Understanding Mesothelioma of the Tunica Vaginalis – the Rarest Form of Mesothelioma
When people hear of mesothelioma, they typically think of the asbestos-caused disease that affects the lining of the lungs, known as pleural mesothelioma. Although the vast majority of all cases of mesothelioma, 85-90 percent, are either pleural or peritoneal, affecting the lining of the stomach, there are other forms of the disease that are extremely rare. The rarest form is found in the tissues surrounding the testes, known as mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis.
In fact, according to MDConsult.com only 0.09% of the 11,629 mesothelioma-related deaths in England between 1968 and 1991 were caused by mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis. Most information found in medical journals about the disease is written as case studies since there is little to no reference material related to diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
Although little is known about the most effective treatment for the rare disease, surgery has been the preferred treatment modality. Chemotherapy and radiation have been used as well. Individual prognosis reports vary with some tumors presenting with aggressive behavior, while other patients experienced long-term remission. Median survival is close to two years, with men under 60-years-old having better survival rates.
All types of mesothelioma are primarily caused by asbestos exposure and inhaling the fibers into the lungs. The cells that line the tunica vaginalis are similar to those that line the pleura, peritoneum, and pericardium and are susceptible to developing mesothelioma.
Individuals primarily sickened with asbestos-related diseases were exposed to asbestos in the workplace or through unsafe demolition or renovation practices of pre-1970 structures where asbestos was used in many of the construction materials. Most at-risk for the disease were trade workers such as insulators, plumbers and pipefitters, electricians, sheet metal workers, auto mechanics, refinery and factory workers and shipyard workers. The disease has an extended latency period and strikes 30 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos.
Another occurrence of mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis has recently been in the spotlight due to a successful lawsuit settlement on behalf of a carpenter. The New York mesothelioma law firm of Belluck & Fox, LLP, secured a $19.5 million verdict this month for a carpenter who developed the disease due to asbestos exposure at two New York City construction sites in the 1970s. The man swept up dust after drywall subcontractors sanded joint compound that contained asbestos.
