Differences Between Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer
Thursday, June 30, 2016
While mesothelioma and lung cancer can develop after exposure to asbestos, each occurs in different areas of the body. Lung cancer develops in the lung itself, while mesothelioma usually develops in the lining of the lung. Mesothelioma can also develop in the lining of the abdomen, heart or testicles.
The two cancers grow differently. Lung cancer tends to grow in individual masses with defined boundaries. Mesothelioma starts as tiny tumor nodules that scatter the mesothelial lining and eventually grow together to form a sheath-like tumor around the organ.
Mesothelioma is almost exclusively the result of asbestos exposure, while the majority of lung cancer cases are attributed to causes like tobacco use and environmental exposures to radon gas and second-hand smoke.
And while smoking does not influence the risk of mesothelioma, it greatly increases an individual's risk of developing lung cancer. Those with the highest risk of lung cancer are smokers with a history of asbestos exposure.
By themselves, each risk factor damages lung tissue and makes it more susceptible to diseases. So when smoking and asbestos are combined, an individual's lung cancer risk increases at least fifty fold.