mesothelioma info

Mesothelioma is most often are seen in older patients, more often men thathave a history of occupational exposure to asbestos, although other causes suchas radiation and certain viruses have occasionally been implicated mesothelioma info. In a proportionof cases, no asbestos exposure can be identified.

Mesothelioma involving the lung and pleura characteristically present as progressiveshortness of breath due to the thickening of the lining membrane of the lungwith gradual contraction of the breathing space; often, fluid accumulates inthe lung spaces as well, further interfering with breathing, Mesothelioma involvingthe abdominal cavity present with digestive symptoms, and abdominal swellingdue to thickening of the lining membranes of the gut, and accumulation of largeamounts of fluid in the abdomen.

How serious Mesothelioma ?
Mesothelioma is serious and potentially life-threatening mesothelioma info. Survival of patientswith mesothelioma is usually short if effective treatment is not found, especiallythose with tumors that can be shown to be growing aggressively mesothelioma info. Because mesotheliomahas usually spread throughout the pleural or peritoneal cavity before the diagnosisis made, complete surgical removal is only rarely possible mesothelioma info. Moreover, mesotheliomais not as sensitive to radiation therapy or chemotherapy as are many other tumors.

How is mesothelioma diagnosed?
In all cases, the diagnosis of mesothelioma must first be unquestionably establishedby biopsy of affected or suspicious tissues, and by definitive microscopic examinationby a trained pathologist mesothelioma info. Biopsy almost always requires an invasive proceduresuch as thoracoscopy and pleural biopsy, or laparotomy or laparoscopy, The removedtissues may be treated with special biological or chemical stains which areused to help the pathologist establish a firm diagnosis mesothelioma info. The pathologist usuallyalso comments upon the rate of growth and biological virulence of the tumor

Second, the tumor must be staged if possible by X-ray, CAT scan, MRI or othertypes of scans to clarify its location within the body, and to estimate thelikelihood of effective curative or palliative therapy mesothelioma info. Staging of mesotheliomaby x-ray measurements, however, is difficult and often unreliable.

How is mesothelioma treated?
A treatment plan is devised depending upon the mesothelioma type, aggressiveness,primary location, and degree of local (rarely, distant) spread mesothelioma info. The treatmentof pleural mesothelioma is difficult mesothelioma info. Treatment with surgery, radiation therapyor chemotherapy used alone or in combination may be proposed, depending uponthe potential benefits and risks of each modality mesothelioma info. Surgery is rarely used alone,but sometimes suffices when only a small pleural patch of mesothelioma is detected,thus allowing visually complete removal of the tumor mesothelioma info. More often, mesotheliomaof the left or right pleural cavity cannot be completely removed without takingthe entire lung (pneumonectomy) on the same side as well mesothelioma info. In such cases, radiationtherapy and/or chemotherapy is given postoperatively to help eradicate any residualmesothelioma that may have escaped the surgeon.

The treatment of peritoneal mesothelioma is even more problematic; until recentlyno consistent treatment was available mesothelioma info. Peritoneal mesotheliomas have been managedin the experimental setting with combined modality treatment consisting of extensive(usually not complete) debulking surgery, followed by intraperitoneal and systemicchemotherapy followed in turn by whole abdominal radiation therapy.

Because mesothelioma now represents less than one percent of cancers and andare infrequently seen in the practice of most community oncologists, findingthe correct treatment can be very difficult mesothelioma info. Proper management of mesotheliomaoften requires evaluation at larger tertiary hospitals or Comprehensive CancerCenters by specialists in medical, surgical and radiation oncology with experiencein all aspects of the clinical care of mesothelioma patients, including thenewest experimental treatments.

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