Pericardial Mesothelioma Symptoms

Pericardial mesothelioma is an extremely rare malignant mesothelioma that affects the lining that protects the heart. Like other types of malignant mesothelioma, , e.g., peritoneal mesothelioma, pleural mesothelioma, and testicular mesothelioma,  pericardial mesothelioma is caused by exposure to toxic asbestos fibers, although how the fibers end up in the heart lining, or pericardial sac, is unknown. The prevailing theory is that the asbestos fibers are inhaled and travel through the bloodstream until they reach the heart, where they lodge in the spaces in the pericardial covering. So few cases are documented that the correlation between asbestos exposure and pericardial mesothelioma has not been verified with certainty, but a significant number of patients have confirmed exposure to asbestos, and all other types of malignant mesothelioma have been unquestionably linked to asbestos.


Several decades may pass before malignant mesothelioma tumors begin to develop and symptoms appear. Pericardial mesothelioma symptoms do not manifest until the end stages of the disease, and early detection is very unlikely. Generally, the only opportunity for early detection is another problem that requires careful examination of the heart. Even then, pericardial mesothelioma is unexpected, easy to miss, and difficult to identify.


When a patient is diagnosed with pericardial mesothelioma, the prognosis is almost always grim. The proximity to the heart, coupled with the average age of malignant mesothelioma patients – over 55 – and the advanced stage of the cancer, severely limits treatments and rules out most opportunities for surgery. By the time symptoms are evident, the average patient has six months or less to live.


Pericardial Mesothelioma Symptoms
Pericardial mesothelioma is the least common type of malignant mesothelioma, totaling about 5% of malignant mesothelioma cases. The following symptoms are common:

• Heart palpitations or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
• Chest pain
• Heart murmurs
• Dry cough
• Difficulty drawing a breath, even at rest
• Orthopnea (struggling to breathe when lying down)
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Night sweats

How Pericardial Mesothelioma Symptoms Develop:


Pericardial mesothelioma attacks the protective sac that covers the heart, called the pericardium. The membrane that makes up the pericardium is made up of an inner and outer layer of mesothelial cells. These specialized cells secrete a fluid that acts as a lubricant to prevent friction as the organs move within the body.


The outer layer of the pericardium is the parietal layer, also known as the parietal sac. The inner layer is the visceral layer, also known as the epicardium. The outer parietal layer is part of the membrane that protects the entire chest cavity. The visceral layer surrounds only the heart.


When asbestos fibers lodge in the pericardial tissues, the cells eventually become inflamed. This causes the cells to swell and produce extra fluid. At the same time, malignant mesothelioma tumors begin to grow. Pericardial mesothelioma tumors are diffuse and tend to spread until they cover the entire heart. The excess fluid is trapped and puts pressure on the heart, which results in the symptoms.