Is Mesothelioma a Lung Cancer?
Mesothelioma may begin in the layers of tissue that surround each lung (the pleura) or, less commonly it can be found in the lining of the stomach (peritoneum). The disease usually occurs in its final stages, and symptoms can take up to 50 years to manifest.
Doctors make use of biopsies and imaging tests to diagnose mesothelioma. Treatment plans usually include surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy.
Pleural mesothelioma
Pleural mesothelioma is a type of cancer that typically occurs in the lining of the lungs. It is the most frequent type of mesothelioma. Patients are more likely to have better outcomes than patients with other types, like peritoneal or pericardial.
If a patient complains of breathing problems, like coughing or shortness in breath doctors might suspect pleural asbestosis. They will then request a series of tests to establish an official diagnosis. This includes x-rays, CT scans and MRIs, as well as blood work and a biopsy. To take a biopsy doctors insert a small, lighted tube known as a thoracoscope into the chest between two ribs.
The symptoms of mesothelioma can be similar to other illnesses, making it hard to diagnose the disease early. There are some people who do not show symptoms at all, and when they do, the initial symptoms are often dismissed as pneumonia or other less serious conditions. The best chance to receive an accurate diagnosis is to consult a mesothelioma specialist or visit mesothelioma clinics. Mesothelioma specialists have more experience dealing with this rare disease and are able to recognize the symptoms more easily.
After a mesothelioma is diagnosed doctors will decide the most effective treatment for each patient. They will take into account the stage of mesothelioma along with the type of cancerous cells and their site of origin. Patients with earlier-stage pleural mesothelioma tend to have a more favorable prognosis than those with later-stage mesothelioma due to the fact that the cancer is still localized.
Patients with pleural mesothelioma can benefit from chemotherapy, surgical treatments and radiation. They should also receive palliative care to alleviate symptoms and enhance their quality of life.
While mesothelioma can't be cured, it is treatable to extend the duration an individual lives. It is important to seek treatment for all kinds of mesothelioma as quickly as possible in order for doctors to develop a treatment strategy.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma
The lining of the abdomen and chest cavity are affected by the peritoneal cancer. Like pleural mesothelioma, symptoms may include breathing difficulties, pain and fluid buildup. A person may also experience nausea and vomiting. A doctor might also suggest palliative treatments in addition to chemotherapy and surgery to help manage symptoms and improve the quality of life.
Doctors diagnose peritoneal Mesothelioma using imaging scans of the abdomen and chest. A biopsy could confirm the diagnosis. In a biopsy doctors remove tiny pieces of liquid or tissue from the tumor to examine under microscope.
The most common indication of peritoneal mesothelioma is abdominal pain that is felt to be spread out or localized to a specific area. Other signs can include a persistent cough that doesn't disappear, weight loss and fever. The prognosis of a mesothelioma sufferer is determined by various factors, such as the type of cancer and the stage of the disease. The gender of a person can also affect their prognosis. Women and people born female have better outcomes with peritoneal mesothelioma than males and those assigned male at birth.
Mesothelioma can be caused by changes (mutations) in the DNA of a cell. This mutation causes cells to expand uncontrollably. The cancerous cells may then create a tumor or even a collection of abnormal cells.
The majority of mesothelioma patients are employed in positions that expose them to asbestos. Asbestos was once used for construction plumbing, electrical work and in the automotive industry. Asbestos exposure has been linked to mesothelioma.
Malignant mesothelioma may be difficult to treat if it is advanced. Doctors may recommend chemotherapy, surgery or radiation therapy to treat mesothelioma peritoneal cancer mesothelioma. These treatments are designed to kill the cancerous cells without harming healthy cells. Combining them can give patients a better chance at getting a cure. Doctors will decide on which treatment is most suitable for a patient depending on their stage of cancer as well as their general health and individual preferences. They may also suggest promising new treatments for mesothelioma.
Extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP)
Pleural mesothelioma patients healthy enough for surgery can benefit from the mesothelioma surgery known as extrapleural pneumonectomy. During the procedure, doctors remove both the lungs affected by mesothelioma, as well as a portion of the lining around it. In certain instances doctors can also remove the pericardium as well as the diaphragm. This is one of most effective mesothelioma treatments. Specialized mesothelioma doctors perform EPP in mesothelioma treatment facilities across the United States.
Mesothelioma specialists typically perform a number of tests to determine whether patients are able to undergo surgery. These include PET and CT scans, as well as a mediastinoscopy. These tests can help doctors see the tumors, and how far they've spread. If mesothelioma has gotten enough to warrant surgery, doctors will use chemotherapy to shrink or stabilize tumors.
The purpose of mesothelioma treatments is to improve quality of life and extend the life expectancy. Mesothelioma is a disease that can have a long time of waiting and can be difficult to detect in the early stages. Because of this, many patients have already developed symptoms before they are diagnosed.
Doctors generally recommend patients to undergo a variety of treatment methods as a multimodal approach. The reason for this is because mesothelioma treatment on its own is not efficient. Combining treatments increases the effectiveness of their effects. For instance, radiation therapy can help reduce the size of a mesothelioma cancer prior to surgery, making it easier to remove. Doctors have attempted high-energy radiation prior to EPP, which is also known as SMART, and it has extended the lives of patients suffering from mesothelioma.
EPP is a mesothelioma-related procedure that requires general anesthesia. When the anesthesia is in effect the surgeon will make an incision of 9 inches along the chest's front, which is called either the thoracotomy or sternotomy. The surgeon will then cut the chest wall and lungs from other organs.
This is a risky surgery and only mesothelioma patients in good health and physically fit can undergo it. After the procedure, patients are expected to spend few weeks in hospital. The patient will need to recuperate at home or in an rehabilitation facility.
Trimodality therapy
Three treatments are standard for mesothelioma, surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Doctors may also use a combination of these (called multimodality therapy). Survivors have different treatment options depending on which mesothelioma type they suffer from and the extent to which it has been spread.
The first step in treating mesothelioma involves obtaining a precise diagnosis from an expert in mesothelioma. Mesothelioma can be difficult to diagnose because cancer cells can appear like normal cells. A doctor usually tests the samples of tissue or fluid for mesothelioma tumor cells to confirm the diagnosis. The medical history of the patient is a crucial piece of information that doctors use to determine if mesothelioma is the probable cause.
Some symptoms of mesothelioma include coughing, chest pain and breathing problems. Doctors order an X scan or CT scan to look for abnormal thickening in the lung's lining, calcium deposits, and the accumulation of fluid. Doctors may also conduct a biopsy, in which they take a small amount of the tumor or its surrounding tissues for testing.
Other imaging tests that doctors commonly employ to determine how advanced mesothelioma has become include positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These tests require taking images of the body using powerful magnets and radio waves. These tests reveal that mesothelioma cancer cells absorb radioactive particles and appear brighter than healthy cells.
If the mesothelioma has spread to the pleura (the lung's lining) doctors may recommend surgery to stop it. Depending on the stage at which the disease, this might be an extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP), a more extensive operation which involves removing the affected lung and part of the diaphragm, or pleurectomy with decortication (P/D). Often these procedures are carried out in conjunction with other mesothelioma treatments, like radiation or chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs that kill cancerous cells while enhancing a patient's quality of life. For patients with pleural mesothelioma chemotherapy drug pemetrexed can be administered on its own or in combination with cisplatin or carboplatin. For mesothelioma of the peritoneal region chemotherapy is usually given intravenously. Patients may receive a single treatment or multiple sessions, on Monday through Friday for 4-7 weeks as an outpatient.