Friday, November 9, 2012
Mesothelioma Symptoms
One
of the greatest dangers of mesothelioma is that decades can pass before
the first symptom shows up in a victim. Twenty, 30, and even 50 years
can pass between a victim’s first exposure to asbestos and the initial
sign of illness. Indicators of the early stages of mesothelioma can be
as simple as a consistent cough or chest pains. The different types of
mesothelioma - Pleural, Peritoneal, and Pericardium – reveal different
symptoms.
Pleural (lungs and chest) mesothelioma is indicated by an initial loss of breath and regular cough. As the cancer spreads and becomes more serious in later stages, chest pain will increase due to fluids spreading throughout the linings of the chest and lungs. The fluid will surround the lungs and fill the lining of the chest, creating a swelling and intense pain, as well as apply greater pressure to the lungs and making breathing much more difficult for the victim. Pleural mesothelioma becomes very evident when the symptoms increase to exhaustion, severe cough and sore throat, extreme difficulty in breathing, wheezing, possible anemia, and coughing up blood and other fluids. In the most severe stages of pleural mesothelioma, the victim will experience a collapsed lung and respiratory failure. In later stages, the cancer will spread throughout the chest and into other parts of the body.
Peritoneal (abdomen) mesothelioma is indicated in the early stages by stomach pains and swelling due to fluid buildup. Upon touch, the abdomen will feel stiff, as if full from a large meal, and the victim will begin to experience difficulties with defecation, urination and bowel movements. As the cancer becomes more serious and spreads beyond the stomach lining and abdominal walls, the victim’s appetite will be suppressed causing weight loss and fevers. Swelling will also increase throughout the body. In the later and more serious stages, the body will experience severe blood clotting, internal bleeding, and low blood sugar. The skin will become yellow from jaundice, and fluids will put intense pressure on the abdomen and chest as the cancerous cells spread to other areas of the body.
With Pericardium (heart) mesothelioma, the early symptoms include chest pains, shortness of breath, coughing, and weakness. As the cancer progresses, exhaustion and fatigue become common symptoms, and fluid begins collecting in the pericardial lining of the heart. In later stages, the pressure on the heart becomes too great and the victim will experience heart complications, including heart disease, heart attacks, stroke, and heart failure.
In any case of mesothelioma, the cancer will spread to almost every region of the body causing great complications and often untreatable consequences. However, as many forms of cancer have been known to spread to the bones, brain, and kidneys, mesothelioma has no serious or regular known tendency to spread to these areas of the body.
Pleural (lungs and chest) mesothelioma is indicated by an initial loss of breath and regular cough. As the cancer spreads and becomes more serious in later stages, chest pain will increase due to fluids spreading throughout the linings of the chest and lungs. The fluid will surround the lungs and fill the lining of the chest, creating a swelling and intense pain, as well as apply greater pressure to the lungs and making breathing much more difficult for the victim. Pleural mesothelioma becomes very evident when the symptoms increase to exhaustion, severe cough and sore throat, extreme difficulty in breathing, wheezing, possible anemia, and coughing up blood and other fluids. In the most severe stages of pleural mesothelioma, the victim will experience a collapsed lung and respiratory failure. In later stages, the cancer will spread throughout the chest and into other parts of the body.
Peritoneal (abdomen) mesothelioma is indicated in the early stages by stomach pains and swelling due to fluid buildup. Upon touch, the abdomen will feel stiff, as if full from a large meal, and the victim will begin to experience difficulties with defecation, urination and bowel movements. As the cancer becomes more serious and spreads beyond the stomach lining and abdominal walls, the victim’s appetite will be suppressed causing weight loss and fevers. Swelling will also increase throughout the body. In the later and more serious stages, the body will experience severe blood clotting, internal bleeding, and low blood sugar. The skin will become yellow from jaundice, and fluids will put intense pressure on the abdomen and chest as the cancerous cells spread to other areas of the body.
With Pericardium (heart) mesothelioma, the early symptoms include chest pains, shortness of breath, coughing, and weakness. As the cancer progresses, exhaustion and fatigue become common symptoms, and fluid begins collecting in the pericardial lining of the heart. In later stages, the pressure on the heart becomes too great and the victim will experience heart complications, including heart disease, heart attacks, stroke, and heart failure.
In any case of mesothelioma, the cancer will spread to almost every region of the body causing great complications and often untreatable consequences. However, as many forms of cancer have been known to spread to the bones, brain, and kidneys, mesothelioma has no serious or regular known tendency to spread to these areas of the body.
Mesothelioma Prognosis
Because
each form of mesothelioma shares so many symptoms with many other
sicknesses, it is often very difficult to diagnose and treat the cancer
in its earliest stages. Having been previously exposed to asbestos is
certainly an indicator, but a series of tests would be necessary to
determine whether further initial treatment is necessary in the presence
of multiple indicators. Once a physician determines that mesothelioma
is present and malignant, a prognosis will be determined and a patient’s
treatment options will be discussed.
As mesothelioma progresses and becomes evident only in the later stages, the prognosis is more than often poor at best, with the victim’s life expectancy typically at less than five years. Depending on the severity of the later stage symptoms, the physician will recommend the best options and lay out a blueprint of sort for the best interest of both the patient and the family. The key to treatment and a positive prognosis is detecting the cancer in its early stages, as mesothelioma becomes more difficult to treat in the later stages.
Mesothelioma is generally regarded in four stages of development, with stage one being the earliest and stage four being the most critical. In stage one of the cancer, the linings of the organs or chest have only become infected and have yet to spread significantly. Lymph nodes are also not yet affected during this stage. By stage two, the cancer has spread throughout the lining of the chest or organs and has begun to spread into the organs, possibly affecting the lymph nodes and surrounding areas of the body. The symptoms will worsen in stage two and this is generally the last chance to diagnose the disease and begin preventable recessive treatment.
By stage three, the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes has damaged the organs or chest considerably. Life expectancy after stage three has set in is considerably short without serious treatment and therapy. During stage four, chances for survival are poor as the cancer has spread throughout the organs and/or chest, as well as the surrounding areas of the body. Surgery is not possible by this point and only radiation and chemotherapy can be employed as preventative measures, however even then the chances of survival are ultimately low.
While the stages determine the necessary severity of treatment, there are various other factors involved in the physician’s prognosis as well. The affected area, the size of the tumor, the type of mesothelioma – Pleural, Peritoneal, or Pericardium – and whether or not the tumor can be removed help determine whether or not surgery is an acceptable option. The extent of the symptoms, the spread of the cancer, and the build-up of fluids also play a factor is diagnosis, as does the patient’s age and history of health. Diagnosis is most common in people over the age of 55.
While statistics prove that the survival rate for mesothelioma victims is still very low (only 10 percent of diagnosed patients will live up to five years after prognosis), modern medicine and technology is making great advancements in treatment and giving hope that this deadly killer will someday be preventable.
As mesothelioma progresses and becomes evident only in the later stages, the prognosis is more than often poor at best, with the victim’s life expectancy typically at less than five years. Depending on the severity of the later stage symptoms, the physician will recommend the best options and lay out a blueprint of sort for the best interest of both the patient and the family. The key to treatment and a positive prognosis is detecting the cancer in its early stages, as mesothelioma becomes more difficult to treat in the later stages.
Mesothelioma is generally regarded in four stages of development, with stage one being the earliest and stage four being the most critical. In stage one of the cancer, the linings of the organs or chest have only become infected and have yet to spread significantly. Lymph nodes are also not yet affected during this stage. By stage two, the cancer has spread throughout the lining of the chest or organs and has begun to spread into the organs, possibly affecting the lymph nodes and surrounding areas of the body. The symptoms will worsen in stage two and this is generally the last chance to diagnose the disease and begin preventable recessive treatment.
By stage three, the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes has damaged the organs or chest considerably. Life expectancy after stage three has set in is considerably short without serious treatment and therapy. During stage four, chances for survival are poor as the cancer has spread throughout the organs and/or chest, as well as the surrounding areas of the body. Surgery is not possible by this point and only radiation and chemotherapy can be employed as preventative measures, however even then the chances of survival are ultimately low.
While the stages determine the necessary severity of treatment, there are various other factors involved in the physician’s prognosis as well. The affected area, the size of the tumor, the type of mesothelioma – Pleural, Peritoneal, or Pericardium – and whether or not the tumor can be removed help determine whether or not surgery is an acceptable option. The extent of the symptoms, the spread of the cancer, and the build-up of fluids also play a factor is diagnosis, as does the patient’s age and history of health. Diagnosis is most common in people over the age of 55.
While statistics prove that the survival rate for mesothelioma victims is still very low (only 10 percent of diagnosed patients will live up to five years after prognosis), modern medicine and technology is making great advancements in treatment and giving hope that this deadly killer will someday be preventable.
Mesothelioma Cure
Mesothelioma
is a form of cancer caused by exposure to high levels of asbestos. The
disease can remain undetected in a person for many years because the
symptoms manifest very slowly. When a person suffers from malignant
mesothelioma, his/her internal organs will become affected. In a vast
majority of people, the disease is detected only after the cancer has
spread significantly. Surgery can help in extending the life span of a
person afflicted by this disease, provided, it is detected early.
However, there is no known cure for mesothelioma at this time.
In the advance stages of this disease, the symptoms may include fluid collection in the abdomen and chest. Doctors drain the fluid at this stage to reduce discomfort of patients. This method of treatment is called Paracentesis or Thorancentesis. Mesothelioma cure can suffer a setback if the disease relapses. In that case, the treatment method will depend on the patient’s medical history and area of recurrence.
Radiation is another effective mesothelioma treatment. This method works by stopping the multiplication of cancer cells after destroying them completely. Normally, doctors use surgery along with radiation therapy to treat mesothelioma in patients.
With the advancement of technology, patients can take advantage of other treatment options that have evolved in the recent past. Targeted radiation or chemotherapy is possible nowadays with the help of computer topography scans that help doctors to view the three-dimensional images of the patient’s internal organs.
Heated chemotherapy agents are injected during surgery in the affected area to arrest the growth of the tumor. This can eliminate other cancer cells present in that area also. This method is found to be effective in extending the prognosis much beyond the normal time duration. It can also do away with the serious side effects caused by these chemotherapy agents.
Symptoms of Mesothelioma
The first step towards finding a cure for mesothelioma is to understand the symptoms of this disease. The common symptoms associated with this disease include chest pain, chronic cough, difficulty in breathing, etc. However, many times the symptoms of this disease do not surface early, making treatment an arduous task. There is a very minor chance for survival of an average mesothelioma patient once the disease is diagnosed.Stages of Mesothelioma
The options for treating and possibly curing mesothelioma depend on the stage of the disease. Treatment options may depend on several factors such as general health, patient’s age, size of tumor and the like. In the first stage of the disease, surgery may be the best choice for treatment and cure. Through a surgical procedure, the doctors may remove the tumor including the tissues nearby. However, the doctors may also use several methods in combination such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery to get the desired results.In the advance stages of this disease, the symptoms may include fluid collection in the abdomen and chest. Doctors drain the fluid at this stage to reduce discomfort of patients. This method of treatment is called Paracentesis or Thorancentesis. Mesothelioma cure can suffer a setback if the disease relapses. In that case, the treatment method will depend on the patient’s medical history and area of recurrence.
Treating Mesothelioma
Depending on the seriousness of the individual, treatment methods for mesothelioma will vary. The most popular treatments or cures for mesothelioma include chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. Many experimental treatments for mesothelioma are used by doctors nowadays that are showing some positive outcomes. The experimental treatments include immunotherapy, photodynamic therapy, gene therapy, and others.Surgery Procedures
Surgical methods to treat this disease can be in the form of diagnostic surgery, curative surgery and palliative surgery. The disease must be detected early if surgery will yield successful results. However, this can be quite difficult since Mesothelioma cannot be detected early. In chemotherapy, drugs such as Alimta and Cisplatin may be injected intravenously. These drugs can destroy the cancer cells that obstruct the natural processes of cell division. Patients suffering from peritonal mesothelioma can find relief from the relatively new treatment heated chemotherapy.Radiation is another effective mesothelioma treatment. This method works by stopping the multiplication of cancer cells after destroying them completely. Normally, doctors use surgery along with radiation therapy to treat mesothelioma in patients.
With the advancement of technology, patients can take advantage of other treatment options that have evolved in the recent past. Targeted radiation or chemotherapy is possible nowadays with the help of computer topography scans that help doctors to view the three-dimensional images of the patient’s internal organs.
Heated chemotherapy agents are injected during surgery in the affected area to arrest the growth of the tumor. This can eliminate other cancer cells present in that area also. This method is found to be effective in extending the prognosis much beyond the normal time duration. It can also do away with the serious side effects caused by these chemotherapy agents.
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