Although they are both forms of cancer, mesothelioma and lung cancer are very different. Both can be deadly and there are some similarities, especially when it comes to symptoms which include:

• Chest pain
• Coughing
• Difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Weight loss

Smoking can also make it difficult to differentiate between mesothelioma and lung cancer. However, these six factors can help determine whether someone has lung cancer or mesothelioma.

Cause

According to the American Cancer Society, the leading cause of lung cancer is smoking, with as many as 80 percent of lung cancer deaths contributed to smoking. On a smaller scale, lung cancer may be caused by exposure to secondhand smoke, air pollution, exhaust, chemicals, or radon. Furthermore, CT scan screening has been instrumental in aiding physicians in the diagnosis of lung cancers.

Mesotheloma’s primary cause is exposure to asbestos, with 80 percent of those who develop the cancer having exposure to asbestos. There have been instances where radiation treatment for other cancers have caused mesothelioma, but this is a rare occurrence.

Latency Period

The latency period, which is the span of time between exposure and diagnosis of the disease, for mesothelioma is as low as 10 years. It also may be as long as 50. The average is 35 to 40 years between exposure and diagnosis.

It is difficult to determine the latency period for lung cancer as it can have many causes. If lung cancer is caused by pollution, the latency period can be as much as 54 years while it can be 25 years for smoking. However, exposure to chemicals can have a much shorter latency period for lung cancer. For secondhand smoke, the latency period is between 25 and 55 years.

Survival Rates

The five-year survival rate for localized mesothelioma, which is cancer that has not spread beyond the pleura, is 20 percent. Regional mesothelioma which has spread to nearby lymph nodes or structures is 12 percent, and cancer that has spread to distant organs has a survival rate of eight percent.

The average survival rate for mesothelioma is 10 percent. Lung cancer that is localized has a 61 percent survival rate. If the cancer has spread to lymph nodes or localized structures, the survival rate is 35 percent. If the cancer has spread to distant organs, the survival rate is six percent.

The average survival for all lung cancers is 34 percent. Based on these statistics, mesothelioma is more lethal than lung cancer.

Malignancy

Although both mesothelioma and lung cancer can spread to other organs, which is known as mestatizing, lung cancer spreads sooner to other organs than mesothelioma. Lung cancer grows in individual masses with defined boundaries.

Mesothelioma begins as tiny tumors that scatter around the mesothelial lining, growing into a sheath-like tumor. This means that mesothelioma is a more locally aggressive form of cancer as it remains in one body cavity.

Treatment

In both lung cancer and mesothelioma, treatment depends on how far cancer has advanced. However, there are usually differences in how it is treated. Both are treated with chemotherapy and radiation.

If you are diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma, the lining and affected portion of the lung may be removed surgically while lung cancer surgery may require the removal of a small portion, lobe, or entire lung.

Where It Develops

Lung cancer develops in the lungs. Even if it spreads to other organs, the cells are still lung cells. Mesothelioma can develop in the lungs, abdomen, or heart.

A history of exposure and medical records can determine one can sue for mesothelioma. If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or a loved one has died of cancer, you may be eligible for compensation.