What do you need to know about Mesothelioma

What are the different types of mesothelioma?

2010-03-16T06:23:00.000-07:00

Pleural Mesothelioma – affects the chest and lungs

Malignant pleural mesothelioma often originates within the chest cavity and can, at times, involve the lung. This particular form of mesothelioma can metastasize to numerous organs in the body – even the brain - and tends to do so more frequently than not.

Pleural mesothelioma is not always easily detectable. Frequently, in the early stages of the disease, symptoms may be mild. Patients usually report pain in one area of the chest that never seems to go away, weight loss and fever. Occasionally, other symptoms are more severe and include problems with breathing due to fluid build up in the chest. A CT Scan of the chest area has proven to be the best test for identifying how far along the disease has progressed.

Frequently serum markers are used to diagnose of various forms of cancer. Mesothelioma cannot be diagnosed using this method as no serum markers currently exist. If high levels of hyaluronic acid are present it may be possible to distinguish mesothelioma from other types of cancer or to determine the effectiveness of a treatment protocol.

The survival rate for patients diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma typically is not high. Patients typically do not live beyond seventeen months from the onset of symptoms. Only 8% of those diagnosed with mesothelioma will live three to five years from the onset of symptoms.

Pericardial Mesothelioma – affects the heart

Pericardial mesothelioma is the least common form of mesothelioma. Pericardial mesothelioma, as the name suggests, involves the heart. This rare type of mesothelioma invades the pericardium, the sac that surrounds the heart. As the cancer progresses, the heart is not able to deliver oxygen as efficiently to the body causing further decline in health at an increasingly rapid rate. The symptoms most commonly associated with pericardial mesothelioma mimic those of a heart attack: nausea, pain in the chest and shortness of breath.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma – affects the abdomen

Peritoneal mesothelioma originates in the abdomen and will frequently spread to other organs in area including the liver, spleen or bowel. Severe abdominal pain is the most common complaint that patients present to their doctor. There may also be a discomfort level with fluid build up in the abdomen as well. Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include difficult bowel movements, nausea and vomiting, fever and swollen feet.

The survival rate is even worse for those diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma will patients typically surviving only ten months from time that they first started experiencing the symptoms noted above.

Malignant Mesothelioma

Malignant mesothelioma is an uncommon form of cancer and of all asbestos related diseases, the most serious. The symptoms associated with the disease make it difficult for doctors to diagnose. Often, by the time that a proper diagnosis is made, the disease has progressed to a point where patients do not respond well to treatment therapy. Malignant mesothelioma is caused almost exclusively by the inhalation of airborne asbestos particles. Another unique factor associated with the disease is that there can be a long latency period between the time an individual is exposed to asbestos and the actual manifestation of the disease in the form of malignant mesothelioma.

Benign Mesothelioma – affects the peritoneum

Cystic mesothelioma primarily affects women of younger age and affects the peritoneum. This type of mesothelioma is not frequently diagnosed and is also not a malignant form of the disease. It is, however, extremely difficult to identify and requires specialized microscopes and immunologic techniques to aid in diagnosis.

Mesothelioma in Uncommon Sites

A form of cardiac cancer that is rarely seen involves the pericardium. Tumors associated with this type of mesothelioma are not easily detectable and patients presented with this diagnosis tend to have a very low survival rate. There have also been reports of mesothelioma involving ovaries in women and the scrotum in men. Treatment for all of these rare forms of mesothelioma will vary depending on what stage a patient has progressed to but in most all cases the projected outcome is not favorable.

Sources

Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America - Types of Mesothelioma
http://www.mesorfa.org/about-meso/types.php

Cancer Research UK - Types of Mesothelioma
http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=4398

Mesothelioma Wiki: All You Have to Know about Mesothelioma Cancer

2010-03-16T06:15:00.000-07:00

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which malignant (cancerous) cells are found in the mesothelium, a protective sac that covers most of the body's internal organs. Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles.

What is the mesothelium?

The mesothelium is a membrane that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the body. It is composed of two layers of cells: One layer immediately surrounds the organ; the other forms a sac around it. The mesothelium produces a lubricating fluid that is released between these layers, allowing moving organs (such as the beating heart and the expanding and contracting lungs) to glide easily against adjacent structures.

The mesothelium has different names, depending on its location in the body. The peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity. The pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. The pericardium covers and protects the heart. The mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis testis. The tunica serosa uteri covers the internal reproductive organs in women.

What is mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma (cancer of the mesothelium) is a disease in which cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide without control or order. They can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also metastasize (spread) from their original site to other parts of the body. Most cases of mesothelioma begin in the pleura or peritoneum.

How common is mesothelioma?

Although reported incidence rates have increased in the past 20 years, mesothelioma is still a relatively rare cancer. About 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year. Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and risk increases with age, but this disease can appear in either men or women at any age.

What are the risk factors for mesothelioma?

Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma. A history of asbestos exposure at work is reported in about 70 percent to 80 percent of all cases. However, mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos.

Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that occur naturally as masses of strong, flexible fibers that can be separated into thin threads and woven. Asbestos has been widely used in many industrial products, including cement, brake linings, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles, and insulation. If tiny asbestos particles float in the air, especially during the manufacturing process, they may be inhaled or swallowed, and can cause serious health problems. In addition to mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer, asbestosis (a noncancerous, chronic lung ailment), and other cancers, such as those of the larynx and kidney.

Smoking does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma. However, the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure significantly increases a person's risk of developing cancer of the air passageways in the lung.

Who is at increased risk for developing mesothelioma?

Asbestos has been mined and used commercially since the late 1800s. Its use greatly increased during World War II. Since the early 1940s, millions of American workers have been exposed to asbestos dust. Initially, the risks associated with asbestos exposure were not known. However, an increased risk of developing mesothelioma was later found among shipyard workers, people who work in asbestos mines and mills, producers of asbestos products, workers in the heating and construction industries, and other tradespeople. Today, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets limits for acceptable levels of asbestos exposure in the workplace. People who work with asbestos wear personal protective equipment to lower their risk of exposure.

The risk of asbestos-related disease increases with heavier exposure to asbestos and longer exposure time. However, some individuals with only brief exposures have developed mesothelioma. On the other hand, not all workers who are heavily exposed develop asbestos-related diseases.

There is some evidence that family members and others living with asbestos workers have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, and possibly other asbestos-related diseases. This risk may be the result of exposure to asbestos dust brought home on the clothing and hair of asbestos workers. To reduce the chance of exposing family members to asbestos fibers, asbestos workers are usually required to shower and change their clothing before leaving the workplace.

What are the symptoms of mesothelioma?

Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 30 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleura are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and abdominal pain and swelling due to a buildup of fluid in the abdomen. Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.

These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions. It is important to see a doctor about any of these symptoms. Only a doctor can make a diagnosis.

How is mesothelioma diagnosed?

Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions. Diagnosis begins with a review of the patient's medical history, including any history of asbestos exposure. A complete physical examination may be performed, including x-rays of the chest or abdomen and lung function tests. A CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI may also be useful. A CT scan is a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. In an MRI, a powerful magnet linked to a computer is used to make detailed pictures of areas inside the body. These pictures are viewed on a monitor and can also be printed.

A biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma. In a biopsy, a surgeon or a medical oncologist (a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer) removes a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope by a pathologist. A biopsy may be done in different ways, depending on where the abnormal area is located. If the cancer is in the chest, the doctor may perform a thoracoscopy. In this procedure, the doctor makes a small cut through the chest wall and puts a thin, lighted tube called a thoracoscope into the chest between two ribs. Thoracoscopy allows the doctor to look inside the chest and obtain tissue samples. If the cancer is in the abdomen, the doctor may perform a peritoneoscopy. To obtain tissue for examination, the doctor makes a small opening in the abdomen and inserts a special instrument called a peritoneoscope into the abdominal cavity. If these procedures do not yield enough tissue, more extensive diagnostic surgery may be necessary.

If the diagnosis is mesothelioma, the doctor will want to learn the stage (or extent) of the disease. Staging involves more tests in a careful attempt to find out whether the cancer has spread and, if so, to which parts of the body. Knowing the stage of the disease helps the doctor plan treatment.

Mesothelioma is described as localized if the cancer is found only on the membrane surface where it originated. It is classified as advanced if it has spread beyond the original membrane surface to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, lungs, chest wall, or abdominal organs.

How is mesothelioma treated?

Treatment for mesothelioma depends on the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, and the patient's age and general health. Standard treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Sometimes, these treatments are combined.

Surgery is a common treatment for mesothelioma. The doctor may remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it. For cancer of the pleura (pleural mesothelioma), a lung may be removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy. Sometimes part of the diaphragm, the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing, is also removed.

Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, involves the use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy affects the cancer cells only in the treated area. The radiation may come from a machine (external radiation) or from putting materials that produce radiation through thin plastic tubes into the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy).

Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Most drugs used to treat mesothelioma are given by injection into a vein (intravenous, or IV). Doctors are also studying the effectiveness of putting chemotherapy directly into the chest or abdomen (intracavitary chemotherapy).
To relieve symptoms and control pain, the doctor may use a needle or a thin tube to drain fluid that has built up in the chest or abdomen. The procedure for removing fluid from the chest is called thoracentesis. Removal of fluid from the abdomen is called paracentesis. Drugs may be given through a tube in the chest to prevent more fluid from accumulating. Radiation therapy and surgery may also be helpful in relieving symptoms.

Are new treatments for mesothelioma being studied?

Yes. Because mesothelioma is very hard to control, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is sponsoring clinical trials (research studies with people) that are designed to find new treatments and better ways to use current treatments. Before any new treatment can be recommended for general use, doctors conduct clinical trials to find out whether the treatment is safe for patients and effective against the disease. Participation in clinical trials is an important treatment option for many patients with mesothelioma.

Diagnosis of Pleural Mesothelioma

2009-06-22T04:45:00.001-07:00

There is no cure for mesothelioma at the time being. However, early diagnosis will certainly help and provide the doctors a great opportunity to alleviate the pain and prolong the lives of the patients. The success of all mesothelioma treatments highly depends on the condition or the progression of the cancer.

Common Pleural Mesothelioma Treatments

Radiation—any kinds of cancer are usually treated with very high doses of radiation to get rid of cancerous cells. This is the first among the other steps to be done because of its effectiveness if performed correctly and followed faithfully. However, during the operation of the cancerous cells, some healthy cells can also be hit causing other minor health problems.

Chemotherapy—this is also a very common treatment for all cancer patients. This kind of treatment will induce very strong anti-cancer medicines and drugs to inhibit the growth of the tumors and other cancerous cells. And due to the high dosage of those drugs, other severe health problems can be experienced by the patients.

Surgery—in severe cases, this step is taken to help the patients even if the best results are not guaranteed. For pleural mesothelioma patients, surgery will include draining of the fluids from the lungs, removing all or just parts of the infected organs and in most severe cases, lungs will be removed and replaced with artificial or new lungs.

Asbestos companies have known the dangers and effects of their products to their employees but instead of taking action to fight prevent these cancerous effects, they tried to conceal the information from the public until the irrecoverable damages had been done.

Pericardial Mesothelioma: Pierces the Heart ‘til Death

2009-06-22T04:42:00.000-07:00

Pericardial mesothelioma or mesothelioma of the pericardium is the rarest of all types of mesothelioma. It comprises 5% of all reported and documented cases of mesothelioma. Aside from being the rarest, it is also the most painful type since it pierces the heart until the patient dies.

The heart, an organ responsible for blood circulation, needs to move constantly and properly. And since it constantly pumps blood, constant lubrication is required. The lubrication comes from the thin layer of mucous that surrounds it.

The protective sac that provides lubrication and protection to the heart is called “pericardium”. Although there is no definite explanation why asbestos fumes reach the outer lining of the heart, it is believed that they enter the body through breathing and traveled through bloodstream. In fact, one of the reasons why pericardial mesothelioma is the rarest type of mesothelioma is because patients who are exposed to asbestos can easily have pleural mesothelioma. Asbestos fumes, if there are lots of them, will damage the pleura before they can damage the pericardium. In layman’s term, asbestos fumes that reach the heart are just the excess fumes from the lungs.

Just like any other types of mesothelioma, asbestos fibers will shred the protective lining that protects the certain vital organ, in this case, the pericardium. Irritation over a long period of time will help the growth of cancerous cells and kill the healthy ones. Tumors will then start to show up and grow larger in size. Unfortunately, symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma start to show when cancer is in its most advanced stage living the patients and doctors helpless.

Common symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma include;

• Shortness of breath
• Strong palpitations of the heart
• Various level of chest pain
• Heart failure
• Coughing

Since pericardial mesothelioma is in the very sensitive organ in the body, doctors have very few options to help the patients. Light radiation treatment is the first in the list; this will eventually slow down the spread of the cancerous cells but it cannot provide much comfort to the part of the patients. Because of this, chemotherapy will be used to boost the effect of the radiation treatment.

Another type of treatment used by doctors is the so-called “fine needle aspiration” which draws out excess fluids from pericardium; this treatment will help ease some symptoms.

However, in most severe and rare cases, surgery is called into action to literally remove the pericardium to help slow down the growth of mesothelioma. Although this treatment is the last on the list, it still will not cure pericardial mesothelioma patients. It is because cancer may have spread thoroughly in the body even before the discovery of the cancer.

There is no absolute cure for any types of mesothelioma. All treatments are done to prolong and make the lives of the patients easier while waiting for their time to come. But don’t lose faith as there were testimonies about the people suffering from this kind of disease but made their way out.

Keep posted to know who they are. We are currently contacting them to share their experiences and how they cheated death.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma

2009-06-22T04:41:00.001-07:00

Peritoneal mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects the delicately thin membrane which surrounds and protects gastrointestinal tracts called peritoneum. Aside from being a protective layer, peritoneum also provides fluids for the lubrication of the stomach and intestines so that they will function properly. Moreover, these organs should need to move properly so that digestive system can process the food and push out wastes. Should peritoneum fail to function the way it is expected, devastating and severe consequences arise.

But just like other types of mesothelioma, the symptoms of mesothelioma are hard to diagnose. More often, diagnoses will lead to other less severe diseases concealing the true symptoms. Thus, patient will be complaisant which will worsen the situation in the future.

Here are the true symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma:

• Lower abdominal pains
• Stomach pains
• Loss of appetite
• Problems with bowel movements
• Weight loss
• Nausea
• Abdominal swelling
• Weakness

It is believed that asbestos fibers enter the body and reach the stomach through the mouth. Once these fibers settle inside the stomach, they can easily penetrate the stomach lining. And since the lining is so delicate, the cells will begin to mutate and develop into cancerous mesothelioma cells. Constant irritation on the cells over a long period of time will develop into tumors and engulf the stomach resulting to the destruction of healthy cells and the growth of the cancerous ones. Furthermore, asbestos fumes will inhibit the peritoneum to develop and repair the protective lining that supports the stomach in all its activities. In some cases, tumors inside the stomach grow larger in size that they will occupy most of the space exerting too much pressure on other organs surrounding the stomach. Such activity will cause excruciating pain.

There is no cure for peritoneal mesothelioma. However, there are some conditions that doctors are hoping to find in mesothelioma patients that can help them to, at least, alleviate the pains and sorrows and to prolong the lives of the patients. These conditions include age, size and stage of the tumor at the time of discovery, types of cells affected and the responsiveness of the tumors to treatments. Likewise, these conditions will provide the doctors some idea what course of action to take to help the patients.

Generally, early diagnoses as well as vigorous treatments are the keys to prolong the life of the patients. But unfortunately, peritoneal mesothelioma lies undetected and does not show symptoms until the cancer is in its most advanced stage. At the time of discovery, patients can live not more than five years depending on the age and the resistance of the body.

Tip: If you have been exposed to asbestos before, consult your doctor and tell him/her about it so that once a single symptom starts to show, proper steps can be taken.

Pleural Mesothelioma: The Mesothelioma of the Pleura

2009-06-22T04:39:00.000-07:00

The mesothelioma of the pleura or commonly known as pleural mesothelioma is another type of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos which greatly damages the pleural sac; a thin lining that surrounds the lungs. Statistics show that 75% of all mesothelioma cases are pleural. It is due to the reason that asbestos fibers can easily be inhaled than eaten.

What is Pleura?

It is a sac which surrounds the lungs together with a thin membrane commonly known as “mesothelium”. Mesothelium keeps the fluids and enables the lungs to contract and expand when breathing. Once asbestos fibers are inhaled, they will cause irritating build-ups inside the lungs and due to their sharp and microscopic properties they could easily penetrate the wall of the lungs and sooner enter the premises of pleural cavity wherein the sharp asbestos fibers will shred, mutilate and totally destroy mesothelium which will naturally lead to cancer.

Over time, cancerous tumors will start to develop and hinder the lungs from their proper movement due to the thickening of the pleural fluids caused by the tumors. As tumors grow in size and infect other healthy cells, they will press on the ribcage and other organs resulting to devastating pain. And since the lungs are responsible for oxygenating the blood, the possibility of developing tumors in other parts of the body is high, thus, leading to more serious problems in the future.

Furthermore, pleural mesothelioma is usually confused with other diseases like common colds, whooping cough, the flu, pneumonia and laryngitis. In few cases, pleural mesothelioma shows no symptoms at all. That is why diagnosis for this kind of disease leads to nowhere especially if the patient fails to mention being exposed to asbestos in the past.

If there was a possible exposure to asbestos, the patient must not fail to mention it to his/her doctor so that proper diagnosis steps can be done and correct results will be attained.

What is Mesothelioma?

2009-06-22T04:32:00.000-07:00

Mesothelioma is just another form of cancer in the lungs caused by exposure to asbestos. It is called “mesothelioma” because the cancer cells caused by asbestos fumes greatly damaged the outer linings of the lungs called “mesothelium”. These fibers were acquired through breathing and were suspended in the tiny openings in the lungs or stick in mucous membranes.

Medical statistics show that 95% of the people working under asbestos environment, such as factories that manufacture or use asbestos, are afflicted with mesothelioma cancer. However, there were cases wherein people have developed mesothelioma cancer even if their previous occupation was under asbestos-free environment. The results of the diagnosis pointed back to asbestos being the primary cause as there were fumes found in mesothelium, the outer linings of the lungs. It could be that one of their relatives or family members was exposed to asbestos; the fumes could have stuck in the clothes and were brought home.

But what makes mesothelioma worse is that it is very difficult to diagnose due to the following reasons:

First, mesothelioma symptoms can never be detected for 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. This simply means that once symptoms start to show, the cancer may already be in its full or advanced stage. And second, even if the symptoms show up early, diagnoses will still lead to other results as there will be other diseases in the body that will conceal the true symptoms of mesothelioma cancer. More often than not, mesothelioma is the last result doctors can find after the patients reveal being exposed to asbestos in the past.

As mentioned earlier, mesothelioma symptoms may appear when the cancer is in its advanced stage. Therefore, the success of mesothelioma treatments is dependent on what stage it is found. That is why most of mesothelioma treatments are often labeled as “unsuccessful”.

Studies show that if the cancer is discovered at its earlier stages, either stage 1 or 2, mesothelioma treatments may be successful in prolonging the life of the patient for not more than five (5) years. These treatments include radiation therapy, chemotherapy and even surgery.

Although there are conventional and natural treatments which can be used, the result will just lead to the decrease of the size of mesothelioma in the patient. But still, these kinds of treatments will not absolutely cure mesothelioma patients.

So, the question is, Are there mesothelioma survivors?

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