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Papillary Mesothelioma

Papillary mesothelioma is a very rare form of mesothelioma that is most commonly found in the peritoneum of women during their childbearing years. Unlike malignant mesothelioma, papillary mesothelioma is relatively benign and responds well to treatment. This type of mesothelioma receives its name because the tumors form well-differentiated bump-shaped bodies that spread slowly, rather than the wide-ranging and rapidly spreading tumors found in malignant mesothelioma.

Clinical Course and Treatment

Papillary mesothelioma is too rare to be well-studied, but the cases recorded have generally taken a very slow course with the tumors only reaching the mesothelium. Some cases of papillary mesothelioma have been found in the male testes, in the pericardium (lining of the heart), in the pleura (lung cavity), and in the ovaries.

No specific treatment protocols have been developed for papillary mesothelioma and treatment usually follows the standard for other types of mesothelioma. This includes surgical methods and chemotherapy options in most cases. Papillary mesothelioma responds relatively well to these treatments and patients often receive an optimistic prognosis for long-term survival. Papillary mesothelioma is thought to have a high rate of recurrence after successful treatment and there have been cases where papillary mesotheliomas have progressed aggressively.

Sources

1. Butnor, K., Sporn, T., Hammar, S. et al. Well-Differentiated Papillary Mesothelioma. (2001). The American Journal of Surgical Pathology: 1304-1309.
2. Hoekstra, A., Riben, M., Frumovitz, M. et al. Well-Differentiated Papillary Mesothelioma of the Peritoneum: a athological analysis and review of the literature. (2005). Gynecologic Oncology; 98(1): 161-167.
3. Lovell, F., Cranston, P. Well-Differentiated Papillary Mesotheloma of the Peritoneum. (1990). American Journal of Radiology; 155: 1245-1246. www.ajronline.org/cgi/reprint/155/6/1245.pdf.