In what ways can mesothelioma spread?
Mesothelioma spreads in three different ways. To begin with, it spreads simply by growing larger, into the adjacent tissue. Pleural mesothelioma can spread along the mesothelium, into the lung, into the chest wall, into the diaphragm, all by growing.
Mesothelioma can also spread through the lymphatic system. This system drains lymph fluid from around the body, and leads to lymph nodes. Once mesothelioma has entered a lymph node away from the place it started growing, doctors know that it has spread via the lymphatic system. Once the mesothelioma has spread some distance from its original site, it is said to have metastasized. Metastasis can spread via the lymphatic system or the blood system.
The last way mesothelioma spreads is throw the blood. Once mesothelioma cells get into the blood they can travel to any part of the body. Mesothelioma does not travel as far away as many other cancers. Most of the spread is to nearby organs, such as the opposite lung, the liver, the kidneys, or the adrenal glands.