What is Pericardial Mesothelioma?

Pericardial mesothelioma is the most infrequent form of this rare asbestos-linked cancer. Individuals with pericardial mesothelioma have cancerous growths in tissues surrounding the heart. Due to the rarity of this cancer, pericardial mesothelioma has not been definitely associated with asbestos exposure, although strong links between asbestos and pericardial mesothelioma have been made.

The early symptoms indicating pericardial mesothelioma include chest pain, dyspnea, cough, and palpitations. Patients displaying the symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma are usually given either an X-Ray or a CT scan to look for evidence of pericardial mesothelioma. If there are growths or abnormalities in the tissue around the heart, doctors may attempt to diagnose pericardial mesothelioma through biopsy surgery. Once a thorough assessment of the situation has been made, the pericardial mesothelioma patient and the doctor will discuss possible treatment options; including whether to attempt to defeat the pericardial mesothelioma or just to improve the patient’s quality of life for the time remaining. Decisions about pericardial mesothelioma usually involve consideration of the patient’s age and condition, the stage to which the pericardial mesothelioma has advanced, the tumor size, and location. Most patients are in advanced stages of pericardial mesothelioma at the time of diagnosis and therefore choose to have surgery to address the discomfort.

While pericardial mesothelioma has not been definitively linked to asbestos exposure, the indications are strong that pericardial mesothelioma is related to asbestos, as are the other forms of mesothelioma. Patients with pericardial mesothelioma may be eligible to recover medical fees and other costs associated with pericardial mesothelioma from parties proven responsible for asbestos exposure.