The Differences Between Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer

Approximately 3,000 Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year. The disease is caused from exposure to the building material called asbestos.

The exact process of how mesothelioma forms is not entirely known, but it involves the toxic asbestos fibers being inhaled by the individual. These fibers affect the mesothelium, the lining of the body’s major organs, and eventually, over a long length of time, develop into mesothelioma.

There are several types of mesothelioma, the most common form being pleural mesothelioma. This particular form attacks the lining near the lungs. Though mesothelioma is a cancer, it should not be confused as a form of lung cancer. Lung cancer is far more common. There are approximately 200,000 diagnosed cases of lung cancer each year.

These diseases, though they attack similar organs and manifest similar symptoms, are actually very different in many aspects, such as their causes, their origin sites, their tumor structures, and their treatment options.

As discussed earlier, mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos fibers. Similarly, exposure to asbestos fibers can also be the cause of lung cancer. The major difference is that lung cancer has a number of other possible causes, where mesothelioma seems to only be caused by asbestos exposure.

Other potential causes of lung cancer include:

• Smoking – Approximately 90% of lung cancer cases are due to tobacco use.
• Radon – Approximately 12% of lung cancer deaths are due to radon gas.
• Pesticides
• Air Pollutants

Other diseases, such as tuberculosis (TB) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), create greater risks for lung cancer by weakening the body’s immune system. Additionally, it is believed that even passive, or second-hand, smoking could lead to the development of lung cancer. Furthermore, a person who has had lung cancer in the past is more likely to develop a second lung cancer than the average person.

The origin site of most forms of lung cancer is the lungs. This is not true with pleural mesothelioma. This disease originates in the pleural cavity; the serous membrane located in the chest surrounding the lungs.

The pleura secrete fluids that enable the lungs to move easily while breathing. This is how the lungs become affected by mesothelioma. The tumors can spread to the lungs and invade its inner tissues, but the origin site remains the pleura.

Other forms of mesothelioma can affect other areas of the body. Peritoneal mesothelioma, the second most common form of the disease, affects the tissue in the peritoneum, the lining in the abdomen. This form of mesothelioma can eventually spread to the lungs, but the origin site will always remain the peritoneum.

The largest differences between mesothelioma and lung cancer are in the development of the tumor structures.

Mesothelioma is a diffuse malignancy.This means that it invades a tissue area in the mesothelium as a large number of interlocked tumors.This makes it difficult to find the boundaries between healthy tissue and malignant tissue.This is the primary reason that mesothelioma is difficult to treat.The tumors may spread to other areas of the body.In the late states of the disease, the cancer engulfs the invaded tissues completely, restricting its ability to move.

Lung cancer tumors develop and work quite differently.This cancer originates in the lungs and is characterized by individualized tumor masses.Even for those who have multiple tumors, the tumors generally have clear boundaries.These tumors can grow at considerably fast rates and should be taken very seriously.Though mesothelioma is usually the more dangerous disease, lung cancer in its late stages can be just as deadly.

In most stages of development, both diseases have very similar symptoms.However, the latency period of mesothelioma can result in it taking several decades before any symptoms appear.Similarly, many cases of lung cancer are discovered with routine scans with the patient being unaware of the disease.Both manifest symptoms such as:

• Coughing
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Weight loss
• Fatigue

Once a patient has been diagnosed with either disease, treatment will begin.

There are very large differences in the two diseases’ treatment processes and the effectiveness of treatment.

Currently, there is no cure for mesothelioma. The goal of mesothelioma treatment is to ease the pain and suffering of the individual and to extend that persons prognosis as long as possible while maintaining a strong quality of life. Treatments often consist of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery.

However, chemotherapy cannot limit the growth of the tumors in mesothelioma the way it can in other forms of cancer. Radiation is often not as effective over the large area that the disease affects.

New, more experimental techniques are currently being developed and show promising results.

Lung cancer is much easier to treat. The individualized nature of lung cancer tumors makes it possible to completely remove all of the visible malignant tissue. Chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery may also be used to treat lung cancer. Lung cancer is still a deadly disease that must be taken very seriously, but the prognosis is often much better than that of mesothelioma. Like mesothelioma, new treatments for lung cancer are also being developed.

Both mesothelioma and lung cancer are very deadly types of cancer. It is in one’s best interest to prevent contracting either disease. Knowing what materials or situations to avoid can be potentially live saving.