Epithelioid Mesothelioma

Epithelioid (epithelial) mesothelioma is the most frequent cell type and accounts for about 50% to 70% of all malignant mesothelioma cases. These cells are relatively uniform in shape and with a tubular pattern and a distinct cell nucleus. If viewed under high magnification, the cell nucleus is obviously discernible from other cell nuclei. The individual cells are shaped like cubes or multi-sided boxes.
Due to the resemblance between mesothelioma cancer cells and adenocarcinoma, these cells most of the time are perplexed and thus patients with this malignant mesothelioma have the possibility to be misdiagnosed. Examining the cancer cells using high-powered microscopes and detecting distinct traits of the chemical possessions of the cells can assist to conclude the appropriate diagnosis.
Differences between epithelioid mesothelioma and adenocarcinomaAdenocarcinoma is a type of cancer often confused with epithelioid mesothelioma since its form is like epithelioid mesothelioma. Besides, adenocarcinoma also appears in the mesothelium.
Both epithelioid mesothelioma and adenocarcinoma can be located in the mesothelium. What makes the difference between the two is the fact that the epethelioid is originated in the mesothelium and adenocarcinoma is not.
Adenocarcinoma originates in the body’s glandular tissue, in the lining or inner epithelium of an organ. Once an adenocarcinoma takes place in the lining of the lungs it is able to metastasize to the mesothelium, or pleura, covering the lungs. Because epithelioid mesothelioma can also appear in the pleura, it can be easily confused with adenocarcinoma. Adenocarcinoma frequently presents itself as a benign tumor (adenoma) that can grow into a serious cancer over time.
Cancer of the epithelium is usually referred to as carcinoma. The two most common types of carcinoma are adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Adenocarcinoma is typically found in the lung, accounting for an approximate 30 to 40% of all lung-based carcinomas. Typically, lung-based adenocarcinomas are able to spread to the epithelial tissue lining of the lungs (mesothelium of the lungs; the pleura) and thus taking on the look of epithelioid mesothelioma.
Furthermore, since both epithelioid mesothelioma and adenocarcinoma derive from epithelial tissue, they posses a similar cellular look. Even if research states that the tumor cells in epithelioid mesothelioma are normally more uniform on a regular basis, cube-shaped and spread out than the tumor cells in adenocarcinoma, (which are more crowded and columnar) the difference is hard to decide on a case-by-case basis. To affix to this perplexity, chemical staining of epithelioid mesothelioma and adenocarcinoma cancer cells occasionally shows same results.
The medical signs for adenocarcinoma of the lung and malignant mesothelioma are also alike. The symptoms of these illnesses, both of which naturally influence the older population, include pain in the chest, pleural effusions (fluid build-up) and breathing difficulty. Thus, this is the reason why cancer of the mesothelium, or epithelioid mesothelioma, and cancer of the lung epithelium, adenocarcinoma, are often confused and can be misdiagnosed.
Facts and data of a family history are often able to help in distinguishing between adenocarcinoma and epithelioid mesothelioma. When a patient possesses a family history of carcinoma, it is more likely that he or she suffers from a variant of the disease. When a patient has a history of asbestos exposure, it is more likely that he or she suffers from epithelioid mesothelioma. Or, if you or a loved one got asbestos exposure and received a diagnosis of adenocarcinoma, it may be worthwhile to look for a second diagnostic assessment, either by the same oncology specialist or a physician who has adequate experience in mesothelioma cases.