Malignant mesothelioma is a form of asbestos cancer that affects the thin tissue layer surrounding the body's internal organs, called the mesothelium. The cancer is almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure.
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| How Many and What Type of Malignant Mesothelioma Deaths Occurred in 1999. |
Medical professionals divide malignant mesothelioma into various types depending on which area of the mesothelium is affected:
- Pleural mesothelioma is the most common form of the cancer, affecting the lining of the lungs, called the pleura.
- Peritoneal mesothelioma is the second most common form of the cancer and develops in the lining of the abdomen, called the peritoneum.
- Pericardial mesothelioma develops in the membrane that surrounds the heart, called the pericardium.
- Testicular mesothelioma is the rarest form of the cancer and develops in the membranous lining surrounding the testicles, called the tunica vaginalis............
