Once you receive a mesothelioma diagnosis, the medical experts you select to treat you will provide you with a mesothelioma treatment guide. The guide will explain the disease to you. It will inform you that mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer linked to asbestos exposure normally in a past work environment. Pleural mesothelioma is most diagnosed and presents with symptoms originating in the chest area. Peritoneal mesothelioma is far less common and this can affect the abdomen and the organs contained within it. Symptoms present themselves in this area of the body via bowel obstructions, nausea, vomiting or swelling. The rarest form of mesothelioma is pericardial and this cancer affects the sac surrounding the heart.

Your mesothelioma treatment guide should also explain that there are two major cell types involving mesothelioma: sarcomatoid and epithelial. With this disease, there are cases where both cell types are present in a patient. Sarcomatoid is more rare and occurs in about 15% of mesothelioma cases and because of this, it receives a poor mesothelioma prognosis.