Benign Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is an asbestos related cancer and can take many years (20 - 50) to develop, but a rare asbestos related disease called Benign Mesothelioma (non-malignant) can be detected much earlier than its cancerous counterparts.
Unlike malignant mesothelioma (pleural, peritoneal, pericardial, and testicular mesothelioma) which has a very high mortality rate, Benign Mesothelioma in most cases can be quickly and effectively treated allowing for a full recovery in most patients.
Comparing Benign Mesothelioma and Malignant Mesothelioma-
When speaking of tumors, it should be mentioned that not all tumors are cancerous. There are benign tumors and malignant tumors, it is the malignant tumors that are cancerous.
Tumors form when otherwise healthy cells begin to abnormally and rapidly divide. This rapid division of cells creates a mass or lump of cells that have compacted on top of and around each other. Again, the term malignant tumor only refers to cancerous.
Malignant tumor cells are very different than benign cells in two specific ways.
- Malignant tumors have the ability to pass or invade nearby tissue and organs causing additional damage. Benign tumors can not transfer over to other parts of the body.
- Malignant tumor cells can become mobile and travel through the blood or lymphatic system and cause the growth of new tumors in other parts of the body. Benign tumors cells can not travel through the system in this way.
Because Benign Mesothelioma can not spread to other parts of the body it is considerably less dangerous than malignant mesothelioma but this is not to say that Benign Mesothelioma has no risk. Benign Mesothelioma tumors can grow to dangerous sizes causing a plethora of problems including the damage or destruction of vital organs, dangerous seizures, and even comas.
Benign Mesothelioma Symptoms-
The symptoms of Benign Mesothelioma are not much different to those of its cancerous counterpart malignant mesothelioma. The symptoms are caused by the inflamation and growth of the tumors themselves. Generally malignant mesothelioma symptoms are accompanied by weight loss, fever, night sweats, and other symptoms relating to malignant mesothelioma.
Benign Mesothelioma Diagnosis-
Diagnosing Benign Mesothelioma is done much in the same way as diagnosing all other forms of mesothelioma. A patients medical and work history will be reviewed along with a complete physical examination. If further testing is suggested the tests can include imaging tests such as x-rays, CT scans, and MRI scans. The Doctor may also decide to do a bipsy and collect tissue and/or fluid samples from the tumor.
Benign Mesothelioma Treatment-
Treating Benign Mesothelioma is normally fairly straight forward and can be taken care of by a surgical procedure to remove the tumor. Because Benign Mesothelioma is not cancerous and does not spread to other parts of the body, a single procedure is normally all it takes.
Depending on the tumor location and size will determine the extent of the procedure. In some cases of large tumor growths it is necessary to remove part or complete organ tissue to fully remove the tumor growth. Although it is rare to have the need to remove entire organs for Benign Mesothelioma surgery, sometimes it is an unfortunate necessity.
Even though Benign Mesothelioma alone is virtually harmless it is still possible to have post surgery complications and diseases in reaction to the trauma of the tumor and/or surgery needed to remove the tumor. The most common side effect of this type of surgery is called pleural effusion which is fluid buildup in the pleural layers which puts pressure on the internal organs. This is normally remedied by inserting a chest drain for a few days after surgery to relieve the pressure and prevent the pleural effusion.
Following a successful surgery, studies show that 90 percent of patients that developed Benign Mesothelioma never again have a repeat occurrence of tumor growth.