Tailoring Mesothelioma Treatment with Accurate Subtype Identification

Tailoring Mesothelioma Treatment with Accurate Subtype Identification

ByHolly Zink

A new study is exploring a new method for classifying mesothelioma subtypes. It offers hope for more accurate diagnoses and tailored treatments. Improving Mesothelioma Prognosis Mesothelioma is a type of aggressive cancer caused by asbestos exposure. The diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma are challenging. This is due to its late detection and non-specific symptoms. Mesothelioma is classified into three subtypes based on how the cancer cells look. The three types are: epithelioid, biphasic, and sarcomatoid. Each subtype has unique characteristics and can mean different things to a patient’s outlook. Accurately identifying the subtype is crucial for determining treatment options for patients. Currently, doctors will identify a patient’s subtype just by looking at their cancer cells under a microscope. There is…

New Mesothelioma Subtype Called Mesothelioma in Situ
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New Mesothelioma Subtype Called Mesothelioma in Situ

ByHolly Zink

The 2015 WHO classification of pleural mesothelioma included three histological subtypes. The new fourth mesothelioma subtype is called mesothelioma in situ. It is a very early form of mesothelioma. Previous studies suggest that it may be a precursor to invasive mesothelioma. If patients know they have it, they may have years to try to keep mesothelioma from developing. Pathologists can tell the difference between the subtypes by looking at the cells under a microscope. Each subtype has a slightly different cell shape, growth pattern, and nuclear characteristics. Four Subtypes of Mesothelioma Pleural mesothelioma is a very rare type of cancer. Only about 2,500 people in the US receive a mesothelioma diagnosis every year. Asbestos inhalation is the primary cause of pleural mesothelioma. Most people with pleural…

Epithelioid Subtype Leads to Longer Survival Regardless of Treatment
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Epithelioid Subtype Leads to Longer Survival Regardless of Treatment

ByAlex Strauss

Danish researchers say people with the epithelioid subtype of pleural mesothelioma tend to live longer than those with other subtypes, even if they don’t receive treatment.  The study is the latest to confirm what prior research suggests: that epithelial mesothelioma is more survivable than other subtypes.  In the newest report, mesothelioma patients with the epithelioid subtype lived longer, even when they were not good candidates for curative treatment. Mesothelioma Subtypes and Symptoms Pleural mesothelioma is a fast-growing cancer on the membrane around the lungs. Exposure to asbestos is the primary cause of mesothelioma.  There are three main mesothelioma subtypes. They are the epithelioid subtype, the sarcomatoid subtype, and the biphasic subtype. Epithelioid mesothelioma is the most common subtype. Sarcomatoid is…

WHO to Recognize Fourth Mesothelioma Subtype
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WHO to Recognize Fourth Mesothelioma Subtype

ByAlex Strauss

The World Health Organization will soon recognize mesothelioma in situ as a fourth mesothelioma subtype.  The 2015 WHO classification of pleural mesothelioma includes three histological subtypes. Pathologists can tell the difference between the subtypes by looking at the cells under a microscope. Each subtype has a slightly different cell shape, growth pattern, and nuclear characteristics.  The proposed fourth mesothelioma subtype is a very early form of mesothelioma. Previous studies suggest that it may be a precursor to invasive mesothelioma. If patients know they have it, they may have years to try to keep mesothelioma from developing. Differences Between the Subtypes Pleural mesothelioma is a very rare type of cancer. Only about 2,500 people in the US receive a mesothelioma diagnosis…

Biphasic Mesothelioma Survival Possible in Select Patients
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Biphasic Mesothelioma Survival Possible in Select Patients

ByAlex Strauss

A new report contains some hopeful news about biphasic mesothelioma survival.  Biphasic mesothelioma is the rarest subtype of a rare cancer. It is also the subtype that is hardest to treat.  Biphasic mesothelioma survival is typically shorter than other subtypes. But Italian researchers say, with the right combination of mesothelioma treatments, patients with this subtype can achieve long-term survival. Subtypes and their Impact on Biphasic Mesothelioma Survival All pleural mesothelioma tumors grow on the membrane that surrounds the lungs. When this membrane is healthy, it is flexible and expands naturally with each breath.  When a mesothelioma tumor grows on this membrane, it can restrict the lungs and make it hard to breathe. As tumors grow, mesothelioma can spread to other…

Mesothelioma Subtype Predicts Poor Survival Odds
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Mesothelioma Subtype Predicts Poor Survival Odds

ByAlex Strauss

Histological subtyping, which involves classifying mesothelioma types by certain microscopic features, plays a crucial role in diagnosis, treatment, and determining life expectancy in malignant pleural mesothelioma. The three major subtypes of pleural mesothelioma are epithelioid, sarcomatoid, and biphasic. While all three types carry a poor prognosis, epithelioid mesothelioma, which accounts for 50 to 70 percent of cases, usually responds better to treatment than the other two types. But a new published study suggests that that is not always the case. Doctors at the University of Zagreb School of Medicine in Croatia say there is a subtype of epithelioid mesothelioma that carries as poor a prognosis as the sarcomatoid and biphasic types. To reach that conclusion, the team analyzed biopsy specimens and…