Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma

Sarcomatoid mesothelioma is an uncommon type of cancer caused as a result of asbestos exposure. It is difficult to diagnose sarcomatoid mesothelioma and thus far it has been resistant in responding to any type of therapy. Mesothelioma is the most serious of all asbestos-related diseases. Like all forms of malignant mesothelioma cancer, sarcomatoid mesothelioma is a fatal disease.

Diagnosis of Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma

Sarcomatoid mesothelioma is diagnosed by a histopathologist using a high powered microscope after removal of suspect tissue through surgical biopsy. A biopsy is an extremely common type of diagnostic surgery that is required for the purpose of definitively diagnosing a disease.

Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma, Sarcomatoid Carcinoma and Sarcoma

Because sarcomatoid mesothelioma cells are "oval irregular" in shape, sarcomatoid mesothelioma can be confused with a number of related cancer types such as sarcomatoid carcinoma and sarcoma.

Sarcomatoid mesothelioma is most often confused with pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma.

Sarcomatoid mesothelioma is also confused with high-grade sarcoma, a form of cancer found in supportive tissue such as bone, cartilage, fat or muscle. (Carcinoma forms in the epithelium). If the sarcoma becomes involved with the pleural surface it can be difficult to differentiate from sarcomatoid mesothelioma.

A pathologist must be careful to compare the appearance and staining of the cells before microscope analysis. The cells can appear to be very similar when making a definitive diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma.

Malignant Mesothelioma Cell Types

Epithelioid Mesothelioma - This is the most survivable form, affecting the epithelioid cells. About 50- to 70-percent of mesothelioma cancers are of the epithelioid variety.
Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma - This form affects the sarcomatoid cells, and is less survivable.
Mixed / Biphasic Mesothelioma - This form affects both the epithelioid and sarcomatoid cells, with the same prognosis as for sarcomatoid mesothelioma.

These types of mesothelioma cells can further divide into other types of cancerous cells called

Clear cell
Small cell
Acinar cell
Tubopapillary cell

What is malignant mesothelioma and how many types are there?

Mesothelioma is a cancer that affects mesothelial tissue. Mesothelial tissue includes the pleura, which envelopes the lungs and lines the chest cavity, the peritoneum, which lines the abdomen, and the pericardium, which surrounds the heart. Malignant mesothelioma is an exceptionally rare disease that has thus far been linked exclusively with asbestos exposure - between 70% and 80% of persons diagnosed with mesothelioma can trace the condition to asbestos exposure.

Approximately 75% of malignant mesothelioma cancers begin in the chest cavity (pleural mesothelioma), with about 15% beginning in the abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma). It is very unusual for a mesothelioma cancer to begin in the heart sac (pericardial mesothelioma). Some people struggle with another asbestos-related disease, asbestosis, which causes scarring of the lung tissue.