Mesothelioma, is a form of cancer that attacks the tissue covering of the internal organs and exposure to asbestos is the main cause of this cancer. This tissue covering is known as the mesothelial and the three main cell types of this cancer are called mesothelial cell cancer.
The three main types of this cell cancer are: Epithelioid cells, these are the most common and easiest to treat. It is usually a tubular growth that affects the linings of internal organs. About 50 to 70 percent of all mesothelioma cancers are in this category and it is mostly likely to respond to treatment.
Sarcomatoid mesothelioma is the most serious and fatal form of this disease. This type of cancer attacks the support tissues such as bone, muscle and cartilage and cancers in these areas are difficult and painful to treat. Ten to twenty percent of mesothelioma cancers are of this type. It does not respond well to treatment and most people who are diagnosed with this type do not live longer than six months.
Mixed/Biphasic mesothelioma is a combination of both epithelioid and sarcomatoid. It has both the good and bad sides of the other two. Most of the time patients who are diagnosed with this type of cancer have a poorer prognosis than with the other two because the tumors are more resistant to treatment. Treatment is usually given to extend the life of the patient and not to help reduce the cancer. Between 20 and 35 percent of all mesothelioma cases are of this type.
Mesothelioma is one of the most devastating forms of cancer and it is often not diagnosed for years following a person’s exposure to asbestos. The organs can be seriously damaged by then making treatment difficult. The life expectancy is one to five years.
Fri, Jul 30, 2010
Cancer