Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a cancer associated with exposure to asbestos which is a mineral that occurs naturally. The disease typically develops over the course of decades after the exposure.
Doctors treat mesothelioma using chemotherapy radiation, surgery and chemotherapy. Treatment can help patients live longer.
There are three types. The stage and the type of cells that compose the tumor can affect the prognosis.
What is mesothelioma?
The mesothelioma that is cancerous forms in the mesothelium (a thin layer of tissue that encloses organs inside). It is caused by exposure to asbestos which is a group of fibrous minerals.
Asbestos is a risk when people swallow or inhale stray fibers. These asbestos particles adhere to the lining of organs and can cause irritation, leading to tumors. The diagnosis of mesothelioma is able to be made by doctors after they examine the tumors, and obtain a tissue sample, also called biopsy. Mesothelioma can be classified based on what kind of cells are present in the tumors. The three types are epithelial biphasic and sarcomatoid mesothelioma. Epithelial mesothelioma, the most common form, accounting for around 50 percent of all diagnoses. Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma makes up 10% of all cases and has a lower prognosis than the epithelial type. Biphasic mesothelioma is a mix of both epithelial and sarcomatoid cells, and is responsible for 30 to 40 percent of all diagnoses.
The symptoms of mesothelioma can include breathing difficulties, chest pain or pain in the abdomen. These symptoms may be similar to other illnesses. It is important to consult a doctor immediately if you experience them.
Treatment for mesothelioma could improve symptoms, slow tumour growth and make it easier for patients to live longer. Treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Palliative care is offered to patients, and helps reduce discomfort and pain.
Doctors are still looking for ways to treat mesothelioma and the ways it grows. Immunotherapy is a novel treatment that relies on your own immune system to fight cancer. This is an experimental treatment that has shown promise in certain mesothelioma patients. Patients may also participate in clinical trials, which are research studies of new treatments. The majority of mesothelioma patients will be treated at specialist cancer centers, where they can get access to doctors with experience treating the condition.
Diagnosis
A mesothelioma diagnosis can be the first step towards receiving treatment that can prolong your life span. Your doctor will look over your symptoms and medical history to determine the type of mesothelioma you are suffering from. This information is important because the three primary mesothelioma cell types respond differently to treatment.
The first test that your doctor might order is chest X-rays or CT scan. During the test, you will be lying on a table while the X-ray machine or CT scan creates a detailed image of your chest as well as the surrounding organs. Before the procedure, a small dose of dye, which is usually iodine is given. This makes the tissue of your chest or abdomen lighter which makes it easier to be able to. During this time, you could be asked to take breathing tests.
If these tests reveal an indication of a tumor or mass that is cancerous, your doctor may request a biopsy. A biopsy is the removal of an area of tissue from the tumor or mass via surgery or by inserting an needle into the area. The sample is examined under a microscope to determine if mesothelioma is present.
In some cases our specialists employ ultrasound to help find lymph nodes that are enlarged and could be mesothelioma. This procedure is known as endobronchial ultrasound guided needle aspiration or EBNA. This procedure is carried out as an outpatient, so you can return home the same day.
A mesothelioma expert will also be required to determine the mesothelioma's stage. The stages are determined based on how far the cancer has spread, and the kind of mesothelioma is present. A mesothelioma expert can give you a precise diagnosis to ensure that you receive the right treatment.
Treatment
The treatment plan for mesothelioma patients depends on how far the disease has advanced and their overall health. Mesothelioma patients typically receive multimodal therapy, which is a combination of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation.
The first step in treating mesothelioma begins with an examination of the body and informing the doctor about any past exposure to asbestos. Doctors will also order scans of the blood and imaging to look for mesothelioma and rule out other conditions. These include CT (computerized Tomography) scans, MRI (magnetic-resonance imaging) scans FDG-PET scans (fluorodeoxyglucose Postron emission Tomography) and mediastinoscopy.
The majority of mesothelioma pleural cases can be treated surgically. wichita falls mesothelioma lawyer can undergo a minimally-invasive procedure called video-assisted needle biopsy or CT-guided surgical thoracoscopic. Both surgeries can alleviate symptoms and increase the patient's life expectancy.
Chemotherapy is a treatment that uses drugs to kill cancer cells and stop their growth. It is a common mesothelioma therapy and can extend the duration of survival. It is administered via intravenous (IV) drip or pill form.
Radiation is another mesothelioma therapy that kills cancer cells and shrink tumors. It can be used to treat pleural cancer in various stages, and to relieve pain and prolong the lifespan of patients.
In the last stages of mesothelioma therapy, doctors focus on controlling symptoms to extend the lifespan of patients as long as possible. This type of treatment is known as palliative treatment. While the mesothelioma average survival rate is low but there are a lot of survivors. For instance paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould, who was diagnosed with mesothelioma of the peritoneal region in 1982, lived for an additional 20 years before passing away from complications of another illness.
Symptoms
Mesothelioma is a cancer that can manifest symptoms for that last for months or even years before it is diagnosed. Initial symptoms may be mistaken for other ailments or ignored. If you experience any of these symptoms it is important that you see your doctor immediately.
The organs of your body are covered in a layer of tissue called mesothelium. This layer protects them from colliding. Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects mesothelium, the cells that line your organs. The majority of cases of mesothelioma occur in the lining surrounding your lungs, but it could also occur in the lining of your heart (pericardium) or abdomen (peritoneum) and in the lining of your testicles (tunica vaginalis).
The earliest symptoms of mesothelioma are often breathlessness, chest pain and fatigue. Mesothelioma can also cause the accumulation of fluid in the lungs and chest wall which can cause an edema called pleural. A pleural effusion can put pressure on the lungs, leading to coughing and breathing difficulties.
Doctors diagnose mesothelioma through taking an individual's medical history before doing an exam. They may also order chest X-rays to determine if there are any abnormalities, like thickening of the lung's lining or fluid buildup on the chest wall. They can also request a CT scan, MRI or PET scan to take a closer look at your lungs or other tissues. They can also make use of ultrasound-guided needles to drain fluid from the peritoneum and pleura.
A biopsy can reveal which mesothelioma types are forming the tumor and how they grow. This will help doctors decide the most effective treatment options. Chemotherapy, radiation and surgery are the three kinds of mesothelioma treatments that are standard.
Prevention
Mesothelioma can't be prevented but you can decrease the risk by keeping away from asbestos and from those who suffer from it. Exposure to asbestos could cause lung cancer as well as other ailments that affect the organ linings. There are several types of mesothelioma. Some are more dangerous than others. Certain types of mesothelioma can be more manageable.
Asbestos is an assortment of minerals with tiny micro-sized fibers. Manufacturers used asbestos in industrial and construction products without knowing about the dangers it poses. Veterans and blue-collar workers were particularly exposed to asbestos. Asbestos has been proven to be dangerous and should not live in a house or work in an old plant which has asbestos.
Consult your physician about regular screenings if there is an antecedent history of asbestos exposure. X-rays as well as CT or MRI scans can help spot issues with your lungs, or abdomen. A biopsy can also reveal a tumor in the chest's lining or stomach. Doctors will test samples of tissue from this area to determine whether you suffer from mesothelioma. It is possible that you have pleural mysothelioma, which affects the lining of your lungs. Other kinds include peritoneal mysothelioma, pericardial mesothelioma or testicular mesothelioma.
After asbestos exposure it could take several years before mesothelioma begins to develop. Even then, it can be difficult to identify. It often is misdiagnosed as a different condition or illness like lung cancer, pneumonia, or bronchitis. This can hinder you from receiving the proper treatment. Researchers are working to improve diagnosis and create tests that detect mesothelioma sooner. This could result in better treatments and a greater chance of survival. The research includes using genetic tests to determine the people most likely to develop mesothelioma.