Mesothelioma Cancer:

Mesothelioma cancer affecting mesothelial cells that cover most internal organs. There are two main types of mesothelioma; pleura and peritoneum.

Pleural Mesothelioma:

This is cancer that begins in the membrane covering the lungs. Although it develops in the chest and involves the lining of the lungs, it is not lung cancer, it is treated differently from lung cancer.

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.”

Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type, accounting for about 90% of all this type of cancer.

Pleural Mesothelioma Symptoms:

The main symptoms of mesothelioma include:

Shortness of breath – usually worsens with activity or lying down

Chest pain or shoulder and upper arm pain

Loss of appetite, weight loss

A persistent cough or a change in the person’s normal cough

A lot of sweating, especially at night.

Early symptoms of pleural mesothelioma are similar to other illnesses and illnesses, but if you think you have been exposed to asbestos, talk to your doctor.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma Cancer:

Another major type is peritoneal mesothelioma, accounting for about 10% of cases. It develops in the lining of the abdomen.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma Symptoms:

The main symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include:

Swelling or pain in the abdomen

Loss of appetite

nausea

fever

Bowel or urine problems.

Less commonly, mesothelioma begins with a membrane that surrounds the heart or genital organs. The growth pattern gradually grows and spreads to the surrounding area. Rarely, a person may develop mesothelioma in more than one place.

In 2012, Australia diagnosed 726 cases of new mesothelioma, is more common in older men.

Causes of Mesothelioma:

The only known cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma development may take many years after exposure to asbestos.

There is a time when the skin tumor and chest radiation therapy before.

Screening Mesothelioma:

There is currently no available mesothelioma screening.

Mesothelioma Diagnosis:

If you or your doctor suspects that you may have this type of cancer, you may be able to do some of the following tests:

Blood Test:

Blood tests can check your overall health and how your blood cells, liver, and kidneys work.

X-Ray:

it can help to identify any abnormality in the lungs, pleural or fluid thickening in the space between the lungs and the chest wall. X-rays also help to identify the fluid in the abdomen.

CT Scan:

CT scans also produce three-dimensional images of several organs, can also scan the chest lymph nodes. CT scanning can also be used to observe whether it has spread to other locations.

Biopsy:

A biopsy is performed when a sample of pleural or abdominal tissue is removed for examination under a microscope. It is a primary procedure for the diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma, either by VATS (Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery) keyhole surgery or by a CT-guided core biopsy using a needle guided by a CT scan at a local Anesthesia.

Pleural Effusion:

This can be used to alleviate the symptoms of dyspnea caused by pleural leakage into the pleural cavity (known as pleural effusion) and, in some cases, for the diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma. People with peritoneal mesothelioma may have fluid (called peritoneal effusion) swelling and pain in the abdomen.

An ultrasound scan is used to direct the physician that fluid enters the pleural cavity or abdomen through a needle inserted through the chest wall. The fluid sample is then sent to the pathologist for testing.

Combining the results from the fluid sample with the information from the x-ray and CT scans can provide certainty of the acceptable level of diagnosis.

FDG positron emission tomography (FDG-PET); mediastinoscopy (for examination and examination of samples in the chest (eg, chest radiographs); and, if the diagnosis is mesothelioma, further testing is usually conducted to find out whether the disease has spread to other parts of the body, Central or intrabronchial ultrasound (EBUS).

“I remember we would make our own “lagging” by dumping loose asbestos in a bucket and pouring water into it. We’d mix it up with our bare hands B no gloves or anything B till it made kind of a mud, then we’d slap it on the joints. During all this, the air would be full of dust… the asbestos was just like flour.” — Navy Boilerman, mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma Treatment:

Active Treatment:

Although there is no mesothelioma treatment, the active treatment recommended to some people. This may include chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery, or a combination of these treatments. It can help some people achieve longer-term disease control.

Chemotherapy:

Chemotherapeutic drugs are designed to destroy cancer cells while causing the least possible damage to healthy cells.

The most commonly used chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of pleural mesothelioma include pemetrexed and cisplatin or carboplatin.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma Cancer Patients:

Radiation Therapy:

Radiation therapy, using x-rays to kill or damage cancer cells, can be used in different stages of pleural mesothelioma and in different ways. For example, it may alleviate symptoms such as pain caused by tumors and may be administered after chemotherapy or surgery to help kill the remaining cancer cells. Radiotherapy is rarely used to treat peritoneal mesothelioma.

Surgery:

There are two major types of active treatment of pleural mesothelioma: extrapleural pneumonectomy (PPE), which removes the tumor and pleura, the lining of the affected lung, ), Which removes the pleura and as many diseases as possible.

In contrast, surgery is usually not the choice of peritoneal mesothelioma. When it is an option, the lining of the abdomen is removed during the process known as peritoneal dissection. Mesothelioma Cancer Mesothelioma Cancer Mesothelioma Cancer

Treatment of Symptoms:

When mesothelioma is diagnosed as late, the main goal of treatment is to control the symptoms and to control them for as long as possible.

Treatment may include surgery to improve dyspnea caused by fluid accumulated depreciation. VATS (video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery), and removal of some of the lining of the chest wall and lungs. In the process, sterile talcum powder is injected into the pleural cavity, causing inflammation of the closed pleural cavity and helping to prevent the fluid from accumulating again. Mesothelioma Cancer Mesothelioma Cancer Mesothelioma Cancer

A wider range of open procedures can also be performed to drain fluid from the lungs, or to relieve pain in the chest. Indwelling pleural drainage may be used for persons who are not suitable for VATS or open surgery, which allows 1-2 times per week to be discharged, depending on how quickly the fluid re-forms. Mesothelioma Cancer Mesothelioma Cancer

The treatment team will discuss with the person appropriate treatment options to help other symptomssuch as insomnia, pain, fatigue, loss of appetite and weight loss.

Palliative Care:

Although it is most commonly used in people with advanced cancer, palliative care can be used at any stage of cancer treatment. It aims to improve the quality of life by alleviating the symptoms of cancerwithout trying to cure the disease. Mesothelioma Cancer

Can include management of pain relief, as well as other physical and emotional symptoms.

Treatment Team:

If you are diagnosed with mesothelioma, you will be taken care of by a range of health professionals, which may include:

Radiologists , who specialize in chest radiographs, CT scans, and other scans

Respiratory physicians investigating symptoms participate in the diagnosis and determine the initial treatment options

, who specialize in chest radiographs, CT scans, and other scans Respiratory physicians investigating symptoms participate in the diagnosis and determine the initial treatment options The interventional radiologist , who uses a CT scan to guide the needle and other instruments to remove fluid and remove tissue for diagnosis

, who uses a CT scan to guide the needle and other instruments to remove fluid and remove tissue for diagnosis A pathologist , he examined the cells and tissues under a microscope

Thoracic surgeons perform biopsy procedures and perform surgeries

, he examined the cells and tissues under a microscope Thoracic surgeons perform biopsy procedures and perform surgeries A medical oncologist , who prescribes and coordinates chemotherapy for treatment

A radiation oncologist who prescribes and coordinates the course of radiotherapy

, who prescribes and coordinates chemotherapy for treatment A radiation oncologist who prescribes and coordinates the course of radiotherapy Palliative care team , assistance in controlling symptoms and providing a range of support services

, assistance in controlling symptoms and providing a range of support services Nurses, who support you through the various stages of treatment

Other health professionals, including dietitians, physiotherapists, social workers.

“No matter what the statistics say, there is always a way.”

Prognosis of Mesothelioma Cancer:

Doctors can not predict the exact course of the disease because it will depend on the individual circumstances of each individual. However, your doctor may give you the prognosis and possible outcomes based on the type of mesothelioma you are suffering from, the results of the examination, the tumor growth rate, and your age, health and fitness, and medical history. Mesothelioma Cancer Mesothelioma Cancer Mesothelioma Cancer

In general, early cancer is diagnosed and the result is better. However, once developed, is usually diagnosed because early symptoms of Mesothelioma are often overlooked. Although successful treatment of advanced cancer is more difficult, but can control the disease in a few months or years, and can alleviate symptoms to improve the quality of life.

In 2013, 656 people died of Mesothelioma Cancer in Australia.

Prevention of Mesothelioma:

Reducing your asbestos exposure is the most likely way to reduce the risk of mesothelioma, whether at work or at home. Australia has a code of practice for the management and control of asbestos.

Resources:

From “Understanding Pleural Mesothelioma”, Australian Cancer Commission © 2015. “The Latest Medical Review” Source Booklet: June 2015.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. ACIM (Australian Cancer Incidence and Death). Canberra: AIHW.

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