What is Mesothelioma?

The diagnosis of mesothelioma may be overwhelming. It's normal to feel stunned, confused and upset.

The pleura, the area that surrounds the lungs and the chest wall, is afflicted by mesothelioma pleural. This cancer causes a buildup of fluid in the lungs, making it difficult to breathe.

Asbestos exposure is the most common cause of mesothelioma. Anyone who has worked with asbestos or lived with a person who did are at risk.

What is Mesothelioma?

The mesothelioma-related cancer is a cancer that develops on the lining mesothelium, or the lining. This lining protects your chest, heart, and abdomen as well as the majority of your other organs. It is comprised of two layers that create an enveloping sac that surrounds the organs inside your body. The fluid between the layers permits organs to move around freely. Mesothelioma cancer cells develop into malignant or cancerous, and expand into and destroy surrounding tissue. They can also spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body.

Those who are most at risk of developing mesothelioma are those that have been exposed to asbestos while at work. Asbestos workers include builders, plumbers, electricians, welders, asbestos compensation miners, auto industry workers and others. People who lived or worked near asbestos plants, such as factories and power plants are also at a higher risk. Patients diagnosed with mesothelioma are typically exposed to asbestos for between 20 and 60 years prior to the time their illness manifests.

Pleural mesothelioma can be found most often in the lining of the lungs. This type of mesothelioma can cause chest pain, difficulty breathing and weight loss. It is usually found in the lungs, but it can also affect the heart or stomach. Patients with peritoneal mesothelioma a rare type of disease that affects the lining of the abdominal cavity, can feel discomfort in the belly area and abdomen, as well as difficulty eating.

The pericardial mesothelioma as well as the tunica vaginalis are two other types of mesothelioma. They both occur in the tissue that covers the tissues of the chest, abdomen or testicles. These types of mesothelioma often remain undiagnosed and have lower survival rates than other forms of the disease.

The mesothelioma prognosis is contingent on the nature and location of the disease as well as the stage of diagnosis and the general health of the patient. Some patients can be successfully treated with chemotherapy, surgery and radiation. Other patients with mesothelioma more advanced may be offered experimental treatments like immunotherapy and gene therapy. In any scenario, treatment options can increase the life expectancy of a patient.

Signs and symptoms

Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that is most often found in the chest's lining or abdominal cavity. It is caused by exposure to asbestos, a heat and fire-resistant mineral that was used in insulation, construction ships power generation, as well as home renovations before it was banned in the 1970s. Exposure is primarily due to working in the asbestos industry, but those who have cleaned up work clothes with asbestos fibres or disturbed asbestos during home renovations also risk developing mesothelioma.

The majority of patients with mesothelioma have general symptoms such as fatigue and weight loss, coughing that has a change in pattern or intensity, chest pain, and the list goes on. These symptoms may be the result of a variety of ailments, and patients should always seek advice from their physician regarding their symptoms. They should also be sure to tell their doctor if they have been exposed to asbestos.

In pleural asbestosis, symptoms are often caused by the tumor that causes fluid to accumulate in the area around the lung. This build-up of fluid, also called a "pleural effusion", puts 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 are an increase in temperature, night sweats and abdominal pain. The reason for the fever is the body's temperature increasing in the fight against the cancer. The body tries to cool itself down by producing night sweats as a response to the temperature. These symptoms indicate that cancer is getting worse and causing stress to the body.

Other signs of mesothelioma are an enlarged stomach, fatigue and difficulty walking. Mesothelioma can also affect the tissue that surrounds the heart, causing difficulty breathing and chest pain. Mesothelioma can also develop in the membrane that surrounds the testicles. This can cause swelling or a lump.

Because mesothelioma is so rare, it can be difficult to detect early. The symptoms of mesothelioma are similar to those of other ailments, and can even be mistaken for a pneumonia or flu. Mesothelioma can last for up to years before symptoms are recognized.

Diagnosis

Mesothelioma is a difficult cancer to diagnose. Before diagnosing mesothelioma, doctors need to rule out any other conditions that have similar symptoms. After they have done this, they are able to decide the best treatment for you.

Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and conduct a physical exam. Your doctor may request blood tests to determine the efficiency of your organs. One of these tests is a complete blood count (CBC) which examines the amount of white and red blood cells, the extent to which your kidneys and liver are working, and other vital information. These tests can detect mesothelioma, however it is difficult to identify them because they look similar to normal cells.

If your doctor suspects that you have mesothelioma, they will likely request imaging tests to find the location and extent of any growth or fluid in the abdomen or lungs. The most frequent test is a chest xray. If it doesn't reveal any abnormalities, the doctor might recommend more thorough tests, such as an CT or MRI.

These tests create detailed images of the body through the combination of radio waves with powerful magnets. They can detect thickening or fluid of the peritoneum and pleura which could indicate mesothelioma. A CT scan can also reveal other health issues, such as pneumonia or lung infections.

Doctors may be able to gain a better understanding of the type of mesothelioma that you have from a tissue sample taken during an examination. This is the only certain method of identifying mesothelioma. The samples are examined under a magnifying lens to determine the type of mesothelioma, as well as the extent of the cancer's spread.

Some doctors may inject dye into a vein or conduct other tests, to determine the exact location of the cancer. This is referred to as staging mesothelioma and aids doctors in determining how far the tumor has been able to spread.

Treatment

Mesothelioma develops in the cells that line the lungs and other organs. These cells can grow in uncontrolled ways, and eventually form tumors. The cancer spreads to surrounding tissues due to the fact that they don't respond to signals that keep them from expanding too rapidly. It can also infiltrate blood vessels that supply the lungs with oxygen. This can cause breathing difficulties and cough.

Doctors diagnose mesothelioma based on an individual's symptoms and history of asbestos exposure. They can also order imaging tests and other lab tests in order to find and detect tumors. For instance, doctors can use chest X-rays to check for lung changes such as pleural thickening or the pleural effusion, asbestos which is the accumulation of fluid. They can also request CT scanning or an MRI or PET scan in order to see the location of the tumors and determine the extent to which mesothelioma has spread. They can also collect an ounce of fluid from the lungs, known as a thoracentesis, to test for mesothelioma-related cells and to relieve the pressure on the lungs caused by fluid accumulation.

When a mesothelioma diagnosis has been established, doctors can design treatments to control the disease. It is crucial to discuss treatment goals with your mesothelioma specialist. Some patients require aggressive treatment to prolong their lives and improve their chances of survival, while others prefer a less-intensive approach to reduce pain, nausea and other adverse effects.

Mesothelioma treatments include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. The type of treatment a person receives depends on the stage of mesothelioma as well as whether it is composed of epithelioid and sarcomatoid cells. Epithelioid cells are easier to remove via surgery and are more likely to be successful than the sarcomatoid cells. Some patients are affected by a combination of both types, and suffer from an even worse outcome than those who only have epithelioid cancer.

After treatment is completed after treatment, it is essential to keep in touch with your mesothelioma doctor regularly. This will prevent the cancer from returning. If it recurrs in the future, your mesothelioma specialists will develop a new treatment plan.

Patients suffering from mesothelioma can enroll in clinical trials to test new treatments. Clinical trials enable patients to get access to cutting-edge therapies which have not yet been approved for general use.