peritoneum may not show up for decades after exposure to asbestos. With this type of mesothelioma, the asbestos fibers work their way into the layers of the peritoneum, where they can break down into smaller and smaller parts. They never dissolve or go away, however, and eventually they cause inflammation and irritation. This results in the development of cancer cells which divide uncontrollably. The peritoneum thickens, and fluid builds up in the peritoneal layers. The proliferation of cancer cells form tumors. The symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma come from the membrane thickening, as fluid accumulates and tumors develop, causing pressure on the internal organs and resulting pain and discomfort.
The symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include constipation or diarrhea, abdominal swelling, abdominal pain, lumps under the skin of the abdomen, unexplained fever or nighttime sweating, nausea, anemia, and fatigue. Like all types of mesothelioma, the disease is often not found until it has progressed, and doctors usually recommend treatment that will help relieve pain and combat the cancer. Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation are used in treating peritoneal mesothelioma. Chemotherapy and radiation target the cancerous cells that divide rapidly. Intraperitoneal chemotherapy is sometimes used, meaning that the drugs are injected directly into the peritoneum after surgery. Some patients undergo radiation therapy to shrink tumors prior to surgery.
Pericardial
Pericardial mesothelioma is one of the two rarest types of mesothelioma. It is a disease of the sac membrane surrounding the heart. Like the other forms of mesothelioma, it can take years or even several decades to develop. This is one of the rarest forms of mesothelioma, and is caused by extended periods of exposure to asbestos. The pericardium, which is the lining surrounding the heart, develops scar tissue, which can live within the pericardium for many years. The scar tissue eventually leads to the development of cancerous cells. This results in inflammation around the heart, heart function irregularities, and heart palpitations.
Like other types of mesothelioma, pericardial mesothelioma is not usually diagnosed until it is fairly advanced and resistant to many of the traditional treatments. Treatment may consist solely of helping the patient’s quality of life. The stage of disease when it’s diagnosed, the patient’s age and general physical condition will also influence the course of treatment.
Symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma may not show up for several decades after exposure to asbestos, and the cancer is usually too far advanced to treat with any effectiveness by the time it is diagnosed. That is why it’s extremely important for anyone who has worked with asbestos to inform their doctor that this is the case. The sooner a diagnosis can be made, the better. Symptoms include heart palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath, and coughing – symptoms that can point to a number of different diagnoses.
Radiation and chemotherapy are the two primary methods of treating pericardial mesothelioma. Sometimes fine needle aspiration is used to drain excess fluid from the pericardial sac, and hence relieve some of the symptoms and discomfort.
Testicular
Mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis is, like pericardial mesothelioma, one of the rarest types of mesothelioma. But, also like pericardial mesothelioma, it is aggressive and can be difficult to diagnose. Symptoms may not show up for years or decades after exposure to asbestos. The tunica vaginalis is the interior membrane surrounding the testicles. Symptoms include testicular swelling and pain.
If a tumor is found in the tunica vaginalis, the disease can be treated with surgical removal of the testicles, sometimes without any other therapy necessary. Like with other forms of the disease, it is important for anyone who has worked with asbestos to notify their doctor of this so that any type of mesothelioma can be diagnosed at the earliest stage possible.
Survival Rate
The mesothelioma survival rate is a calculation of the percentage of people having certain types and stages of mesothelioma who survive for a specified time period after diagnosis. The five year mesothelioma survival rate is simply the percentage of mesothelioma patients alive five years after being diagnosed with mesothelioma. They may be free of disease, in remission, or undergoing treatment at that time.
Mesothelioma survival rates are dependent on the size of the tumor, the stage of the disease, the likelihood of successful surgery being performed, how much fluid is found in the chest or abdomen, the patient’s age and overall health, the exact types of mesothelioma cancer cells found, and whether the mesothelioma has just been diagnosed, or if it has recurred after having gone into remission for awhile.
Mesothelioma survival rates one year after diagnosis are 39%. Two years after diagnosis, the survival rate is 20%. Three years after diagnosis of mesothelioma, the survival rate is 11%, after four years it is 10%, and after 5 years, it is 9%.