Mesothelioma cancer

Types and grades of mesothelioma

There are 2 main types of mesothelioma. The grade gives your doctor an idea of how the cancer might behave. Knowing this helps your doctor to decide which treatment you need.

Where you can get mesothelioma

The type of mesothelioma describes what type of cell the cancer started in, and where it is in your body.

There are 2 main types of mesothelioma. These are mesothelioma in the:

covering of the lung (pleural mesothelioma)
lining of the tummy (peritoneal mesothelioma)

Pleural mesothelioma starts in the sheets of tissue that cover the lungs. These are called the pleura. Peritoneal mesothelioma grows in the tissue lining the inside of the tummy (abdomen). This is called the peritoneum.

Pleural mesothelioma is much more common than peritoneal mesothelioma.

Rarely, you can also get mesothelioma in other places such as the lining of the heart (pericardium).

Mesothelioma by cell type

Mesothelioma is also grouped according to how the cells look under a microscope. These are 3 main types:

epithelioid – the most common type
biphasic
sarcomatoid

Grades

The grade of a cancer tells you how much the cancer cells look like normal cells. The grade gives your doctor an idea of how the cancer might behave and what treatment you need.

There are 2 grades for the most common type of mesothelioma (epithelioid):

low grade
high grade

Find out about the stages of mesothelioma

Last reviewed: 17 May 2023

Next review due: 17 May 2026

Getting diagnosed with mesothelioma

You usually start by seeing your GP who might refer you to a specialist. Or you might go to Accident and Emergency (A&E) if you suddenly have severe symptoms.

Stages of mesothelioma

The staging system most commonly used in the UK for pleural mesothelioma is called the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (IMIG) system.

Mesothelioma main page

Mesothelioma is a cancer that most commonly starts in the sheets of skin-like tissue that cover each lung (the pleura). More rarely it starts in the sheet of tissue in the abdomen that covers the digestive system organs (the peritoneum).

Symptoms

Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma can include chest pain, shortness of breath, extreme tiredness and losing weight when not dieting. There aren't many symptoms in the early stages of mesothelioma.

Living with mesothelioma

Practical and emotional support are available to help you cope with a diagnosis of mesothelioma, both during and after treatment.

What is mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a cancer that most commonly starts in the layers of tissue that cover each lung (the pleura). Read more about how common it is, what it is and who gets it.