* Malignant Epithelial Mesothelioma
Although mesothelioma is a rare cancer, there is information available that may help patients receive the right diagnosis and treatment. Discovering what cell type of mesothelioma is present may aid patients in receiving the help they need. The following information discusses the epithelial class of mesothelioma, which is associated with 50 to 70 percent of malignant mesotheliomas. For additional information on epithelial mesothelioma we recommend our all encompassing packet. The packet is free and will be shipped overnight for no charge.
Characteristics of Epithelial Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma may be classified by the appearance of cells that form the cancer. Epithelial cells make up the epithelium, or layers of cells that cover the internal surfaces of the body. The cells consist of small tubules, blood vessel protuberances and acini, or protoplasmic masses that make up tissue, and sheets of atypical epithelial mesothelial cells.
The epithelial cell type has many subtypes that are further categorized by their shape and may vary in size and structure. Tubulopapillary epithelial cells, one example of an epithelial subtype, are uniform in shape and typically small or medium in size. Epithelial mesothelioma commonly occurs as pleural malignant mesothelioma, which develops in the lining of the lungs.
How Epithelial Mesothelioma is Diagnosed
Your doctor may perform a radiology and pathology exam as well as discuss the patient's potential exposure to asbestos in order to determine an epithelial mesothelioma diagnosis. Patients may also be screened using immunohistochemistry, or the use of immunological techniques to study the chemistry of tissues.
Epithelial mesothelioma may be confused with adenocarcinoma, or a type of cancer that develops in the cells in internal organs such as the lungs, breasts and colon. Glandular mesothelioma, an epithelial cell subtype, may resemble adenocarcinoma of the lungs.
It may be difficult to diagnose these two conditions, as cytology and needle biopsy of the pleura are often ineffective. Epithelial mesothelioma is not easily identified through the microscopic inspection of cells. A medical procedure that includes an internal exam and biopsy of the pleural cavity, known as thoracoscopy, and the examination of the tumor during surgery may aid in differentiating between epithelial mesothelioma and adenocarcinoma.
Epithelial Mesothelioma Subtypes
Epithelial mesothelioma has a variety of subtypes that are categorized by their shape, size and structure and include the following:
- Tubulopapillary
- Glandular
- Histiocytoid
- Adenoid cystic
- Microcystic
- Macrocystic
- Signet Ring
- Single File
- Diffuse – NOS
- Glomeruloid
- Small Cell
- Poorly Differentiated (large cell) or Pleomorphic
- Deciduoid
- Mucin Positive
- Gaucher Cell-Like
- In Situ
- Well-Differentiated Papillary
Deciduoid mesothelioma is a common subtype of epithelial mesothelioma and the cells may resemble endometrial cells, or uterine lining. The cells are large and may be viewed by dyeing cells through a staining process.
These lesions were initially found in young women who had not been exposed to asbestos but were later identified in older men and in desmoplastic malignant mesothelioma. This type of malignant mesothelioma causes approximately 2 to 5 percent of all mesothelioma cases.
How Epithelial Cells Affect Treatment and Prognosis
The median survival time of patients with epithelial mesothelioma is around one year following diagnosis. Treatment for epithelial mesothelioma is similar to treatments for other cell types of mesothelioma as the therapy for mesothelioma cancer more importantly depends on the stage and location of the cancer in the body.
A team of doctors may perform a combination of radiation therapy, chemotherapy or surgery as palliative care, which is a form of treatment that focuses on reducing the severity of symptoms associated with the disease. The prognosis for epithelial mesothelioma is better than for sarcomatoid or biphasic cell subtypes, as epithelial cells tend to respond better to treatment.
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