Mesothelioma occurs when asbestos fibers get stuck in the mesothelium, a general name for the protective lining of a person’s lungs, abdomen, or heart. And therefore, there are different routes of Malignant Mesothelioma spreads: Pleural, Peritoneal and Pericardial. Limiting examination to lungs only is not enough to prove Malignant Mesothelioma.
The entire body needs to be examined and biopsied. The stages of mesothelioma range from I through IV. As a rule, the lower the number, the less cancer has spread. A higher number, such as stage IV, means cancer has spread more, which means more pain and suffering.
During an autopsy, we will examine and biopsy lungs, pleura, pericardium, diaphragm as well as check for extrapleural dissemination, such as abdominal organs: liver, spleen, mesentery and peritoneum.