The Online Asbestos, Asbestos Cancer, & Mesothelioma Authority
Epithelial
Epithelial tissue is one of four primary human body tissues, and it is the most prominent, composing the surface of the body and the body's internal lining. Epithelial cells cover all the body's organs, making up, for example, the lining of the lungs and digestive system. Cancers of the epithelial cells are termed "carcinomas," and they make up about 85% of all cancers (1).
Of the three types of mesothelioma (sarcomatous, epithelial, and mixed), epithelial is the most frequent, with fifty to seventy percent of malignant mesothelioma considered epithelial malignant mesothelioma. As with all forms of mesothelioma, it is caused almost exclusively by asbestos exposure. As the name implies, epithelial mesothelioma cancer affects the epithelial cells; specifically, it affects the cells that comprise the outermost membranes of the body's organs and cavities, known as the serous membranes (2, 3).
Because mesothelioma is often caused by asbestos fibers breathed into the body, epithelial mesothelioma is most often a cancer within the respiratory system. In fact, sixty percent of epithelial malignant mesothelioma occurs in the covering of the lungs, known as the pleural tissues, and is labeled pleural mesothelioma (2).
The second most common form of epithelial mesothelioma occurs in the lining of the abdomen, called the peritoneum, and is caused by the ingestion of asbestos that is present in the air. Instead of the respiratory problems that are characteristic of pleural mesothelioma, peritoneum mesothelioma manifests as obstructions and other problems within the digestive system (4).
The third and rarest form of epithelial mesothelioma affects the lining of the heart, and is called pericardial mesothelioma. Though it is not well understood, it is thought that asbestos particles may reach the heart after entering the bloodstream through the lungs. Just as the membrane to the lungs can expand and fill with fluid in the case of pleural mesothelioma, the membrane covering the heart can experience similar symptoms in pericardial mesothelioma, causing chest pain and heart complications (5).
- "Types of cells and cancer." From Cancer Research UK's website. Available: http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=98#epith (Accessed July 28, 2007).
- "Types of Mesothelioma." From AllAboutMalignantMesothelioma.com. Available: http://www.allaboutmalignantmesothelioma.com/types-of-mesothelioma.htm (Accessed July 28, 2007).
- "Serosa. (2001) Stedman's Concise Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions, 4th ed.
- "Peritoneal Mesothelioma: Mesothelioma of the Peritoneum." From AllAboutMalignantMesothelioma.com. Available: http://www.allaboutmalignantmesothelioma.com/peritoneal-mesothelioma.htm (Accessed July 28, 2007).
- "Pericardial Mesothelioma: Mesothelioma of the Pericardium." From AllAboutMalignantMesothelioma.com. Available: http://www.allaboutmalignantmesothelioma.com/pericardial-mesothelioma.htm (Accessed July 28, 2007).