Pericardial mesothelioma is by far the rarest form of this asbestos-related cancer and the hardest to treat. This form of cancer affects the lining that around the heart..

The symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma, can take years or decades to appear. If a person worked with asbestos twenty years ago and shows no symptoms, that doesn't mean they are safe.  Symptoms take around twenty years or more to appear.

Often the cancer is  too far advanced to treat effectively omce it  is diagnosed. It is recommended that if you have worked with asbestos to inform your doctor. Nothing can be done to speed up the symptoms so that the disease can be diagnosed, but any further delay in diagnosis can be reduced  by making your doctor aware of all the facts..

There are several  symptoms to watch out for with pericardial mesotheliomalioma. These include: persistent and ongoing coughing; some shortness of breath; possible chest pain; heart palpitations.

After your doctor has made a diagnosis, it is imperative to assess the level with which the disease has spread.  The level of severity is usually determined by imaging. A CT Scan or MRI Scan can normally determine what stage the disease progressed. Factors for success of the treatment include the patient’s age, their medical condition, and any past medical problems they have had.

Pericardial mesothelioma can be treated with surgery. However, the nature of this cancer means that it is very advanced by the time that it is diagnosed and this often means that surgery for this particular type of mesothelioma has to be ruled out. Even if surgery is dohe, it is unlikely that the tumour or cells can all be removed or treated successfully.

The two most common forms of treatment for pericardial mesothelioma are radiation therapy or chemotherapy. With radiation therapy the most commonly used of the two procedures for this type of mesothelioma, and the one that has proven most successful with pericardial mesotheliomalioma patients to date. However, both types of treatment must be carefully monitored due to the risk they pose to healthy cells as well as affected ones.

Another low risk procedure often used simply to relieve symptoms is using a‘fine needle aspiration.’ This is where a needle is inserted into the chest cavity to drain off excess fluid caused by the cancer. This can often relieve some of the symptoms of the disease.