Epithelioid Mesothelioma CancerINDEX...HOME Good Sites Epithelioid mesothelioma is the most common form of mesothelioma and accounts for 50 to 70% of the mesothelioma cancer cells. The individual cells have a unique pattern. They are relatively uniform in shape with a tubular pattern and a distinct cell nucleus under high magnification. Other types of cancer can also take a similar form, and if these cancers appear in the mesothelium, then they can be confused with epithelioid mesothelioma. Adenocarcinoma is a type of cancer often confused with epithelioid mesothelioma. Epithelioid Mesothelioma Versus Adenocarcinoma Mesothelioma, including epithelioid mesothelioma, is a type of cancer that occurs in the mesothelium, which is an epithelium that surrounds certain organs. Epithelium is specialized tissue that is found throughout the body and separates different environments in the body. For example, epithelial cells are found in the skin, which separates the outside of the body from the inside of the body. Epithelium serves many functions including protection, absorption, filtration, excretion, secretion or sensory reception. Carcinoma, however, is a type of cancer that originates in the epithelium and adenocarcinoma is a special type of carcinoma that originates in the lining or inner epithelium of an organ. When an adenocarcinoma occurs in the lining of the lungs it can spread to the mesothelium, or pleura, surrounding the lungs. Since epithelioid mesothelioma can also appear in the pleura, it can be easily confused with adenocarcinoma. Furthermore, since both epithelioid mesothelioma and adenocarcinoma derive from epithelial tissue, they have similar cellular appearance. Although research does show that the tumor cells in epithelioid mesothelioma are usually more regularly uniform, cuboidal and spread out than the tumor cells in adenocarcinoma, which are more columnar and crowded, this distinction is difficult to make on a case-by-case basis. To add to this confusion, chemical staining of the epithelioid mesothelioma and adenocarcinoma cancer cells sometimes shows similar results. The clinical signs for adenocarcinoma of the lung and malignant mesothelioma are also similar. Both of these diseases typically affect the older population and the symptoms typically include chest pain, pleural effusions (fluid build-up) and respiratory difficulty. This is why cancer of the mesothelium, or epithelioid mesothelioma, and cancer of the lung epithelium, adenocarcinoma, are often mistaken and can be misdiagnosed. If you or a loved one has had asbestos exposure and have received a diagnosis of adenocarcinoma, it may be worthwhile to seek a second diagnostic evaluation, either by the same physician or an oncology specialist who has experience in mesothelioma cases. |