What is mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is one of the very rare forms of cancer. It is the cancer of the mesothelial cells which are the cells of the tissue or the layer that covers the outer most surface of the internal body organs. This forms a lining on the internal body organs called the mesothelium. This is how the cancer has got its name, because it starts with the cells of the mesothelium.

The most common internal body organs on which the mesothelioma can develop are Abdomen mesothelium, the Lungs and the pleura. The outer most tissues of these organs are most commonly affect with this form of cancer.

Pleura is the lining or the covering of the human lungs that are present two in the same region and are also called the pleural membranes. There is also a gap between them called the pleural space. This is where the cancer cells can originate and form the mesothelioma cancer. This is then called the pleural mesothelioma. The pleural membranes are so close to the heart that they can also affect its tissues or the covering of the heart called the pericardium. It is the same type of covering of the heart which can also be affected by the cancerous cells developing in the pleural membranes.

The other type of mesothelioma is of the abdomen. The abdomen's outer most covering or lining is known as the peritoneum, which helps to protect the abdominal cells. The cancerous cells starting off in this tissue are called the peritoneal mesothelioma, which is very less common than the pleural mesothelioma which also affects the lungs.

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that does not spread to the other distant parts of the body therefore it is much easier to control and manage.

Benign mesothelioma also exists, which is most common in the lining of the lungs and also the reproductive organs of the body, equally common in men and women.