Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer
It is a rare form of cancer that affects mesothelium, the thin layer that covers most organs. It can affect the lung lining (pleural mesothelioma) and, in some rare instances, other locations including the abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma), heart or testicles.
Many people mistakenly believe that mesothelioma and lung cancer is the same disease. Numerous tests can help doctors determine the correct diagnosis.
Symptoms
Mesothelioma is a cancer that occurs in the thin layer of tissue that surrounds many of your organs. It is most commonly found in the linings of the lungs (pleura), but it can also be found in the linings of the abdomen and heart, or in the testicles. It is caused by exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma may develop 10 to 40 years after exposure. It is a difficult condition to diagnose because the symptoms are similar to other conditions. Early symptoms include chest discomfort, shortness of breath and dry cough.
These symptoms are often misinterpreted as other illnesses, like influenza or pneumonia. Diagnostic tests and biopsy are only used to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma after the cancer has been spread.
A biopsy is the process of taking a small amount of mesothelial tissue for examination under the microscope. There are asbestos lung mesothelioma of mesothelioma: epithelioid and sarcomatoid. The epithelioid cell has an improved prognosis due to the fact that it grows more slowly and is more responsive to treatment. A mesothelioma that combines both kinds of cells is more rare and has a poorer prognosis.
If the mesothelioma is in stage 1 or 2 it hasn't spread very far and surgery may still be feasible. In these stages, the main focus is on controlling symptoms, not curing cancer.
Symptoms in this stage include breathing difficulties due to fluid build up in the lungs. This can cause chest pain and coughing. It can be painful to eat or drink. X-rays and CT scans can aid your doctor in identifying the lungs' fluid. In some instances, a pleural fluid sample can be obtained through VATS, which is a type of keyhole surgery, or the procedure can be carried out with a needle that is guided by the aid of a CT scan.
In stage 3 mesothelioma the tumours have started to spread beyond the lungs as well as nearby lymph nodes. It is possible that mesothelioma has reached the pericardium, which is the sac that surrounds the heart. Pleurodesis is a procedure that can be used to prevent the accumulation of fluid in your lungs. It's also sometimes possible to drain the lungs of fluid via an indwelling tube that you can remove at your own home, following the instructions of your physician.
Diagnosis
The symptoms of lung cancer and mesothelioma are similar, which makes it difficult to differentiate between them. It's not common for doctors to confuse the two conditions or misdiagnose them. It is essential that a doctor make a diagnosis as accurate as is possible, as the right treatment could make a huge difference in the patient's prognosis.
Doctors examine patients and take their medical history in order to identify mesothelioma. They can also inquire about the patient's previous exposure to asbestos, and what types of symptoms they're experiencing. Patients must be able to provide as much detail about their asbestos exposure as possible to assist doctors identify the problem more quickly.
Doctors employ a variety of tests to determine if a patient is suffering from mesothelioma or lung cancer. These tests can include an chest CT scan, blood test or X-rays, and a biopsy. A CT scan allows doctors to see the pleura, the layer of tissue that surrounds the diaphragm as well as the lung. This will help determine if the lining around the lung is thickening or if fluids are building up in the chest cavity. These are both signs of mesothelioma.
In addition, doctors can check the blood of patients for specific enzymes that are increased in mesothelioma patients and less so in patients who have lung cancer. These enzymes are a sign that cancer cells are quickly expanding. They may also check the lungs of an individual to see if there are tumor-like nodules that line the lungs. This is a different mesothelioma symptom.
Metastasis, also known as the spread of cancer to other organs, is a common method through which mesothelioma and lung cancer can be identified. Oncologists employ a variety of methods to determine if cancer has spread. One of the methods is an PET scan.
In addition to looking at symptoms and results of tests, doctors also look at how the cancerous cells appear under microscope. They can examine the shape of the cells and how clumped together they are. Mesothelioma cancers aren't clearly defined and do not have distinct boundaries, whereas lung cancers tend to be more pronounced. When deciding on a treatment, doctors will consider the extent to which cancer has been able to spread and what stage it is.
Treatment
Mesothelioma patients usually receive a combination of chemotherapy and surgery. They are designed to prolong life and slow the progression of cancer. Unfortunately, mesothelioma is an incurable disease. Despite this, the treatments are effective and can help improve patients' prognoses.
Mesothelioma is classified based on the location of the tumor and type of cell. Pleural mesothelioma occurs in the lining of the lungs. Those diagnosed with this form of the disease have a better prognosis than those who have mesothelioma peritoneal in the abdomen or other less well-known types of mesothelioma.
During the process of diagnosis doctors look over a patient's history of medical conditions and perform physical examination. They also conduct tests to check for any abnormalities. Doctors may recommend X radiations, CT scans, or magnetic resonance imaging to identify any abnormalities on the body. They may also recommend biopsies to confirm the diagnosis of mesothelioma.
A biopsy is a procedure that uses a needle and a small piece of tissue to be analyzed under a microscope. This is the only way to determine if Mesothelioma is. Mesothelioma is a cancer that can manifest symptoms similar to other illnesses, such as pneumonia or the flu.
If the lung's lining is affected, doctors may suggest a procedure known as pleurodesis to ease breathlessness due to the buildup of fluid in the lungs. In this procedure, a doctor pumps a special medication into the chest cavity through a tube called a bronchoscope. The medication seals the lining of the lungs to prevent fluid buildup and assisting in breathing.
In some cases doctors may also recommend radiation or chemotherapy. Chemotherapy utilizes cytotoxic chemicals that destroy cancerous cells and slow down the growth of new ones. Additionally, it can reduce the chance of mesothelioma recurring after surgery. Neoadjuvant therapy is the process of administering chemotherapy before surgery to decrease the size of mesothelioma cancerous cells. Adjuvant chemotherapy can be used to eliminate cancerous cells that remain after surgery, reducing the chance of them spreading. Doctors may also use HIPEC (hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy) to treat Adenocarcinoma of the peritoneal area. This involves injecting heated chemotherapy directly into the abdomen.
Prognosis
The prognosis of mesothelioma is based on the type and location, as well as the stage at when the cancer was first diagnosed and the overall health of the patient. Patients with a higher chance of survival are those who are younger, generally in better health, and non-smokers.
Mesothelioma is diagnosed based on the type of cells in the affected tissue as well as the site of the tumor. A doctor will also determine the stage of mesothelioma. This indicates the extent to which cancer has spread or metastasized.
Stage 1 mesothelioma has localized tumors within one layer of the pleura. The most typical symptoms of this stage include chest discomfort and breath shortness. If you are diagnosed with mesothelioma at this stage may be able to benefit from surgery or other treatments.
Asbestos sufferers who have an advanced form of mesothelioma, like in the pleura or abdomen, may suffer more severe symptoms than patients with an early stage. The cancers are more likely not to have a spread into other organs including the abdominal cavity as well as the heart.
Doctors may suggest treatment options like radiation, chemotherapy or immunotherapy depending on the stage of mesothelioma. This can improve the prognosis. These treatments can help patients who have mesothelioma to live longer, even if the disease is in remission.
Mesothelioma patients should consult their doctors about any symptoms or signs they experience that are unusual even if they don't believe the condition is mesothelioma. A doctor can assess symptoms and determine whether they're connected to asbestos exposure. These symptoms can be used to help prevent mesothelioma and asbestosis as well as other diseases.