Biphasic Mesothelioma

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What Is Biphasic Mesothelioma?

Biphasic mesothelioma is the second-most common mesothelioma cell type. This cancer develops in the lining of major organs such as the lungs, heart, or abdomen decades after asbestos exposure.

The term “biphasic” means that tumors have two types of cancer cells inside them, those being sarcomatoid mesothelioma and epithelioid mesothelioma cells.

Quick Facts About Biphasic Malignant Mesothelioma

• It is also known as mixed mesothelioma, according to Cureus.
• Most cases develop in the pleura (lung lining), but it also sometimes forms in the peritoneum (abdominal lining) or the pericardium (heart lining).
• There must be at least 10% of both epithelial cells (which are round or square) and sarcomatoid cells (which are spindle-like) for a patient to have biphasic mesothelioma, per Translational Lung Cancer Research.
• This mesothelioma cell type accounts for about 20% of all diagnoses, as noted by Respiratory Research.
• Veterans with biphasic mesothelioma are considered 100% disabled by the VA, so they can get $4,158.17 in monthly compensation and free or inexpensive military health care.

At the Mesothelioma Veterans Center, our team of registered nurses, VA-accredited attorneys, and fellow veterans can help veterans like you who have biphasic mesothelioma. From accessing VA benefits to understanding treatments, we can do it all.

Get a Free Veterans Packet for everything you need to know about biphasic mesothelioma.

What Causes Biphasic Mesothelioma?

There is only one known cause of biphasic mesothelioma, which is exposure to asbestos fibers.

Many U.S. veterans risked exposure to asbestos on an everyday basis during their military service. Bases, ships, planes, and vehicles all used asbestos-containing products like wiring and insulation prior to the early 1980s.

Working with these materials could release asbestos fibers into the air, and if service members breathed them in, they could develop mesothelioma later in life.

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  “Asbestos exposure can lead to asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma 10-50 years later. A 20-year-old guy who gets out of the Navy might not think about it until he's 50, 70, 80 years old, but you have to keep an eye out for it for your whole life.”

  – Major Jonathan Nelson (Ret), VA-accredited attorney & Marine Corps veteran

The risks of military exposure were hidden by the manufacturers of asbestos-containing products, so service members didn’t know they were in danger.

Symptoms of Biphasic Mesothelioma

Signs and symptoms of biphasic mesothelioma often start off mild or vague, but worsen as the cancer spreads through the body.

Here are common signs of mesothelioma biphasic type:

• Ascites (fluid in the abdominal cavity)
• Chest or abdominal pain
• A dry, bloody cough that won’t go away
• Difficulty swallowing or breathing
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Pleural effusion (fluid in the lung lining)
• Shortness of breath
• Swelling or bloating of the abdomen
• Unexplained weight loss

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  “I was having this discomfort in my chest and my side and my back, and it was affecting my breathing. All of a sudden, I was having a hard time moving quickly and walking fast.”

  – Jimmy Johnson, biphasic mesothelioma patient

The symptoms don’t vary significantly by cell type, but rather by where tumors form. For example, biphasic pleural mesothelioma affects the lung lining and causes symptoms like a cough and chest pain.

If you have any of these symptoms and a history of working with or around asbestos-containing products, see a doctor promptly and discuss the possibility of mesothelioma.

Diagnosis of Biphasic Mesothelioma

Doctors use multiple tests to help diagnose biphasic mesothelioma and rule out more common health issues. The first step is a basic examination of symptoms as well as any potential exposure to asbestos that occurred earlier in life, such as during military service.

Imaging scans may then be recommended to look inside the body for cancer tumors.

Imaging tests used for a mesothelioma diagnosis include:

• CT scans
• MRIs
• PET scans
• X-rays

Doctors will take a biopsy if imaging scans reveal potential tumors. A biopsy is the only definitive way to diagnose mesothelioma and involves removing a fluid or tissue sample. The sample will be sent to a lab, where a pathologist will look at it under a microscope to see which type of cells are present.

Pathologists may also use immunohistochemistry to “stain” and distinguish epithelioid and sarcomatoid cells on biopsy samples, as noted by Diagnostics. This can be helpful to know for sure that you have biphasic mesothelioma and not another cell type. From there, doctors can recommend a treatment plan based on your diagnosis.

Veterans Resources for Biphasic Mesothelioma

After a biphasic mesothelioma diagnosis, veterans and their families may feel overwhelmed. The Mesothelioma Veterans Center offers expert support to veterans during this time, connecting them with resources to make their cancer journey easier.

We can help families access resources like:

• VA benefits: The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) awards many benefits to veterans with service-connected biphasic mesothelioma, like disability payouts worth $4,158.17 monthly, pension plans, and more. Veterans with mesothelioma get the highest payouts since the cancer is considered a total disability. Major Nelson can help you file for mesothelioma VA benefits for free now.
• VA health care & top doctors: Veterans can get treatment from biphasic mesothelioma specialists through the VA’s health care network. Many cancer care services provided by the VA are available for free or at a reduced cost. Our nurses can help you find the best VA doctors and treatments for your situation.
• Compensation: Veterans and civilians with biphasic mesothelioma often qualify for compensation worth $1 million or more in many cases through the legal system. Our experienced attorneys can file compensation claims on your behalf without impacting VA benefits.

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  “As a VA-accredited attorney, I can help veterans like you understand which benefits you're entitled to and assist you in accessing them.”

  – Major Jonathan Nelson (Ret), VA-accredited attorney & Marine Corps veteran

Need help exploring resources after a biphasic mesothelioma diagnosis? Ask Major Nelson your mesothelioma questions now.

Treatment of Biphasic Mesothelioma

Doctors can recommend many different types of mesothelioma treatments to help destroy mesothelioma biphasic tumors and improve patient survival times.

Common treatments for biphasic mesothelioma include:

• Surgery: Specialists can use different surgeries to remove biphasic tumors. Surgeries are typically recommended for early-stage cancer patients who have resectable disease, meaning all visible tumors can be taken out. It’s not used for every patient, though.
• Chemotherapy: These cancer-killing medications circulate through the body to destroy biphasic mesothelioma cells.
• Radiation therapy: Doctors use beams of energy to break up biphasic mesothelioma tumors. It’s commonly used in tandem with surgery or chemotherapy.
• Immunotherapy: These medications help to improve the body’s immune response to biphasic mesothelioma.

Doctors often recommend a multimodal treatment approach for biphasic mesothelioma. This means that several of the treatment options shown above are used together to kill as much of the cancer as possible.

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  “For biphasic type, which is kind of in the middle of epithelioid and sarcomatoid, those tend to be a little bit more aggressive, so we typically treat with systemic therapy first, and depending on response, that's when we can offer a surgery.”

  — Dr. Logan Roof, mesothelioma specialist

Other factors, including cancer stage and location of tumors, also play important roles in determining biphasic mesothelioma treatment plans. For example, late-stage mesothelioma may only be treated with systemic options like chemotherapy since surgery may not be effective. Surgery options also vary by cancer location.

At the Mesothelioma Veterans Center, our nurses can determine which treatment plans might work best if you or a loved one is facing biphasic mesothelioma. Call (877) 450-8973 now to get the help you need.

Prognosis of Biphasic Mesothelioma

After a diagnosis, doctors will provide a mesothelioma prognosis or projected health outlook for your case. Generally speaking, biphasic mesothelioma has a less favorable prognosis than epithelioid mesothelioma, but a better one than sarcomatoid.

The more epithelial cells a biphasic tumor contains, the easier it will be to treat, meaning patients could live longer.

Learn about life expectancy and survival rates for biphasic mesothelioma, which doctors use to measure prognosis, below.

Malignant Biphasic Mesothelioma Survival Rate

Survival rates are the percentages of patients still living after a set period of time. Biphasic mesothelioma has a relatively poor long-term survival rate.

Here are the mesothelioma biphasic survival rates:

• 2-year survival rate: 22%
• 5-year survival rate: 5%

Source: National Cancer Database

Even though long-term biphasic mesothelioma survival rates are low, some patients can outlive them if their cancer responds well to treatment.

Life Expectancy of Biphasic Mesothelioma

Doctors use life expectancy to measure the average lifespan of a patient following their diagnosis. The typical life expectancy for biphasic mesothelioma is 10 months, according to F1000 Research.

Still, many biphasic patients have had longer life expectancies by getting medical treatment. For example, Jimmy Johnson lived for 4 years following his 2021 diagnosis with biphasic mesothelioma.

Get our Free Veterans Packet for tips on improving your mesothelioma prognosis and finding treatments that could help you live longer.

Help for Veterans With Malignant Biphasic Mesothelioma

If you or a U.S. veteran you love is facing biphasic mesothelioma, it's important to know that assistance is available.

The Mesothelioma Veterans Center has helped over 3,600 veterans and families impacted by all types of this cancer to date.

Our experienced team can assist you with:

• Accessing top treatments for biphasic mesothelioma
• Filing or increasing your VA benefits after a diagnosis
• Recovering financial compensation to cover expenses

We have experienced nurses, VA-accredited attorneys, and fellow U.S. veterans ready to get you the support you deserve to face biphasic mesothelioma.

Get a Free Veterans Packet now or call (877) 450-8973 to find out more about how we can help you or a loved one.