Mesothelioma Stages

A very rare form of cancer named mesothelioma, a malignant tumor in the mesothelial tissue of the lungs and abdomen, resulting from the inhalation of asbestos. Its rarity is one reason why many people are not aware of this kind of deadly disease. In fact, many people die of mesothelioma diagnosed. Although there is now an awareness of the dangers of asbestos to health, there are many who have not yet heard of Mesothelioma and therefore did not understand the nature, causes, signs and treatment. Even some doctors Mesothelioma difficult to detect because its symptoms are similar to other diseases such as lung cancer and pneumonia. In addition, it takes decades for a patient who has been exposed to asbestos to develop Mesothelioma-fifty years at most.

Who is not aware of mezothelioma poses the greatest risk because it deters diagnosis and treatment. A person under treatment should know the different stages of the cancer or the extent of the disease. The chances of recovering from mesothelioma, and the type of treatment depends on the stage of the disease. There are essentially two systems of staging used for Pleural Mesothelioma (lungs): TNM system and Brighan system. These systems staging are also used in other types of cancers, but the first is commonly used. There is no established method for determining the stage of Peritoneal Mesothelioma cancer (abdominal), and TNM system is used.

There are three variables in the system TNM: tumor, lymph nodes and distant metastasis. In the early stages of Mesothelioma, Phase I Malignant Mesothelioma cells begin to multiply and one layer of the pleura. The pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. However, there are some cases in which the pericardium (membrane surrounding the heart) and the diaphragm cover are already stretched. In this case, the cancer is still in Phase I Mesothelioma.

In the second stage, the two layers of the pleura are already affected by mesothelioma. Take note, however, that in this stage, only one side of the body is affected. Normally the pleura does little lubricating fluid that can broaden and contracting lungs. The excess fluid is absorbed by blood and lymphatic vessels so there is balance between the amount of fluid produced and removed. During the second stage Mesothelioma, the liquid begins to take place between the membrane of the lungs and the membrane of the chest wall, resulting from a pleural effusion. The increase in the volume of fluid product causes shortness of breath and chest pain. Mesothelioma other cancer patients experience dry, persistent cough. Diagnosis of the pleural effusion is made possible by a chest X-ray.

Stage III Mesothelioma means that the malignant cells have already spread to the chest wall, esophagus and lymph on part of the chest. The patient may suffer severe pain in the vicinity of the affected region. When it is not treated immediately, or when the Mesothelioma patient does not respond well to medication, the cancer may progress to the fourth stage. The fourth stage mesothelioma is daunting because, at this stage, mesothelioma cells entered the bloodstream and other organs of the body such as the liver, bones and brain. Lymph nodes on the other side of the chest may also be affected by mesothelioma in Phase IV.

Brighan staging, on the other hand, determines whether mesothelioma can be removed surgically or not and whether the lymph nodes are affected or not. In Phase I Mezothelioma, the lymph nodes are not yet affected, and the patient can still recover through surgery. In Phase II, surgery may still be executed, but some lymph nodes have already been infiltrated by cancer cells. During Phase III, the heart and thorax are already affected, so surgery is no longer desirable. Lymph nodes in this stage, however, may or may not be affected. In the final phase, Phase IV Mesothelioma, the cancer cells have already been submitted to the bloodstream and other body parts such as the heart, brain, bones and liver. In most cases, a patient who has reached stage IV Mesothelioma only four to twenty four months to live.

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