Benign mesothelioma

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Mesothelioma is a relatively rare form of cancer. It has a high mortality rate and only one known and proven cause: prolonged exposure to asbestos, a carcinogen found in many industries in the United States. Some people may have heard the term “benign mesothelioma” used and believed that it meant that there was a form of mesothelioma that may not be deadly. However, this term is often a misnomer, and the facts of the situation are explained below.

What is benign mesothelioma?

Previously, some doctors diagnosed certain tumors as benign mesothelioma, meaning that these tumors were not cancerous. However, more recently they have changed the term for tumors of this nature to “solitary fibrous tumors of the pleura.”

How are they related to tumors that are found in patients with malignant mesothelioma?
Benign tumors and malignant ones are both found in the same regions, the pleura. The pleura is the tissue that surround the lungs, protecting and cushioning them as the lungs expand and contract with each breath.

The major difference between the two types of tumors is that benign ones do not spread quickly, while malignant (or cancer causing) ones do. The reason for this is unknown; medical professionals cannot explain why some tumors result in a cancer that expands to the entire body while others can be easily removed and the patient returns to normal health after healing.

Are benign tumors restricted to the pleura?

No, similar tumors can be found around the abdomen as well. Again, it is not understood why benign tumors do not become cancerous and spread, but the similar nature between malignant and benign indicates that they share some characteristics and perhaps even the same cause, asbestos exposure. In fact, most medical professionals believe that asbestos is the cause of both types of tumors, which is why they were both originally referred to as types of mesothelioma.

What are other important differences?

Benign tumors are formed sooner after asbestos exposure than those that are malignant. They account for less than ten percent of cases initially thought to be mesothelioma. They do not cause death and can be treated.

Mesothelioma Attorneys at Landry & Swarr – Here to Help

If you have benign or malignant mesothelioma, or are not sure which, it is important to seek legal counsel with experience in this area. If you have been exposed to asbestos, you may be entitled to compensation under the law.

Louisiana mesothelioma attorneys Landry & Swarr is your best choice for legal advice regarding asbestos lawsuits. Whether it’s benign or malignant, it is a result of asbestos exposure and you may be entitled to compensation.