How Do You Pronounce Mesothelioma?

Many serious medical conditions have difficult names to pronounce. While you don’t have to be a doctor to break down the word “mesothelioma,” it’s easy to see how the name can be confusing and hard to say.

Before we talk about saying the word out loud, let’s take a look at its origin.

Where the word ‘Mesothelioma comes from.

The term “mesothelioma” is a combination of “mesothelium” and “-oma.”

Taking a closer look, the “mesothelium” is the layer of cells that lines body cavities including the pleura, the peritoneum, the mediastinum and the pericardium. In simpler terms, it’s a protective layer that covers internal organs. The pleura is the lining of the lungs, and this layer is the most common area where mesothelioma occurs.

The “-oma” suffix is used to form the names of tumors. Another example is lymphoma, which is a cancer of the lymph tissue.

Now that we understand where the name of the disease comes from, let’s discuss how to pronounce it.

Mesothelioma Pronunciations

Online dictionaries and medical information websites list several different pronunciations of mesothelioma, but only with regard to the first syllable.

These are all acceptable:

• MEEZ-oh-THEE-lee-OH-mah
• MEHZ-oh-THEE-lee-OH-mah
• MEES-oh-THEE-lee-OH-mah
• MEHS-oh-THEE-lee-OH-mah

As you can see, the differences are pretty minor — it comes down to two things: the vowel sound (“ee” or “eh”) and the “S” or “Z” sound.

At Baron & Budd, we use the MEEZ pronunciation favored by world-renowned medical facilities like the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.

But no matter how you pronounce it, mesothelioma is an extremely serious disease that needs to be diagnosed early in order to start treatment as soon as possible. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, please contact the mesothelioma lawyers at Baron & Budd immediately. You can reach us online or call 855-280-7664 to discuss your legal options.