Mesothelioma Cancer
Mesothelioma typically begins in the layers of tissue that cover every lung (pleura). It also can start in the stomach's lining or the heart, which is known as the peritoneum.
A diagnosis of mesothelioma is confusing and frightening. You can take charge of your treatment by working closely with your physician and seek more details.
Signs and symptoms
Mesothelioma is a cancer of the mesothelium. It is thin layer of tissue that covers and protects organs in the body. It is typically found in the linings of the lungs and the membrane lining abdomen. Mesothelioma arises from cells that are usually not malignant but that become cancerous when exposed to asbestos.
Most patients with mesothelioma experience a mix of symptoms, with some of the most common being chest discomfort, shortness of breath and coughing. These symptoms can be misinterpreted as pneumonia, particularly in the initial stages.
Other symptoms include fever, fatigue and unexplained weight loss. These symptoms can be caused by cancer or tumor spreading to other areas of the body, like to the gastrointestinal tract or the heart.
Imaging tests like X-rays, CT scans, and biopsy tests can be used to diagnose mesothelioma. A biopsy is a procedure by which a needle is implanted into the affected area and a small amount mesothelium is taken for analysis.
The results of a biopsy are used to determine if you are suffering from mesothelioma and what type. It can also assist doctors determine the most effective treatment plan for you.
A biopsy is typically performed under local anesthesia or sedation. However, based on the location of your mesothelioma and your health other methods of getting the tissue sample may be employed.
Palliative care is one the treatments that can help reduce symptoms and improve quality of life. The aim of this treatment is to ease discomfort, fatigue, and pain and other symptoms that are associated with mesothelioma.
It is essential to discuss all of your options with your doctor. This is especially important if you have recently been diagnosed with mesothelioma, or are experiencing symptoms that suggest the disease. Your doctor can provide you with a an inventory of treatment providers that are skilled in treating mesothelioma. They can also help you find support groups and the information you need about resources and services.
Diagnosis
A doctor will diagnose mesothelioma by conducting a physical exam and asking about your symptoms. They will request imaging tests, for example chest X-rays, and computerised tomography (CT) scans of the abdomen and lungs to check for mesothelioma or other abnormalities. They can also request blood tests to determine whether you have high levels of certain chemicals that could indicate mesothelioma.
The most important test to determine if pleural mesothelioma has occurred is the biopsy. This involves taking some of the tissue for examination under a microscope. A mesothelioma specialist, called a pathologist, will look at the cells to work out whether you have mesothelioma, and what type of mesothelioma is it. Cells from pleural msothelioma can be classified as epithelioid cell, sarcomatoid cells, or mixed/biphasic cells.
If you have peritoneal asbestosis, your doctor will use another method to collect a sample of your stomach tissue. A thin tube with a camera attached at the end is called the laparoscope. They will cut small holes in your stomach and then pass the tube through one of the cuts. The doctor will then insert a tool through the laparoscope to take tissue samples from any abnormal-looking regions in your stomach.
Your doctor will also make use of these images to find out what stage mesothelioma is at and whether it has spread. The biopsy results and other tests assist doctors in deciding on treatment.
Based on the type and stage of mesothelioma you may require surgery to remove the cancer. It is possible that you will need chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy afterward.
Your doctor will inform you about palliative care, which aims to alleviate the symptoms of mesothelioma and improve your quality of life. This might include treatments like physiotherapy or a pleural drain to relieve pressure on the chest and prevent the build-up of fluid in the lungs. Your doctors will also discuss the best way to manage your symptoms, including pain and fatigue. They will take into consideration your fitness level, age and medical history to plan your treatment.
Treatment
The doctors can treat mesothelioma through surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy, based on the site of the cancer and the extent to which it has spread. They may also prescribe medications to help ease symptoms. These medicines could be injections, pills or drugs that are given intravenously (intravenous).
Mesothelioma affects the cells that comprise the mesothelium, a thin membrane or sac that covers a number of the organs and structures inside the body including the lungs and chest cavity. Pleural mesothelioma can be found in the lung linings and chest wall, as well as the abdominal cavity. Peritoneal mesothelioma occurs in the membranes around the heart, or in the linings of the abdominal cavity.
A medical professional may suspect mesothelioma because of the medical history of a patient with exposure to asbestos and the kind of symptoms being experienced. The doctor will perform a patient a physical examination and may order a range of other tests, including chest X-rays and CT scans, to gain more information on the symptoms. A tissue sample may be taken to confirm the diagnosis and to determine what kind of mesothelioma is: epithelioid which accounts for 70% of diagnoses; sarcomatoid, which is the most common type, appearing in 10% of diagnoses; or biphasic or a combination of both.
If a person is fit enough to undergo surgery, the mesothelioma can usually be removed surgically. The surgeon can employ a method known as minimally invasive surgery, which involves making small incisions into the skin and inserting tubes equipped with a camera and other tools into the chest or abdomen. This allows the doctor to remove larger amounts of tissue than with traditional open surgery.
The surgeon may also remove the affected part of the pleura, as well as the lymph nodes within the area and the diaphragm. This is called extrapleural pneumonectomy.
Following surgery, patients could receive chemotherapy or radiation to kill any cancerous cells that the surgeon was unable to see during the surgery. This is the standard treatment for mesothelioma patients.
Follow-up care includes regular appointments with a specialist in cancer as well as the person's family physician. The health care team will discuss the best plan of follow-up care that is appropriate to the patient's needs and goals.
Prognosis
Mesothelioma prognosis is the time frame of survival after diagnosis. It can differ greatly based on the kind of cancer, if it's spread and other factors such as the health of the patient and their age.
The lining of the lungs called pleura is affected by pleural mesothelioma. It is not lung cancer because it affects only the membrane that lines your lungs, not the lungs itself. In certain cases mesothelioma can develop within the lining of the heart (pericardial mesothelioma). Mesothelioma can also develop in the membrane surrounding the testicles.
Patients should search for as much information as possible regarding the treatment options available to them and their mesothelioma diagnosis. Patients may be stunned or irritated when they are given a diagnosis of mesothelioma however it's crucial to remember that the disease is easily mesothelioma lung transplant treated.
The early detection of mesothelioma could make it easier to treat. Patients can receive chemo, radiation or surgery in order to improve their odds of survival and reduce their symptoms.
In many cases, mesothelioma treatment can prolong the life expectancy of patients. For example, people with peritoneal mesothelioma may benefit from a combination of surgical removal of the affected region and chemotherapy.
Other factors that can affect the prognosis of a patient with mesothelioma include speed of the cancer's spread and the type of cell. Epithelioid cells tend to grow more slowly than sarcomatoid and biphasic cells, and respond better to treatment. In addition, people who have more than one mesothelioma tend to have a worse prognosis than those who have only one.
Mesothelioma patients who adhere to their doctors' advice about lifestyle changes and treatment often have a better prognosis than those who do not. Patients who exercise regularly, stop smoking and maintain an active lifestyle can help their body cope with the disease. Techniques for reducing stress and palliative care can improve the quality of life of mesothelioma patients. There are notable mesothelioma survivor cases. The paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould, for example, lived for 20 years after being diagnosed with mesothelioma peritoneal. He wrote an article called "The Median isn't the Message" in which the author argued that statistics such as median survival are useful abstractions, but they do not determine a person's fate.