Mesothelioma Diagnosis and Treating Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a deadly disease that inflicts around 3,000 Americans yearly. The average life span of patients with this illness is less than 24 months after diagnosis. Many laborers who have worked hard to provide the needs of their families and to keep America running as a wonderful place to live suffer with this disease in their golden years.

Mesothelioma is a tissue that protects the chest and abdominal cavities, as well as the cavity surrounding the heart. It produces a special fluid that lubricates the internal organs so they can move around.

Malignant mesothelioma occurs when the mesothelial cells functions abnormally and reproduces itself. This may occur in the outer covering of most internal organs. For localized stage, the disease can take place in the lining of the chest cavity, lung or the diaphragm.

Advanced malignant mesothelioma can be classified into three stages (stage II, III and IV). During stage II, the tumor spreads past the chest lining into the lymph nodes. In Stage III, the tumor invades the chest wall, the chest center, the heart, abdominal lining or the diaphragm, etc. Stage IV, or the final stage, has the cancer spread to distant organs already.

The cancer that affects the lining of the abdomen is called peritoneal mesothelioma and that which affects the pericardial cavity (the "sac-like" space surrounding the heart) is called pericardial mesothelioma. At times it also affects the covering of the testicles.

The tumors of the mesothelium may either be non-cancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant). Symptoms may include chest pains, abdominal pains, abdominal swelling or shortness of breath.

Diagnosing and Treating Mesothelioma

The first step in the diagnosis of mesothelioma is through X-rays and scans. This is followed by either thoracoscopy (for pleural cancer) or peritoneoscopy (for peritoneal cancer). A biopsy will be necessary if an abnormal tissue is discovered; where a slice of tissue will be taken for microscopic examination.

The doctor will then determine whether the disease is in a localized stage or advanced stage. This, plus the location of the tumor as well as considering the age, health condition and medical history of the mesothelioma patient, a treatment option will be presented. The options are 1) the use of specialized drugs (chemotherapy); 2) the use of high energy rays (radiation therapy); or 3) the removal of the tumor (surgery).

In case of fluid build-up in the chest or abdomen, the patient may need to undergo the process of thoracentesis or paracentesis to drain the fluid.

Source by Greg Allman