Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of malignant mesothelioma. Around two thirds of those diagnosed have the pleural mesothelioma type. This form of mesothelioma affects cells in the pleura, the name given to the lining of the lungs and chest cavity. The pleura has two layers: the parietal layer (an outer layer that lines the chest cavity and diaphragm) and the visceral layer (an inner layer that lines the lungs).
Asbestos Exposure & Pleural Mesothelioma
People who are exposed to asbestos breathe in tiny asbestos fibers that enter the pleura of the lungs. Once in the lungs, these asbestos fibers then cause changes in pleural cells that cause them to become cancerous.
Symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma
All forms of mesothelioma are particularly dangerous because two or three decades can elapse between asbestos exposure and the onset of cancer symptoms. In addition, the early symptoms of mesothelioma cancer are non-specific, and these symptoms often resemble those of a simple and non-threatening viral infection.
Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma can include the following:
* Persistent coughing, rasping, difficulty in breathing or swallowing, coughing up blood
* Weight loss
* Fever or night sweats
* Swelling of the facial area
* Shortness of breath, even when resting
* Severe chest pain, or pain in the rib area
Pleural Mesothelioma Diagnosis
Diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma is typically made on the basis of these symptoms and on the results of a more thorough physical examination. Chest x-rays, CT scans, and MRI scans are all commonly used during diagnosis, and will also help to determine an appropriate course of mesothelioma treatment , as these procedures will show whether or not the cancer has spread from its point of origin.
Diagnosis is confirmed with a needle biopsy, tissue biopsy, or both. During a needle biopsy, fluid is drawn from the area and is then tested for the presence of cancer cells. A tissue biopsy usually involves a relatively non-invasive surgical procedure called laparoscopy, in which a small piece of tissue is removed from the affected area, to be tested for the presence of malignant cells.
Pleural Mesothelioma Treatment
Due to the nature of mesothelioma, diagnosis is often not made until the cancer has progressed to a stage at which curative treatment is not possible. Most treatments for pleural mesothelioma are palliative and are carried out to relieve the symptoms and improve the patient's quality of life. Conventional treatment options are limited to surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
In cases where curative surgery is attempted, the patient must be in otherwise good health, and the disease must not have spread far beyond its point of origin. In such cases, part or all of one lung may be removed.
Malignant mesothelioma
Malignant mesothelioma is a very aggressive cancer—it is resistant to all currently known types of treatment. People affected by this type of mesothelioma cancer have a very poor prognosis; the one-year survival rate of those diagnosed with mesothelioma is just 50%.
The principal cause of mesothelioma cancer is asbestos exposure , and due to high rates of asbestos exposure in the twentieth century, the incidence rate of mesothelioma is steadily increasing and is likely to continue to increase for the next several decades.
How Asbestos Causes Cancer
The exact method by which asbestos causes cancer in mesothelial cells is presently unknown. However, there are four different theories:
1. Asbestos causes irritation of mesothelial cells, leading to cell damage and eventually cancer
2. Asbestos fibers enter mesothelial cells and damage molecules that are crucial for normal cell division
3. Asbestos fibers promote the formation of free radicals, which cause damage to DNA and cause mesothelial cells to mutate into cancer cells
4. Asbestos fibers cause mesothelial cells to produce molecules called oncoproteins that cause them to turn into cancer cells
As with all other types of malignant cancer, the key element is that cells are caused to divide continuously. These cells eventually form tumors that prevent other cells and organs from functioning normally.
Symptoms of Malignant Mesothelioma
Early symptoms of malignant mesothelioma are non-specific and may often resemble viral infections—this means that early diagnosis of this type of cancer is difficult. Symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, or a persistent cough are not uncommon. Night sweats, fever, and weight loss are less common in people with pleural mesothelioma. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include pain or swelling in the abdominal area, nausea, weight loss, obstructions in the bowel, and anemia.
Diagnosis of Malignant Mesothelioma
Diagnosing malignant mesothelioma quickly and accurately is very important for two reasons. First, correct diagnosis is essential so that patients can be treated with a minimum of delay. The second reason is that some patients may wish to try and obtain some kind of financial compensation from the company that was responsible for their asbestos cancer exposure.
Diagnosis is made on the basis of the patient's symptoms, in conjunction with a physical examination. This might include chest x-rays as well as other procedures that are designed to find out what type of cancer is involved and what stage it is at. The diagnosis is confirmed with biopsies or blood tests that determine whether or not cancerous cells are present in the body.
Prognosis of Malignant Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma prognosis (life expectancy) for people with malignant mesothelioma is generally very poor. Early symptoms of the disease are so non-specific that this type of cancer is difficult to diagnose early, and by the time an accurate diagnosis is confirmed, around 50% of patients will die within one year.
Treatment for Mesothelioma Cancer
The most common treatments for malignant mesothelioma are surgery and chemotherapy, which are usually used in conjunction with each other. Surgical procedures typically involve removing malignant cells to improve the patient's quality of life and are usually followed up with chemotherapy to remove residual cancer cells.
Other forms of treatment are largely experimental. These types of treatment include immunotherapy and gene therapy. Immunotherapy involves manipulating the body's own immune system in an effort to induce it to kill cancer cells. Gene therapy involves using a virus that has been genetically engineered to infect cancer cells and cause them to produce molecules that are capable of killing only malignant mesothelioma cells.
Peritoneal mesothelioma
Peritoneal mesothelioma attacks the peritoneum, a tissue in the body's abdomen. This type of mesothelioma cancer accounts for 10%–20% of all cases of mesothelioma. It's different from the most common form of mesothelioma, which attacks the pleura, a tissue lining in the chest. The mesothelioma cancer symptoms are different, and the prognosis is different too. However, as with all variants of mesothelioma cancer, peritoneal mesothelioma is almost always traceable to exposure to asbestos, the carcinogenic mineral used widely in the years before strict regulations were imposed in the 1980s.
A Rare Form of Mesothelioma Cancer
About 100 to 500 cases of peritoneal mesothelioma are diagnosed each year in the United States. Almost all of the individuals who are diagnosed with this cancer have a clear history of asbestos exposure. In many cases, pleural (chest) mesothelioma can spread to the peritoneal cavity, but this would still be a diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma (that has metastasized), not peritoneal mesothelioma that begins in the peritoneum.
Symptoms of Peritoneal Mesothelioma
Peritoneal mesothelioma signs and symptoms may include:
* Abdominal swelling
* Lumps of tissue in the abdomen
* Abdominal pain
* A change in bowel habits, e.g., frequent diarrhea or constipation
* Unexplained weight loss
Unfortunately, it's often the case that the peritoneal mesothelioma doesn't show any symptoms until it's pretty far along.
The Diagnosis of Peritoneal Mesothelioma
People who are eventually diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma usually first see their doctor with a symptom for abdominal swelling. There are other possible causes of abdominal swelling besides peritoneal mesothelioma, such as cirrhosis of the liver. It can take some time and a battery of medical tests to correctly identify peritoneal mesothelioma.
Once the peritoneal mesothelioma is correctly diagnosed, it is difficult to predict how aggressive it will be in an individual patient, because this variant of mesothelioma has shown a wide spectrum of behavior. A patient may have recurring and severe bouts of lower abdominal pain, or not. The cancer could also metastasize from the peritoneum to lymph nodes.
Treatment for Peritoneal Mesothelioma
There is as yet no cure for peritoneal mesothelioma. However, some studies are showing promising results. It's best to ask your physician about the specifics of your case — the stage of the cancer, its location, the prognosis, and potential mesothelioma treatment options.
Pericardial Mesothelioma
Pericardial mesothelioma is the rarest type of mesothelioma cancer . The pericardium is a fluid-filled sac made out of thin tissue, covering the heart and providing it with crucial lubrication. Pericardial mesothelioma is, in effect, cancerous growths on the pericardium.
The Prevalence of Pericardial Mesothelioma
It's estimated that about 5% to perhaps 10% of people who develop mesothelioma have the pericardial-mesothelioma subtype. The accurate incidence is difficult to estimate because pericardial mesothelioma is easily mistaken for another disease, such as cardiovascular disease. The signs and symptoms are similar in both cases. In addition, when a patient is finally diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer, it is often a different type of mesothelioma cancer that is recognized first — such as secondary lung cancer.
However, pericardial mesothelioma is always traced to asbestos exposure, whereas cardiovascular disease is not.
How Pericardial Mesothelioma Develops
When the microscopic-sized fibers of which asbestos is composed are in the air, they can be inhaled by individuals in the area. Oftentimes, people are completely unaware that they have breathed in a toxic amount of asbestos. The fibers lodge themselves in the lungs and other organs.
It is unclear how asbestos fibers get to the pericardium, because there is no clear path that fibers can travel to the pericardium. One theory is that the fibers push their way through the lining of the lungs; another theory is that the fibers are carried through the blood stream to the pericardium.
In any case, the fibers become lodged in and around the pericardium, beginning the cancer process.
Symptoms of Pericardial Mesothelioma
Symptoms that are most prevalent with patients who suffer from pericardial mesothelioma include:
* irregular heart beat
* chest palpitations
* chest pain
* cough
* shortness of breath
If you are experiencing these symptoms and have not yet consulted a physician, see a doctor soon.
What Can Be Done for Pericardial Mesothelioma?
There are a few ways to help treat pericardial mesothelioma, but there is as yet no cure for this cancer. Chemotherapy, radiation, a combination of these, and surgery can be used to treat the cancer and alleviate the discomfort that a patient with pericardial mesothelioma may be experiencing. The success rate of the treatment depends in part on the stage of the mesothelioma cancer and the patient's general health.
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