Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer that is most often caused by exposure to asbestos. These victims typically inhale or ingest microscopic asbestos fibers that tend to lead to cancer in the lungs (pleural mesothelioma) or abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma). Far less common is mesothelioma originating in the heart cavity (pericardial mesothelioma), but the rarest form of mesothelioma, by far, is testicular mesothelioma.
As the name implies, testicular mesothelioma is a cancer of the membrane lining within the testes. This disease is so rare that fewer than 100 cases have been diagnosed worldwide. Due to this rarity, very little is understood about the development of this disease, which also serves to ensure that no standard treatments for the disease exist.
Unusual Aspects of Testicular Mesothelioma
As stated, most mesothelioma victims can trace their disease to inhaling or otherwise ingesting tiny asbestos fibers or dust that contains asbestos. Uniquely, asbestos exposure is not necessarily a definitive cause of testicular mesothelioma. Although some testicular mesothelioma patients have been exposed to asbestos, these patients make up just 35 percent of all testicular mesothelioma victims. Therefore, the majority of patients suffering from testicular mesothelioma do not have a known history of asbestos exposure.
This fact alone makes testicular mesothelioma a difficult disease to understand, but it is known that asbestos is capable of traveling through the body. It is possible, then, that some testicular mesothelioma cases result from asbestos that has moved to the testes from other parts of the body.
Another unique aspect of testicular mesothelioma is that survival rates are surprisingly high, at least when compared to other forms of mesothelioma. Ordinarily, an extremely rare form of cancer with no standard form of treatment leads to lower survival rates than better-understood cancers. This is not the case here, as most studies show that median survival rates for testicular mesothelioma exceed survival rates of men with more common mesothelioma diagnoses.
Testicular Mesothelioma Symptoms and Treatment
Given the relative rarity of the disease, it may come as little surprise that there is not a hard and fast set of defined symptoms for the disease. However, the most common symptom currently observed among patients is a fluid buildup in the scrotum (hydrocele), and men may also observe scrotum pain or testes swelling.
A 2015 study discerned that the most effective surgical procedure for testicular mesothelioma is the removal of the affected testicle and spermatic chord. Surgery is then often followed up by chemotherapy and radiation, but these follow-up and common procedures may be unnecessary if testicular mesothelioma is discovered in its earlier stages.
Since more than a third of testicular mesothelioma patients have been exposed to reason, it stands to reason that you may be entitled to legal compensation if a legally responsible party exposed you to asbestos and caused the disease. The Ledger Law Firm is a nationally recognized mesothelioma law firm that helps deserving mesothelioma victims receive the compensation they are owed by law.
Contact us online to discuss the facts of your case and to have your legal questions and concerns answered by a dedicated, compassionate mesothelioma attorney at Ledger Law.
