What is Biphasic Mesothelioma?
Biphasic mesothelioma is a common form of mesothelioma accounting for approximately 20 to 40 percent of all known cases. As the name suggests, biphasic mesothelioma is a combination of two mesothelioma cell formations.
Dissimilar to epithelioid mesothelioma (the more common form of the condition), biphasic mesothelioma does not possess a specific structure. Biphasic mesothelioma is a combination of sarcomatoid and epithelioid cells. While epithelioid conditions have a clearly visible nucleus and is identifiable because of its highly uniform, organized arrangement, sarcomatoid cells are oblong shaped and possess no identifiable nucleus. Although both mesothelioma conditions may be present in a biphasic tumor, they will have a tendency to form in separated groups—they are rarely found the same area of the tumor.
Biphasic Mesothelioma: Diagnosis and Treatment
Mesothelioma cancers are exceptionally hard to diagnose; diagnosis is typically not affirmed until the condition evolves into its 3rd or 4th stages. To accurately diagnose mesothelioma cancers, it is necessary to confirm a history of asbestos exposure—mesothelioma symptoms are uniform to a broad range of respiratory conditions.
To detect the presence of biphasic mesothelioma, a medical professional will typically take an x-ray if the patient—who has a history of asbestos exposure– complains of shortness of breath or chest pains. If abnormal areas are observed, a tissue sample (biopsy) will be taken to confirm the mesothelioma diagnosis.
In most cases, treatment for biphasic mesothelioma is only limited to palliative cases. This is because a biphasic mesothelioma diagnosis is typically affirmed far too late to perform mesothelioma surgery. In generic cases, mesothelioma may be treated with a multi-model approach, which will involve a combination of chemotherapy and radiation. Surgery may also be performed to relive the patients of some of the intrusive symptom’s associated with mesothelioma.
Treatment options for biphasic mesothelioma and other mesothelioma cancers will not achieve a full recovery. Patients in the latter stages of the condition are treated to prolong life and mitigate the symptoms associated with the deadly conditions.
