Great Mesothelioma Guide » Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma – Blood Test

admin — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:31:57 +0000

Evidence to date in our own suggests that serum SMRP measurements may have a useful role in the diagnosis of mesothelioma and in monitoring disease progression. Serum SMRP measurements play an important role in the diagnosis of mesothelioma. Mesomark is easily done through blood tests that use enzyme-linked immunosorbent to measure the content of Soluble Mesothelin-Related Peptides (SMRP).

SMRP is produced by mesothelioma cells, which may be elevated in the serum of patients of mesothelioma. The detection of SMRP through blood test helps to attain the early diagnosis of the disease which results in better treatment options and prognosis. Hence elevated levels of SMRP are found in the serum of mesothelioma patients.

For mesomark test patient have to provide some samples of blood, which are then sent to certain laboratory for testing and this may be useful for diagnosing asbestos-exposed individuals on the risk of developing mesothelioma and could be useful marker of disease progression and may prove useful for screening asbestos-exposed individuals at particular risk of developing mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma Diagnosis Methods

Mesothelioma Diagnosis Methods

admin — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:33:29 +0000

First of all take chest X-ray, if it shows any symptoms of Malignant Mesothelioma, then move for further checking. The additional checking’s include different imaging studies, blood tests, scanning of bones and tests of lung functioning. Other than this in-depth diagnosis such as thoracentesis, thoracoscopy, pleurascopy or a lung biopsy is done to identify the malignant Mesothelioma.

In chest X-ray this disease is identified as malignant mesothelioma when the pleural effusion that is a collection of fluid settles in between the 2 layers of the pleura. This is known as pleural thickening. Mesothelioma is the general term used to describe the cancerous tumor of the mesothelial cells in the lungs, heart or abdominal cavity. This mesothelioma diagnosis is very difficult as it takes time of nearly 15 to 50 years to develop after its exposure.

Other than this the symptoms are also very difficult to identify as they are more common as that of other disease. Only thing which the doctors could conform is by checking the patient’s exposure to asbestos sheet as it is the main reason for this cancer.
If the patient conforms that he has more exposure to asbestos sheet then the doctors could go for further diagnosis and this makes easier to identify and diagnose in early stages.

Understanding Mesothelioma in Detail

admin — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 10:53:02 +0000

This is a kind of disease which affects the mesothelium, hence the name Mesothelioma. The nature of this disease can either be cancerous or non-cancerous. A tissue lined with mesothelial cells is called as the Mesothelium. This cell is found in many cavities such as abdominal cavity, heart cavity, cheat cavity, and also in the outer surface of many internal organs of human body. Mesothelial cells which is found in each cavity has specific name and they are Peritoneum in the abdominal cavity, Pleura in the chest cavity and Pericardium in the heart cavity.

This tissue serves the purpose of generating a lubricating fluid which makes the organs to move easily. This can be best explained by an example of Pleural Mesothelium. As this is the tissue found in the region of chest cavity this allows the lungs to move freely at the time of breathing. If this functions improperly then breathing will become a difficult task and it will cause some problems.

The dangerous Mesothelioma is ranked in the order as it is seen in less number to more common among everyone. They are

•   Sarcomatoid
•   Biphasic
•   Epitheliod
This dangerous or cancerous Mesothelioma normally originates from the chest cavity that is from Pleural Mesothelium.

Mesothelioma Effects on the Body Cavity

admin — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 07:25:36 +0000

Mesothelioma is cancer of the mesothelium which is a membrane that covers the abdominal cavity, the chest cavity, and the heart. Mesothelioma is one of the killers disease in which the mesothelium cells start dividing rapidly and multiply without any order or control. These certain virus affects the cell cycle and inhibits apoptosis, allowing uncontrolled cell division.

Without treatment, this can spread fast and go to the main organs in your body. Mesothelioma is found near the vital organs such as the heart and lungs which can cause severe difficulties.

Symptoms are seen when tumors start getting larger and fluid starts filling up the mesothelium walls. Settlement of asbestos fibers in the mesothelium lining and mesothelium cells starts showing some abnormal behavior, which leads to mesothelioma.

Mesothelium is made up of two thin layers and it is this mutation which causes tumors which prevent proper heart and lung functions. Functioning is stopped by lungs and obstruction in intestine becomes much faster.

Mesothelioma Vs Lung Cancer

admin — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 06:38:26 +0000

Mesothelioma and lung cancer, both are serious issues, looks similar but are not same. Mesothelioma is often termed as “asbestos lung cancer” as it results from exposure to asbestos, either directly or indirectly and it is not a form of Lung cancer since it doesn’t develop in the tissue of the lungs. So it is clear that if you have mesothelioma, you had exposure to asbestos in some point of your life. Smoking at any point of life does not cause mesothelioma.

Lung cancer could be caused by asbestos exposure and it could be caused by smoking too. Someone who smokes and is exposed to asbestos always has a much greater risk of having a lung cancer. Exposures to Asbestos and smoking are quite in common, they both harm your body instantly, especially lungs, and they become devils when comes together. So quitting and avoiding these avoid your risk of getting cancer in future.

Different stages of Mesothelioma

admin — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 02:05:07 +0000

This disease is categorized by four stages and depending on the stages the treatment varies. There are three system to identify these four stages and they are

• Butchart staging system
• TNM system
• Brigham system

Let us see the system Butchart staging in detail,

Butchart staging system:

This is one of the oldest systems but very popular among everyone as it is the common system being used everywhere. This divides the disease into four stages depending on the extent of tumor mass.

Stage I is nothing but the presence of mesothelioma in the left or right lung cavity and in the diaphragm. Stage II is the next level where it extends itself into the chest walls, esophagus, or lung lining. Third stage is where the mesothelioma moves past the diaphragm into the abdominal cavity. This stage has the chance to affect the lymph nodes moving past those in the chest. Fourth stage is the only stage which is evident to doctors as it spreads to other organs of the human body. This stage is expressed in technical terms as metastasis.

As the doctors could able to identify the final stage it is very difficult to diagnosis. Hence it is curable if it is identified in early stages through some of its symptoms.

Relationship Between Asbestoses and Mesothelioma

admin — Mon, 03 May 2010 16:46:33 +0000

For distinguishing asbestosis and mesothelioma, we first need to learn about their main cause and the condition which leads to these diseases. The common cause for asbestosis and mesothelioma is the inhalation of asbestos fibers. Although these two are totally different conditions but there are some similarities between the two illnesses and the treatment for both have a big difference. Symptoms for asbestosis and mesothelioma are quite similar.

In mesothelioma, the cancer cells cause symptoms as compared to asbestosis which is a non cancerous illness. Diagnostic of how far the cancer has developed plays an important role in easing the symptoms, treatment for mesothelioma.
If diagnosed at the early stage then there are certain possibilities that the cancerous tumors can be removed or abnormal cells are killed using radiation or chemotherapy.
In case of Asbestosis it is quite often get mis-diagnosed as asthma since many of the symptoms are finding similar.

What is Mesothelioma?

admin — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 08:15:03 +0000

What is Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that develops in the tissues around the lungs (the “pleura”), abdomen (the “peritoneum”) or the heart (the “pericardium”). Mesothelioma is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos. In contrast, lung cancer refers to malignant disease, but the lung itself.

This section does not in any way a diagnostic tool nor a substitute for consultation with a physician specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma. This section is designed solely to help you learn about mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma of the pleura
Pleural mesothelioma, also known as mesothelioma of the pleura, is a tumor in the tissues surrounding the lungs. The pleura is a thin layer of tissue that surrounds the lungs and lines the inside of the chest. In order to protect the lungs, the pleura produces a small amount of fluid that helps cover the lungs causing more uniform movements during breathing.

Pleural mesothelioma symptoms may include breathing problems, chest pains, back pains, pains in the ribs, fluid accumulation in the tissue lining the lungs, hoarseness, coughing up blood, swelling of the face and arms muscle weakness, paralysis and sensory loss.

Pleural mesothelioma benign (not cancerous)
Benign pleural mesothelioma is a noncancerous tumor has not spread to other body organs. If the tumor is large, could pressure the lung and cause breathing problems and pain.

Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
Malignant pleural mesothelioma is cancerous and can spread to other body parts. This rare form of cancer found in the pleura of the lung tissue. Exposure to asbestos is considered the primary cause of malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Peritoneal mesothelioma
Peritoneal mesothelioma, also known as cancer of the peritoneum, is a cancer of the lining of the abdominal tissue. Symptoms may include: stomach pain, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, hernia, fluid in the abdominal cavity or a mass in the abdomen.

One of the ways doctors diagnose peritoneal mesothelioma is by looking inside the abdominal cavity with an instrument called peritoneoscope. In this procedure, a cut is made through the abdominal wall and the device is inserted into the abdomen. This test, called peritoneoscopy, takes place usually in the hospital.

Some patients develop excessive fluid in the abdomen. This is called an effusion. The doctor could take a sample of fluid to diagnose if there is peritoneal mesothelioma. The fluid in the abdomen also may be drained to relieve symptoms of mesothelioma of the peritoneum. This fluid drainage procedure known as paracentesis.

Types of mesothelioma cells
Your doctor or medical history may refer to “cell types” of mesothelioma. This refers to the types of tissue where the cancer first developed. For example, mesothelioma “epithelial” refers to cancer cells that develop in the epithelium, which is the membrane lining the lungs, heart and abdomen. However, mesothelioma “sarcomatous” occurs in connective tissues. The term “biphasic” refers to mesothelioma develops in two distinct types of cells. Other types of cells are linfohistiocitoide and desmoplastic mesothelioma.

What are the symptoms of malignant mesothelioma?

admin — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 04:22:54 +0000

Symptoms of mesothelioma may include shortness of breath, chest pain or back pain, or pain and swelling in the abdomen. Other symptoms may include: difficulty swallowing, cough, fever, sweating, fatigue and weight loss.

Pleural mesothelioma symptoms may include hoarseness, coughing up blood, swelling of the face and arms, muscle weakness, paralysis and sensory loss. Peritoneal mesothelioma sufferers may also experience abdominal pain, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, and hernia, fluid in the abdominal cavity or mass formation in the abdomen.

Chemotherapy – Treatment with drugs
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer using specific chemical agents or drugs that are only destroying malignant cells and tissues. Your doctor may recommend chemotherapy exclusive of a chemical agent or a combination thereof. The exclusive one chemotherapy agent, as its name implies uses only one. Combination chemotherapy using more than one. Although not a cure for mesothelioma, chemotherapy may help reduce and slow the progression of cancer.

Alimta (Pemetrexed)
Alimta The drug can be prescribed for the treatment of patients with mesothelioma. It indicates the use of Alimta with cisplatin (see below) for the treatment of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. Normally, Alimta is administered through an IV tube. (IV infusion)

Onconase (Ranpirnase)
A new drug called Onconase could help slow the spread of mesothelioma tumors.

Navelbine (Vinorelbine)
Like Alimta, in combination with other chemicals on chemotherapy, Navelbine is used to treat mesothelioma tumors. Clinical trials are still in process and have already begun testing in some patients. Generally, Navelbine administered intravenously.

Carboplatin (Paraplatin)
Carboplatin is a chemotherapy drug that interferes with the growth of cancer cells, slowing their spread in the body. Carboplatin can cause serious side effects. Generally, Carboplatin is administered intravenously.

Cisplatin (Platinol)
Cisplatin is a clear fluid, usually given in combination with other drugs to treat certain types of cancer, including mesothelioma. In the treatment of mesothelioma, cisplatin is administered in combination with Alimta. As is the case with many of the chemotherapy, side effects may occur. Generally, Cisplatin is administered intravenously

Traditional Mesothelioma Treatment

admin — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 12:47:20 +0000

Traditional mesothelioma treatments are for malignant mesothelioma. Methods of treatment diverge because of number of factors which depends on the stage of the disease, a patient’s personal choices, patients financial conditions etc. Chances of enhancing the life increase by 20-100% with traditional mesothelioma treatments, which vary from radiation, surgery and chemotherapy.

Radiation is considered best traditional mesothelioma treatments, but skin irritation, hair loss and even nausea accompany the treatment. Radiation tackles only infected areas using high-energy rays (like x-rays) to damage mesothelioma cancer cells. Chemotherapy is also an important treatment used to kill cancer cells by injecting medicines into allied areas.

Side effects are a bit severe because this treatment may also destroy healthy cells. Surgerical treatment is the most common treatment, in all traditional treatments because there are no severe side effects on the body this treatment is all about removing tumors from the affected zone of body due to mesothelioma.