What Types of Cancer Are Caused By Asbestos Exposure?

Types of Mesothelioma

The three main types of mesothelioma are pleural, peritoneal and pericardial. These types of mesothelioma are considered malignant, meaning they have a tendency to become progressively worse and spread throughout the body.

• Pleural mesothelioma affects the lining of the lungs (the pleura).

  This type of mesothelioma is the most common, and it signifies that a patient has been exposed to high levels of asbestos. Pleural mesothelioma can quickly spread to the outer chest wall, abdomen and heart.

• Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the lining of the abdomen (the peritoneum).

  While this type of mesothelioma is rare – only about 10 to 20 percent of mesothelioma diagnoses are peritoneal – the disease can quickly spread to the liver, spleen or bowel.

• Pericardial mesothelioma affects the lining of the heart (the pericardium).

  Only about 1 percent of mesothelioma patients are diagnosed with this type of cancer. Pericardial mesothelioma can prevent the heart from properly delivering oxygen throughout the body.

• Testicular mesothelioma affects the lining of the testicles.

  This type of cancer is extremely rare and accounts for less than 1 percent of mesothelioma diagnoses. It is believed that testicular mesothelioma may be the result of a primary tumor in the abdomen.

While there have been cases of benign (non-cancerous) mesothelioma, these diagnoses are very rare.