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Mesothelioma Cancer
Although mesothelioma can't be treated, treatment options can prolong the duration of survival and decrease symptoms. Combining chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy can provide relief.
Mesothelioma can be found in mesothelium cells which is a protective membrane that covers organs within the body. The lung is the most frequent mesothelioma-related site. It can also occur in the stomach and in the linings of the heart.
What is mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma, also referred to as mesothelioma, is a cancerous tumor that affects the lining of the body's organs. Exposure to asbestos, which was used in manufacturing and construction prior to the 1970s, is the reason for it. Asbestos was mostly used in pipefitting, insulation and fire-retardant materials. The highest risk of exposure was for workers in factories and mills as well as power stations, shipyards and power plants and also those who removed asbestos or its contaminated material.
Mesothelioma symptoms can take between 20-30 years to manifest. The symptoms include chest pain and breathing problems (dyspnea), and swelling of the abdomen or lungs. Other signs include a decrease in appetite, weight loss, and an obstruction of the small intestine. Mesothelioma can be diagnosed at the end of the stage, after the tumor has gotten larger.
Doctors can test for mesothelioma with the help of tissue or fluid samples. If a patient has an accumulation of fluid within the stomach or lungs doctors can insert a needle into the area to remove the sample to test. If they discover mesothelioma-like cells Further tests may confirm a diagnosis.
If a mesothelioma diagnosis has been confirmed, the patient is able to receive treatment for their specific symptoms. Typical treatments for mesothelioma include chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation.
The type of mesothelioma that a patient is suffering from can affect their prognosis. There are three mesothelioma-cell types including epithelial, Sarcomatoid and biphasic or mixed type. The most commonly used type is epithelial mesothelioma, which has an increased survival rate than the other two types.
The treatment a patient receives depends on the stage of their mesothelioma and other health issues like age. Patients who are younger and have better overall health have a greater likelihood of having a better outcome from their mesothelioma treatment. Treatment options include surgical removal of a mesothelioma tumor, chemotherapy or other medicines which kill cancerous cells, and radiation therapy to shrink tumors and let patients breathe more easily. In some cases the use of immunotherapy or gene therapy may be used. All of these options can improve the survival rate for mesothelioma patients.
Symptoms
Like other cancers, mesothelioma begins when the DNA of a cell undergoes mutations. These changes can cause the cells to grow unchecked, and eventually form a mass. Mesothelioma is a cancer that affects the linings of organs within the body, like the chest, lungs, heart and abdomen. It may also spread to the bones or joints.
People exposed to asbestos usually develop mesothelioma that affects the pleura (lung lining) or the peritonum (abdominal lining) or pericardium (abdominal sac that is the heart's apex). The symptoms of mesothelioma for a person depend on the area of the body the tumor develops and the type of mesothelioma they have.
Shortness of breath chest pain and a swelling of the lungs are all symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. These symptoms are often difficult for doctors to recognize, as they are similar to other conditions like common cold or heart disease. Additionally, the mesothelioma symptoms typically start slowly and get worse with time.
what is the mesothelioma suffering from mesothelioma should be prepared to explain their symptoms to their doctor. The doctor will take an extensive medical history and may also order imaging tests, such as an X ray or CT scan. A doctor may also perform an operation known as a thoracentesis in which fluid is removed around the lungs to determine if there is mesothelioma.
A thoracentesis may also be utilized to alleviate the pressure that builds up in the chest as a result of the accumulation of fluid. If the doctor determines that mesothelioma has been identified they will discuss treatment options with patients.
Treatment options for mesothelioma will vary depending on its stage and type. Patients can undergo surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Surgery can be used to remove or reduce the size of the tumor and improve breathing. Chemotherapy is the use of drugs that penetrate bloodstreams to kill or shrink the cells of mesothelioma. This can be taken orally or injected directly into the veins.
Due to the time of latency, mesothelioma is often diagnosed at an advanced stage. This can limit the treatment options and decrease a patient's lifespan. However, many patients can improve their prognosis by undergoing aggressive treatment. If you or a loved one is suffering from mesothelioma be sure to visit an experienced doctor as soon as you can.
Diagnosis
Due to mesothelioma's rarity it is often missed when symptoms first start to appear. The symptoms include chest pain, coughing and shortness breath. They are similar to those of many diseases, such as pneumonia or the flu. Mesothelioma can also trigger fluid accumulation in the chest or abdomen. This can lead to abdominal pain, fatigue, and weight loss.
To determine if mesothelioma is present, doctors will take the complete medical history of a patient and perform a physical exam. The doctor will search for signs and inquire about the person's previous exposure to asbestos. This is because asbestos-related cancer is most commonly affecting those who worked with asbestos in factories or schools.
A lung CT scan can also confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma. The test uses X-rays and a computer to create cross-sectional images of the chest. These images can reveal calcium deposits on the lining of the lung (pleural thickening) as well as fluid in the abdomen or chest, and other changes that could indicate mesothelioma.
Doctors may also request a test of the blood to determine whether there is mesothelioma. These tests can also inform the doctor what type of mesothelioma is present, as different types of mesothelioma have different cellular makeups and respond to treatment differently.
If mesothelioma is found to be the cause it is a biopsy required to make an precise mesothelioma diagnosis. This is accomplished by taking a small amount of tissue or fluid from the tumor. The mesothelioma expert can then examine the tissue with the aid of a microscope to determine whether it's cancerous.
The sample can be used by the doctor to determine the grade of mesothelioma. This helps them decide what treatment is best for the patient. Mesothelioma can be treated using chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery. It is possible to recommend palliative treatment to improve the quality of life and control symptoms such as pain or difficulty breathing when mesothelioma has advanced to the stage of late. This may involve taking out fluid from the lungs or chest cavity (pleurodesis), or putting an incision into the chest cavity to aid with breathing (pleurobotics). Mesothelioma treatment can also be used in conjunction with other methods that include immunotherapy or targeted therapy.
Treatment
There are a variety of treatment options for mesothelioma. Discuss with your doctor all options and the side effects they may have.
Most doctors use chemotherapy to treat mesothelioma cancer. This treatment is effective in killing cancer cells and stopping them from growing. Doctors often combine chemotherapy with surgery or other treatments to boost the chances of getting cured.
There are different types of chemotherapy that are more effective than other types in treating mesothelioma. The type of chemotherapy your doctor recommends is based on where the cancer is located in your body and the subtype of mesothelioma you suffer from. For instance, a mixture of pemetrexed (Alimta) and cisplatin or carboplatin is usually used for pleural mesothelioma.
Other forms of chemotherapy are available to treat pericardial and peritoneal pericardial pericardial peritoneal peritoneal pericardial peritoneal pericardial peritoneal pericardial peritoneal pericardial peritoneal mesothelioma. Doctors can also mix the chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin with other drugs such as gemcitabine, paclitaxel or the doxorubicin liposome. Lastly new targeted therapies for mesothelioma are being tested in clinical trials. These include medications that hinder the development of tumors as well as treatments that target specific proteins in cancer cells.
For pleural mesothelioma, surgery might be an option to remove the tumor and relieve symptoms. The surgeon may perform an extrapleural pneumonectomy which involves the removal of the affected lung, diaphragm and a small portion of the lining around the heart; or a pleurectomy accompanied by pulmonary decortication, where they remove the pleura as well as as much of the cancer as possible. Peritoneal mesothelioma surgeries are less frequent, but a surgeon may remove a portion or all of the lining of the abdomen, as part of a surgery called a pleurectomy that includes dissection of the peritoneal area.
Some early-stage mesotheliomas may be closely monitored without treatment. This is usually the case with stage I or 2 pleural tumors which do not cause any symptoms. A mesothelioma at this stage can still grow rapidly and become more difficult to treat in the future.
If you have advanced mesothelioma, it may be necessary to participate in a research study of new treatments. Mesothelioma can be a challenge to treat. Doctors are always seeking ways to improve the outcome for their patients.