Mesothelioma is a cancer within the mesothelium lining of various organs of the body.
Certain organs such as the heart, the lungs, and the abdomen are surrounded by a thin tissue membrane. The pericardium is the membrane that surrounds the heart, the pleura surrounds the lungs, and the peritoneum surrounds the abdomen. These membranous layers are comprised of cells called mesothelium.
Cells within the body constantly divide and grow. An irregular or abnormal growth or division of the cells creates a marked mass (tumor). A tumor that develops in the mesothelium is called mesothelioma, or cancer of the mesothelium.
The most common type of mesothelioma is Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM). The rarest form of mesothelioma is pericardial mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is also referred celothelioma and/or asbestos cancer. (It is important to note that Asbestosis is not the same as Mesothelioma. Asbestosis is a non-malignant, chronic lung disease.)
Word Roots:
meso = middle or median
thelium = layer of cellular tissue