Pericardial mesothelioma or mesothelioma of the pericardium is the rarest of all types of mesothelioma. It comprises 5% of all reported and documented cases of mesothelioma. Aside from being the rarest, it is also the most painful type since it pierces the heart until the patient dies.
The heart, an organ responsible for blood circulation, needs to move constantly and properly. And since it constantly pumps blood, constant lubrication is required. The lubrication comes from the thin layer of mucous that surrounds it.
The protective sac that provides lubrication and protection to the heart is called "pericardium". Although there is no definite explanation why asbestos fumes reach the outer lining of the heart, it is believed that they enter the body through breathing and traveled through bloodstream. In fact, one of the reasons why pericardial mesothelioma is the rarest type of mesothelioma is because patients who are exposed to asbestos can easily have pleural mesothelioma. Asbestos fumes, if there are lots of them, will damage the pleura before they can damage the pericardium. In layman's term, asbestos fumes that reach the heart are just the excess fumes from the lungs.
Just like any other types of mesothelioma, asbestos fibers will shred the protective lining that protects the certain vital organ, in this case, the pericardium. Irritation over a long period of time will help the growth of cancerous cells and kill the healthy ones. Tumors will then start to show up and grow larger in size. Unfortunately, symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma start to show when cancer is in its most advanced stage living the patients and doctors helpless.
Common symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma include;
