Types and stages of pleural mesothelioma
Pleural mesothelioma is a cancerous tumor involving the mesothelial cells that make up the pleura or lining around the outside of the lungs and inside of the ribs. It can also affect the heart and stomach. Pleural mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos fibers, including chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, or that took place twenty years or more before the disease becomes evident. These fibers are ingested into the body by breathing or swallowing. Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of mesothelioma, accounting for about 75% of cases.
Plural types of Mesothelioma
“Localized and benign” Mesothelioma is not life threatening and can be removed by surgery.
“Diffuse and malignant” Mesothelioma is a cancer that usually leads to death within one year of diagnosis.
Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma
The pain of the chest wall, pleural effusion, or fluid surrounding the lung shortness of breath, weight loss, fatigue or anemia wheezing, hoarseness, or cough and blood in the sputum (fluid) coughed. Patients may develop many tumor masses. Patients may experience pneumothorax or collapsed lung. The disease may spread or metastases to other parts of the body.
Stages of pleural mesothelioma
There are four stages of the disease. Localized cancer from pleural mesothelioma – stage I, cancer is on the membrane surface where it originated in Phase IV; advanced. In this last stage, the cancer has (metastasize) to extend beyond the surface of the membrane of origin to other parts of the body such as lymph nodes, lungs, chest, or abdominal organs.
Screening and diagnosis
Doctors first review the patient’s medical history, including any exposure to asbestos. The doctor may perform a physical examination is complete. Doctors may then go x-rays of the chest or abdomen and lung function tests. These tests include various imaging tests such as CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI.
A biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma cancer. Doctors perform a thoracoscopy in patients with symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. This procedure involves making a small incision in the chest wall inserted a thin tube called a thoracoscope and enlightened in the chest between two ribs. Doctors suck fluid access into the lungs by a procedure called thoracentesis. They can then obtain tissue samples for analysis. Other types of tube insertions include bronchoscopy or mediastinoscopy
Treatment Options
Some of the most widely used treatments now.
Surgical removal of the whole lung and part of the chest wall, diaphragm and part of the sac surrounding the heart.
Radiotherapy is applied to the sites of insertion of chest tube to prevent the growth of the tumor along the track in the chest wall. Although not particularly successful, the radiation is preformed to relieve symptoms arising from tumor growth, such as obstruction of a major blood vessel.
Chemotherapy is used to stop cancer cells to proliferate and divide.
It is important to note that there are no effective treatments for mesothelioma to date. Patients generally have a median survival of 6 to 12 months after presentation of symptoms.
Written by admin on January 4th, 2012 with no comments.
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