Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is caused in almost all known cases by exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma manifests in three major forms: pleural (lungs), peritoneal (abdominal), and pericardial (heart). However, an even rarer form of the cancer exists: testicular mesothelioma.

How does asbestos enter the body?

Asbestos can be accidentally inhaled or ingested by humans, often when an aging piece of asbestos-laden material is damaged, causing tiny asbestos fibers to become airborne.

How does asbestos cause mesothelioma?

In some cases, inhaling or ingesting these fibers leads to mesothelioma. Asbestos fibers can't be expelled by the body, so the fibers irritate the lining of the lungs or stomach, leading to lesions that can become cancerous over time.

How do these fibers reach the testicles?

Scientists are unsure how testicular mesothelioma develops. It is possible that the fibers may work their way slowly through the tissues of the body, from the lungs or stomach, until they reach the testicles. However, this is deemed unlikely by some medical professionals. Another way testicular mesothelioma might develop in the testicles is by metastasizing from other primary tumors elsewhere in the body.

Where does testicular mesothelioma develop?

Testicular mesothelioma does not develop initially in the testicles themselves, but rather in the membrane that surrounds the testicles, which is known as the tunica vaginalis.

How common is this form of mesothelioma?

Less than 100 cases of testicular mesothelioma have ever been reported. To put this number in perspective, all other forms of mesothelioma affect between 2,000 and 3,000 new patients in the U.S. each year.

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Testicular Mesothelioma

Asbestos Cancer

Symptoms, Development, Diagnosis & Treatment Options for Testicular Mesothelioma