Mesothelioma

What is Mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma has in the beginning generally non-specific symptoms. This may lead to delay in diagnosis. Symptons of mesothelioma patients can be: shortness of breath, chest pain or persistent cough. Some patients even don't show symptoms at all. Other but less common symptoms of pleural mesothelioma may include fever, night sweats and weight loss. Different versions of mesothelioma can cause fluid, nausea, weight loss, bowel obstruction, anemia or swelling of the feet. Mesothelioma can come in 2 stages. The pleural one and the peritoneal one.

Pleural mesothelioma The TNM system is called the International Mesothelioma Interest Group staging system. This is the most commonly used staging system used in cancer staging generally. The system describes the absence or presence of distant metastases (M ), the extent of the primary tumour (T) and the absence or presence of cancer in nearby lymph nodes (N).

Once the TNM categories have been decided, this information is grouped together to give the stage. Stage 1 is the earliest stage and stage 4 is the most advanced stage.

Stage 1 mesothelioma affects one layer of the pleura only. It may have grown into the covering of the heart (pericardium) and the diaphragm Stage 2 mesothelioma has spread to both layers of the pleura on one side of the body only Stage 3 mesothelioma has spread to the chest wall, food pipe (oesophagus) or lymph nodes on the same side of the chest Stage 4 mesothelioma has spread via the bloodstream to other organs in the body such as the liver, brain or bone or to lymph nodes on the other side of the chest Peritoneal mesothelioma stages There is no established staging system for peritoneal mesothelioma. If your cancer is staged it may be done according to the TNM system. The TNM system is the staging system most commonly used in cancer. The TNM system describes the extent of the primary tumour (T), the absence or presence of cancer in nearby lymph nodes (N), and the absence or presence of distant metastases (M).

Your choice of treatment will depend on a number of factors including, the stage of your cancer any other medical conditions you may have . Your general fitness Unfortunately mesothelioma can be very difficult to treat. Nearly all treatment is aimed at controlling the diseaes for as long as possible and keeping symptoms under control. Mesothelioma can be treated withChemotherapy Radiotherapy Surgery.

Doctors and researchers are working to improve treatment all the time. You may be offered treatment as part of a clinical trial and not as a standard treatment. The results of the trials will be used to improve treatment in the future. There is information about taking part in a clinical trial in CancerHelp UK.

Mesothelioma treatment is designed to treat the immediate area of the pleural mesothelioma or the whole body. Whole body treatments are called systemic treatments. Localised treatments include surgery and radiotherapy. Systemic treatments act on cancer cells no matter where they may be in the body and include chemotherapy.

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT THESE SYMPTOMS AREN'T ALWAYS CAUSED BY MESOTHELIOMA. IT CAN ALSO BE CAUSED BY OTHER LESS SERIOUS CONDITIONS. ONLY A DOCTOR WILL SEE IF IT IS MESOTHELIOMA.

Reference: P. den Ridder