• Pericardial Mesothelioma
• Mesothelioma Life Expectancy
• Mesothelioma Prognosis
• Mesothelioma Treatment
• Mesothelioma Survivors

Pericardial Mesothelioma

Pericardial mesothelioma is a rare form of mesothelioma in which tumors form in the pericardium, a membrane of the heart. Most, if not all, cases of pericardial mesothelioma are thought to occur due to asbestos exposure.

Development Of Pericardial Mesothelioma

Many patients with pericardial mesothelioma have been exposed to asbestos in their homes or as part of their occupations, but because of the rarity of the disease, physicians aren't sure of exactly how the disease develops and progresses.

Asbestos is an insulation and building material composed of tiny shard-like fibers. Most cases of mesothelioma occur in patients who regularly breathe these fibers. The fibers typically become lodged in the mesothelium of the lungs, where they can cause tumors to develop.

Pericardial mesothelioma is thought to develop when asbestos fibers make their way into the bloodstream and make their way to the heart, where they lodge in the pericardium. Malignant tumors then develop, sometimes over the course of many years.

There have been fewer than 200 cases of pericardial mesothelioma. Many of these cases are thought to have taken a decade or more to develop, and it's considered to be the rarest form of mesothelioma as well as one of the rarest types of cancer.

Symptoms of Pericardial Mesothelioma

Most pericardial mesothelioma patients don't notice symptoms until the later stages of the disease or mistake early symptoms as signs of another type of heart condition. The extreme rarity of pericardial mesothelioma can also make it difficult to diagnose.

Common mesothelioma symptoms include chest pain, fatigue, heart murmurs and respiratory issues. To separate pericardial mesothelioma from other conditions and to ensure an accurate diagnosis, physicians will often recommend an MRI. The MRI can show the extent of the disease and allow the physician to make treatment recommendations.

Treating Pericardial Mesothelioma

Unfortunately, pericardial mesothelioma usually has a poor prognosis. This is partially due to the rarity of the disease and partially due to the fact that it tends to be diagnosed in a late stage. Over half of patients with pericardial mesothelioma die within the first half year after a diagnosis.

Most pericardial mesothelioma treatments are designed to improve the patient's quality of life. Fluids may build in the pericardium, and by draining these tissues, patient symptoms can markedly improve for several weeks or months.

Early-stage pericardial mesothelioma may be treated with surgery and radiation therapy, but treatment is very difficult, as the patient's heart and other vital organs can't be exposed to excessive amounts of radiation. As mentioned earlier, early detection is also very difficult, so treatment techniques are hardly well-developed.

Mesothelioma Patient Rights

As pericardial mesothelioma is thought to be caused by asbestos exposure, patients and family members of patients with the disease have the right to seek restitution for the cost of treatment and for pain and suffering, especially when a patient worked in ship building or a similar industry with widespread asbestos use.