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Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma, a form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure, is a naturally occurring cancer. The disease usually develops over the course of years after exposure.

Doctors treat mesothelioma by using radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery. Treatment can help patients live longer.

There are three kinds of mesothelioma. The stage and the type of cells that compose the tumor affect the prognosis.

What is mesothelioma?

The mesothelioma; 78.caiwik.com,-related cancer develops in the mesothelium (a thin layer of tissue that lines organs within the body). It is caused by exposure to asbestos which is a class of fibrous minerals.

The exposure to asbestos typically occurs when people inhale or swallow asbestos fibers. These asbestos particles adhere to organ linings they irritate and cause tumors. The diagnosis of mesothelioma is able to be made by doctors after they have examined the tumors and obtain a tissue sample, also called a biopsy. Mesothelioma is classified by type based on the type of cells seen in the tumors. The three mesothelioma types are epithelial (also called sarcomatoid) triphasic, biphasic and sarcomatoid. Epithelial Mesothelioma comprises about 50% of all diagnoses. Sarcomatoid mesothelioma represents 10 percent of all cases and has a worse prognosis compared to the epithelial. Biphasic mesothelioma consists of epithelial cells and sarcomatoid ones. It accounts for 30 to 40 percent of all diagnoses.

Mesothelioma symptoms include chest pain, abdominal pain and difficulty breathing. These symptoms are similar to those of other diseases, so it is imperative to see an expert if you are suffering from these symptoms.

Treatment for mesothelioma may help alleviate symptoms, slow tumor growth and allow patients live longer. Treatment options include chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. Patients can also receive palliative treatment, which helps to manage discomfort and pain.

Doctors continue to research ways to treat mesothelioma, and how it expands. Immunotherapy is a novel treatment that relies on your own immune system to fight cancer. This is a trial treatment that has shown promise for certain mesothelioma patients. Patients can also take part in clinical trials, which are research studies on new treatments. Most often, mesothelioma patients get treated at specialist cancer centers where they can get access to doctors with experience treating the disease.

Diagnosis

The first step in receiving treatment to extend your life span is a mesothelioma-related diagnosis. Your doctor will review your medical history and symptoms to determine the type of mesothelioma you have. This is crucial because the three primary mesothelioma cell types respond differently to treatment.

Your doctor may recommend an X-ray chest scan or CT scan as the initial test. During the test, you be lying on a table while the X-ray machine or CT scan produces a detailed image of your chest and the surrounding organs. A small dose of dye, usually iodine, is typically administered prior to the procedure. This will make the tissue in your abdomen and chest lighter, making it easier to see. During this time, you could be asked to perform a breathing test.

If these tests show the possibility of a tumor that is cancerous or mass, your doctor will probably take a biopsy. A biopsy is the removal of an area of tissue from the mass or tumor, either by surgery or by inserting a needle into the site. The specimen is then examined under a microscope, looking for mesothelioma cell.

Our specialists may use ultrasound to identify the presence of lymph nodes that are enlarged which could be mesothelioma. This procedure is known as endobronchial ultrasonography-guided needle biopsy or EBNA. It is performed on an outpatient basis, so you can return home the same day.

A mesothelioma doctor will also need to determine your mesothelioma's stage. The stages are determined by how much the cancer has spread and which kind of mesothelioma it is. Finding a reliable diagnosis from a mesothelioma specialist is the best way to ensure that you receive the correct treatment.

Treatment

The treatment plan for mesothelioma patients is determined by the extent of the disease as well as their general health. Mesothelioma patients typically undergo multimodal therapy, which is a combination of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation.

The first step in treating mesothelioma is an examination and telling your doctor about any asbestos exposures you have had in the past. Doctors will also order scans of the blood and imaging to detect mesothelioma and rule out other diseases. These include CT (computerized tomography) scans; MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans as well as FDG-PET (fluorodeoxyglucose Postron emission tomography) scans; and mediastinoscopy (used to study and sample lymph nodes that are located in the chest cavity).

The majority of mesothelioma-related pleural cases can be treated through surgery. Patients can undergo a minimally invasive procedure known as video-assisted surgery (VAT) or a CT-guided needle biopsy. Both surgeries can reduce symptoms and improve the patient's life expectancy.

Chemotherapy is a method of treatment that uses drugs to eliminate cancerous cells and Mesothelioma stop them from growing. It is standard mesothelioma treatment and can extend the duration of survival. It can be administered via intravenous drip (IV) or in pill form.

Radiation is another mesothelioma therapy that can kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. It can be used to treat pleural cancer in various stages, and to ease pain and prolong the life of patients.

In the latter stages of mesothelioma, doctors often focus on reducing symptoms and prolonging the patient's life for as long as they can. Palliative care is the term used to describe the process of this type of treatment. While the mesothelioma-related survival rate is very low however, there are many who have survived. For example, paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould, who was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma in 1982, lived for an additional 20 years before dying from complications of another illness.

Signs and symptoms

Many people with mesothelioma have symptoms for months or years before they are diagnosed. Initial symptoms may be misinterpreted as a sign of other ailments or ignored. However, if you have any of these symptoms, it is crucial to see your physician immediately.

The organs of your body are wrapped in a layer of tissue called the mesothelium. This layer protects them from rubbing together. Mesothelioma, a form of cancer, targets mesothelium, the cell that line your organs. Most mesothelioma cases begin in the lining surrounding the lungs, but it may also be found in the lining of your heart (pericardium) or abdomen (peritoneum) and in the lining around testicles (tunica vaginalis).

The earliest symptoms of mesothelioma case may include breathlessness, chest pain and fatigue. Mesothelioma can also cause fluid to accumulate in the chest wall and lungs resulting in the formation of pleural effusion. A pleural effusion can place pressure on the lungs which can cause coughing and breathing difficulties.

Doctors diagnose mesothelioma after conducting a thorough medical exam and taking the patient's history. They may order chest X-rays, which can show abnormalities such as thickening of the lung lining, mesothelioma or the accumulation of fluid in the chest wall. They may also request an MRI, CT scan or PET scan to take more detailed pictures of your lung or other tissues within your body. They may also drain any fluid that accumulates in the pleura or the peritoneum through an ultrasound-guided aspiration procedure.

A biopsy can help determine the type of mesothelioma cell that is forming the tumor, and how fast it is growing. This can help doctors choose the most effective treatment options. The three options of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery are the three types of mesothelioma treatments that are standard.

The following is a list with preventions.

Mesothelioma is not preventable, but you can lower your risk by avoiding people who are exposed to asbestos case and avoiding the area. Exposure to asbestos case could cause lung cancer as well as other ailments that affect organ linings. There are many kinds of mesothelioma, and some of them are more serious than others. Certain types are easier to treat than others.

Asbestos is an assortment of minerals that contain tiny microscopic fibers. Manufacturers used it in the construction industry as well as other industrial products, without knowing about its dangers. Blue-collar workers and veterans were especially exposed to asbestos. Asbestos is now recognized as a hazard and you should not live in a house or work in an old plant that has asbestos.

If you have an antecedent of exposure to asbestos, speak with your physician about getting regular screening. X-rays, CT or MRI scanners can detect problems in your lungs, abdomen or stomach. A biopsy can help identify the presence of a tumor in the stomach lining or chest. Doctors will test samples of tissue from this area to determine whether you suffer from mesothelioma. There is a possibility that you have pleural mesothelioma which affects the lining of your lungs. Other types include pericardial, testicular or the peritoneal.

After asbestos exposure it could take several years before mesothelioma begins to develop. Even so, it can be difficult to recognize. It is often misdiagnosed as a condition or illness such as pneumonia, bronchitis or lung cancer. This can mean that you are not getting the correct treatment. Researchers are working to improve the diagnosis of cancer and developing tests to detect mesothelioma earlier. This could lead to better treatment and a higher survival rate. The research includes using genetic testing to determine those most likely develop mesothelioma.