What is Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer found in the mesothelium--the tissue that surrounds different organs and makes a special fluid that allows organs to move.

Mesothelioma is most often found in the surface lining of the chest (the pleura), the abdomen (the peritoneum), and less commonly in the heart and testicles.

Most people with malignant mesothelioma have worked around asbestos. Men are three to five times more likely to get the disease than women. And, because the disease is often advanced before symptoms appear, the disease has historically been regarded as incurable and fatal, but more and more research is working toward a cure.

Many people have treated mesothelioma as a passing phenomenon that will disappear along with the use of asbestos. However, even though asbestos use has decreased dramatically in United States since the 1970s, the period for contracting mesothelioma is between 15 and 50 years. Asbestos is also still used in other countries like Asia, Europe, Great Britain, Australia, and South America. 

People who work in mining and manufacturing are also at risk for mesothelioma.

Types of Mesothelioma

There are three main types of mesothelioma. The most common is the epithelial type and most easily treated. The other two less common types are called mixed/biphasic and sarcomatoid. About three-fourths of mesotheliomas begin in the chest cavity and another 10 to 20 percent begin in the abdomen.

Our Services

SCCA provides complete care for people diagnosed with mesothelioma of all stages. Patients who come to SCCA will benefit from leading-edge treatments, improved outcomes of therapy, and strong cancer prevention programs created from decades of research.

For a virtual tour of the SCCA clinic, click here.

For more information about the SCCA's services, please call the Patient Intake Office at (206) 288-SCCA (7222).