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Are you suffering with fever or weight loss? Check with your doctor immediately. It could be mesothelioma. Pain or swelling in the abdomen should also not be taken lightly as they could be symptoms of mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a form of cancer, in which cancerous cells are found in a membrane that covers most of the internal organs. Remember that these symptoms could also be caused by less serious conditions. Be sure to visit a doctor if you experience these symptoms. Exercise caution if you are frequently exposed to asbestos particles. Reports suggest that exposure to asbestos mills; shipping yards and mines could also result in mesothelioma. It is said that men are more likely to get mesothelioma and the risk increases with age.
Mesothelioma Symptoms
It is not easy to diagnose mesothelioma, as its' symptoms are similar to other disorders. Some patients exhibit mesothelioma symptoms whereas others may not. Delay in diagnosis could cause delay in appropriate treatment. Do not be indifferent to shortness of breath, persistent cough or chest pain as these are the symptoms of plural mesothelioma. Note that even experienced pathologists find it difficult to detect mesothelioma symptoms, resulting in the absence of proper treatment. Peritoneal mesothelioma could cause symptoms such as swelling in the abdomen, swelling of the feet, weight loss, bowel obstruction or anemia. Plural effusion, which is an accumulation of fluid between the chest cavity and the lining of the lung, is a common symptom of mesothelioma. Increase in this fluid could result in shortness of breath. Pathologists carry out x-rays and CT scans to decide a course of treatment for effusions.
Diagnosis of Mesothelioma
Diagnosis of mesothelioma involves review of the patient's medical history, x-rays of chest or abdomen, a complete physical examination and a thorough examination of lung functions. MRI or CT scan could also be carried out to diagnose mesothelioma. If these tests give any indication of mesothelioma, biopsy is essential to confirm this diagnosis. Tissue biopsy or fluid diagnosis is essential for definitive diagnosis of mesothelioma.
Imaging methods used to diagnose mesothelioma are:
- Computed Tomography (CT)
- X-ray
- Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
If doctors suspect mesothelioma through imaging tests, they confirm it through pathological examination. The pathologist makes a report after examining the tissue with the help of a microscope. Further tests conducted to diagnose mesothelioma include peritoneoscopy, thoracoscopy and biopsy. If mesothelioma is confirmed, doctors try to determine the stage or extent of the disease.
Mesothelioma Stages
Doctors decide the treatment options based on the mesothelioma stages. Brigham system decides the stages of mesothelioma according to the resectability and lymph node involvement. Brigham system describes the following mesothelioma stages:
- Stage 1: Resectable mesothelioma and no lymph node involvement
- Stage 2: Resectable mesothelioma with lymph node involvement
- Stage 3: Unresectable mesothelioma that extends to heart, chest wall or through peritoneum, diaphragm, with or without lymph node involvement.
- Stage 4: Distant metastatic disease
Mesothelioma stages determine if the cancer has spread from the original location to the other parts of the body. Mesothelioma staging could be clinical or pathological. Clinical staging depends on scanning tests and x-rays whereas pathological staging refers to staging done at surgery. Note that plural mesothelioma is the only mesothelioma that has staging system.
Treatment for Mesothelioma
Treatment for mesothelioma depends on the patient's age, general health and the stage of disease. The most common mesothelioma treatments include radiation, surgery and chemotherapy. Doctors may go for multimodality therapy, which is the combination of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, during the early stages of mesothelioma. Researchers are working hard to test and develop effective treatments for mesothelioma. Discuss the clinical trials with your doctor before beginning the treatment. Doctors may make use of a needle to remove fluid collected in the abdomen or the chest. The procedure for removing fluid in the chest is referred to as thoracentesis whereas the removal of fluid from abdomen is called as paracentesis.
How to Prevent Mesothelioma?
Prevention is certainly better than cure. You can prevent mesothelioma if you exercise caution. You may avoid mesothelioma by eliminating your exposure to asbestos. Slight exposure to asbestos could also cause problems. It is difficult to eliminate complete exposure as asbestos is used for making different products. Wear protective masks and clothing if you cannot avoid exposure to asbestos. If your workplace exposes you to asbestos, change clothes before going home.
In most cases treatments help to significantly reduce symptoms of Mesothelioma enabling persons to lead normal life.
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