Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma
Sarcomatoid mesothelioma is the most serious of the three subtypes of mesothelioma because it does not respond nearly as well to treatment as do the other two histological types, epithelioid and biphasic. Because of this, some specialists go so far as to describe sarcomatoid mesothelioma as a different clinical entity of the cancer altogether, rather than describe it as only a subtype of traditional mesothelioma. It is also the rarest form of the disease, affecting only 10 percent to 20 percent of mesothelioma patients. Sarcomatoid mesothelioma typically affects cells found among connective or supportive tissues.
Desmoplastic mesothelioma is a rare form of sarcomatoid mesothelioma. In the desmoplastic form of the cancer, tumors are typically comprised of at least 50 percent acellular connective tissue – tissue that is not made up of individual cells. This deadly subtype tends to metastasize quickly, particularly near the bone. Studies have shown that patients suffering from sarcomatoid or desmoplastic mesothelioma often have an average survival time of only six months from diagnosis.
If a patient has received a diagnosis of sarcomatoid or desmoplastic mesothelioma, the patient should consult with his or her physician and oncologist to be certain of the diagnosis and to discuss what treatment options are available.
Related Information: Histological Subtypes of Mesothelioma
- Epithelioid Mesothelioma
- Biphasic Mesothelioma
Related Information: Forms of Mesothelioma
- About Mesothelioma
- Pleural Mesothelioma
- Peritoneal Mesothelioma
- Pericardial Mesothelioma
- Mesothelioma of the Tunica Vaginalis
