What is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that affects the thin layer of tissue that surrounds the majority of your internal organs. It usually begins in the tissues that surround your lungs (pleura) but it may also begin in the lining of the abdomen or in the area around your heart.
Doctors can diagnose mesothelioma through examining your medical history and conducting a physical exam. They also look for signs of the disease on CT scans or Xrays.
Symptoms
The mesothelium is a tissue layer that covers your internal organs and shields them. The most common site of mesothelioma occurs in the pleura which lines your lungs and the chest cavity. Other sites include the peritoneum an organelle that lines the abdominal cavity, and the pericardium, a sac which protects your heart.
The symptoms of mesothelioma vary based on the site where the cancer begins and the degree to which it is advanced. The most prevalent mesothelioma type is pleural, which can cause coughing, chest pain and breathing problems.
Pleural mesothelioma may also trigger an accumulation of fluid around your lungs and cause pleural effusion. Pleural effusion makes it harder to breathe because the pleura thickens and narrows the lung’s space to expand when breathing. Pleural effusion is often mistaken for other ailments like tuberculosis or chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
Due to the lengthy latency period of mesothelioma and its connection with other diseases, people often don’t get diagnosed until they are in an advanced stage. This can have a significant impact on your prognosis.
A mesothelioma diagnosis typically requires a physical examination, imaging tests, and a biopsy. The doctor will insert a needle into the area to extract tiny pieces of tissue to test under microscope.
Doctors will use the results of these tests to determine the extent to which mesothelioma cancer has spread, or the stage of it. This will help determine the best treatment for you.
Surgery is the most commonly used treatment option for mesothelioma. Doctors may also recommend chemotherapy or radiation therapy. These treatments can help shrink or eliminate mesothelioma-related cancerous cells and also stop them from spreading.
Clinical trials have demonstrated success for some patients with mesothelioma. These trials test out new mesothelioma treatment options with the hope of finding the cure. Your doctor can assist you in locating a trial.
Diagnosis
The first step in getting treatment is to obtain an accurate diagnosis of mesothelioma. Doctors use a variety of methods to identify the disease beginning with a physical exam and then proceeding with imaging tests and lab tests. They may suggest a biopsy, which collects fluid or tissue from the tumor for further analysis.
When cells in the lining of your organs like the lining around your abdomen or chest, grow uncontrollably and abnormally, you have mesothelioma. In time the cells develop into an abnormal mass that is frequently mistaken as other illnesses or cancers, such as pneumonia or lung disease. The first signs are typically breathing problems, such as difficulties or chest pressure. Mesothelioma also affects the skin, and can cause painful lumps on the skin called fibrosis. It can even affect the heart, causing heart pain or swelling in the abdomen or chest.
To determine if you have mesothelioma, your doctor will recommend imaging tests like X rays, CT scans, and MRIs to examine your abdomen and lung areas in greater depth. The X-rays and CT scans can reveal lung issues such as a pleural effusion or other signs of fluid accumulation in the lung. MRI scans use magnetic fields, not radiation to reveal more details. They can also show if the tumors have spread to nearby structures, such as the diaphragm or heart.
A blood test can detect elevated levels of proteins associated with mesothelioma such as fibulin-3 or mesothelin-soluble peptides. MRIs and CTs can be used to detect mesothelioma in other parts of the body.
If your doctor discovers an accumulation of tissue or fluids in the fluid, they may order a Thorcentesis (or the pericardiocentesis) to check for mesothelioma. If they discover cells and further tests are conducted to determine if you are suffering from a pleural or peritoneal mesothelioma.
The results of the laboratory tests will assist your doctor to decide on the best treatment plan. Your prognosis will be determined by the type of mesothelioma, and the extent to which it has spread. Treatment options include chemotherapy, surgery or radiation therapy. If you are in an advanced stage, treatment is focused on managing your symptoms to keep you comfortable for as long as is possible.
Treatment
If a patient is diagnosed with mesothelioma doctors will attempt to manage the cancer and treat any symptoms as they develop. Patients must be informed of the diseases and the treatment options available, as well as the prognosis so they can make an informed choice. It’s also helpful to have a support system in place to help with everyday tasks and appointments.
Mesothelioma affects the thin layer of skin that forms the inner organs. Exposure to asbestos is the main reason. The disease can be found in the lungs or abdomen (peritoneal and pleural mesothelioma). In rare instances it may be found in the lining of the heart (pericardial mesothelioma) and in the testicles (testicular mesothelioma).
what are symptoms of mesothelioma include difficulty breathing, coughing and chest pain, as well as itchy skin and fever. A doctor can diagnose the disease by taking a sample of fluid or tissue from the affected area and examining it under microscope. Doctors can also conduct imaging tests to determine how far the cancer has spread. These tests include X-rays CT scans, and FDG-positron emission tomography. CT scans produce three-dimensional images of multiple organs, and also scan the chest lymph nodes. FDG-PET is an radioactive compound that can be used to identify and highlight cancerous cells. VATS (video assisted thoracoscopic surgical procedure) is a minimally-invasive procedure, is a good option to perform a biopsy. Another alternative is a CT guided needle core biopsy performed under local anaesthesia.
The procedure can improve breathing in some cases however it’s unlikely to be curative for cancers at later stages. A pleurectomy/decortication (P/D) operation removes part of the lining around the lung. Extrapleural pneumonectomy is more extensive procedure which removes a lung the pericardium, as well as a part of the diaphragm.
Chemotherapy is a process that uses chemicals to kill mesothelioma tumor cells or stop them from growing. It is administered through mouth, injected directly into a vein or muscle or directly into the abdomen. It can be given before surgery to ease the process or after surgery to lessen the risk of cancer coming back.
Other treatments include targeted therapy, which targets cancer cells but does not affect healthy cells. Radiation therapy can be used to kill cancer cells that remain after surgery, and emerging treatments such as Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) have assisted in reducing mesothelioma tumor growth in clinical trials.
Prognosis
The treatment options available to a person with mesothelioma are numerous. A mesothelioma specialist may recommend treatment dependent on factors such as the kind of cancer and the place it has spread. A mistake in diagnosis can lead to less effective treatment and give the cancer more time to grow and spread. To avoid a misdiagnosis, a person with mesothelioma is advised to get an opinion from an expert in mesothelioma.
The overall prognosis for mesothelioma is poor. This is partly because mesothelioma can grow for a long time without causing symptoms, making it difficult to identify the disease until it is at a later stage. This is due to the fact that mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer and the current treatments aren’t efficient in stopping it from spreading.
The majority of the time, mesothelioma starts in the tissue that covers each lung (the Pleura). It can also start in the lining of the stomach (peritoneum) but less frequently. The type of mesothelioma and stage at which it is diagnosed will determine a person’s lifespan. Epithelioid forms of mesothelioma generally have a better outlook than those who have sarcomatoid and biphasic types.
Asbestos exposure is a common risk factor. It’s not known what causes the first mutations that eventually lead to mesothelioma. Asbestos was a naturally occurring mineral used in a variety of industries prior to being banned in the 1970s. It was used mostly in construction and manufacturing because it is flame- and heat-resistant. People who worked in these areas are at a higher risk of developing mesothelioma. This includes construction workers, shipyard workers, power plant employees and other professionals who worked with asbestos-containing materials.
The risk of mesothelioma can also higher for relatives of asbestos-exposed persons. This is because asbestos fibers can stick to hair or clothing and then be carried to the home of the person who was exposed. These fibers may be ingested by spouses, children and other loved ones. Animals and pets may be able to track them back to their homes.
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