Mesothelioma The Good The Bad And The Ugly

What is Mesothelioma?
The diagnosis of Mesothelioma can be an incredibly devastating one. It's natural to feel shocked or confused, and even upset.
The pleura, which surrounds the lungs as well as the chest wall, is affected by pleural mesothelioma. This cancer causes fluid buildup in the lungs making it difficult to breath.
Asbestos exposure is the most common cause of mesothelioma. People who worked with asbestos or lived with a person who did are at risk.
What is mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma, a form of cancer, develops in the tissues' lining known as the mesothelium. This lining wraps around and protects most of the organs in your body including your heart, chest and abdomen. It is composed of two layers that form the sac, which covers the organs inside your body. The fluid between the layers allows organs to move around freely. Mesothelioma cancer cell growth can destroy the surrounding tissue. They may also spread to other parts of your body (metastasize).
Those who are most at risk of developing mesothelioma are those that have been exposed to asbestos at work. Asbestos-related workers include plumbers electricians, welders, asbestos miners, and auto industry workers. People who lived or worked near asbestos-containing facilities, such as factories and power plants are also at higher risk. Mesothelioma can be diagnosed in those who have been exposed to asbestos between 20 and 60 years before the disease begins to manifest.
The most frequent mesothelioma type is called mesothelioma pleural, which is found in the lining of the lungs. This type of mesothelioma could cause chest pain, breathing issues and weight loss. It typically affects the lungs, but it can be affecting other organs such as the stomach and heart. Peritoneal mesothelioma is an uncommon form of the disease that affects the lining within the abdominal cavity. It can cause pain and difficulty eating.
Other mesothelioma types are mesothelioma of the pericardial and tunica vaginal and tunica vaginalis mesothelioma, both of which are in the tissue that is lining the tissue of the abdomen, chest or testicles, respectively. These types of mesothelioma are not often diagnosed and have a less of a chance of survival than other types.
The prognosis for mesothelioma is dependent on the type and location of the disease, the stage at diagnosis and general patient health. Certain patients are successfully treated by chemotherapy, surgery and radiation. Others with advanced mesothelioma may undergo experimental treatments like gene therapy or immunotherapy. In any case the treatment options available could dramatically increase a person's life longevity.
Signs and symptoms
Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer, typically occurs in the linings of the chest cavity or abdomen. The cancer is caused by asbestos, which was utilized in construction, shipbuilding as well as energy generation and home renovations up until it was banned in the year 1970. The exposure to asbestos is mostly due to working in the asbestos-related field. However, people who have washed their the workwear with asbestos fibers or disturbed asbestos when renovating their homes are also at risk of developing mesothelioma.
Most mesothelioma patients experience general symptoms, like fatigue or weight loss, coughing with changes in frequency or intensity, chest pain and other such symptoms. Patients should consult their physician if they experience any of these symptoms. They should also be sure to inform their doctor if they have been exposed to asbestos.
In pleural asbestosis, symptoms are often caused by the tumor causing fluid to accumulate within the area around the lungs. This build-up of fluid, also known as a "pleural effusion" is a source of pressure on the lungs, making breathing difficult. The volume of fluid inside the pleural cavity plays a role in decreasing breathlessness.
Other symptoms of mesothelioma include the night sweats, a fever and abdominal pain. The reason for the fever is the body's temperature rising as it fights the disease. The body tries to cool itself down by producing night sweats in response to the temperature. These symptoms are all indications that the cancer is growing worse and is causing the body to stress.
The less common mesothelioma symptoms are an abdominal swelling, fatigue and difficulty walking. Mesothelioma can also affect the tissues surrounding the heart that can cause chest pain as well as breathing difficulties. It is also possible to develop mesothelioma in the testicles' lining and cause swelling or an abnormal lump on the testicles.
Because mesothelioma is so rare, it can be difficult to detect early. The symptoms of mesothelioma are comparable to those of other diseases, and can even be mistaken for pneumonia or a flu. Mesothelioma can take up to years before symptoms are identified.
Diagnosis
Mesothelioma is a difficult cancer to identify. Before diagnosing mesothelioma, doctors need to rule out any other conditions with similar symptoms. After they have completed this, they will be able to determine the best treatment option for you.
Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms, and then perform an examination. Your doctor may also order blood tests to assess how your organs are working. One of these tests is a complete blood count (CBC) which examines the number of white and red blood cells, how your liver and kidneys are functioning, as well as other important information. Mesothelioma cells are often seen in these blood tests, however they can be difficult to detect because they look so like normal cells.
If your doctor suspects you may have mesothelioma, they may order an imaging to determine the extent and the location of any fluid or growth around the lungs or abdomen. A chest radiograph is the most commonly used test, but if it doesn't reveal any abnormalities, doctors can request more thorough tests like a CT scan or an MRI.
find out here now produce detailed images of the body through the combination of radio waves with powerful magnets. They can detect thickening or fluid of the pleura and peritoneum which could indicate mesothelioma. A CT scan can also reveal other health issues, such as pneumonia or lung infections.
Doctors may gain a better understanding of the type of mesothelioma that you have by taking a tissue sample taken during an examination. This is the only certain way to diagnose mesothelioma. The samples are then examined under microscopes to determine mesothelioma's cell type, and how far the cancer has taken over.
Certain doctors inject dye into a vein, or conduct other tests, to determine the area of the cancer. This is known as staging the mesothelioma. This helps doctors determine how far the cancer has spread and how severe.
Treatment
Mesothelioma occurs in the cells that line the lung and other organs. The cells can expand beyond their limits, and eventually form tumors (masses). The cancer spreads to surrounding tissues due to the fact that they do not respond to signals that keep them from growing too quickly. It can also invade blood vessels that supply the lungs with oxygen. This can cause breathing difficulties and a cough.
Doctors diagnose mesothelioma by looking at the patient's symptoms and his previous exposure to asbestos. They may also order imaging and other lab tests to detect and identify tumors. For example, doctors employ chest X-rays in order to look for changes in the lungs, such as pleural thickening or pleural effusion, which is fluid build-up. They may also order CT scans, MRI and an PET scan to determine where the tumors are and determine how far mesothelioma is spreading. They can also draw fluid from the lung (called a Thoracentesis) to determine if mesothelioma is present and reduce pressure on the lungs caused by the accumulation of fluid.
When mesothelioma is discovered, doctors can plan treatment to manage the cancer. It is important to discuss your treatment goals with a mesothelioma expert. Some people want aggressive treatment to prolong their lives and improve their chances of survival, while others prefer an approach that is less intensive to decrease nausea, pain and other side effects.
The treatment options for mesothelioma are chemotherapy, surgery and radiation. The kind of treatment a patient receives depends on the stage of mesothelioma and whether it's composed of epithelioid and sarcomatoid cells. Epithelioid mesothelioid cancer cells are more straightforward to remove surgically, and they have a better prognosis than Sarcomatoid cells. Certain patients have a combination of both types, and these patients generally have lower outcomes than those who have epithelioid-only mesothelioma.
It is essential to see your mesothelioma physician regularly after the treatment. This can stop the cancer from recurring. The mesothelioma treatment team will develop an updated plan in case it recurs.
Some patients with mesothelioma enroll in clinical trials to test new treatments. Clinical trials let patients get access to cutting-edge therapies that have not yet been approved for general use.