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Mesothelioma TypesIn general, the clinical presentation of pleural mesothelioma may include the following: Cough, Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, difficulty sleeping, pain in the chest and abdominal regions, which is generally unresponsive to analgesics, progressive loss of appetite and weight loss, and pleural effusions (fluid in the chest cavity). Management of pleural mesothelioma depends largely on the staging of the tumor. Early diagnosis and surgical intervention may lengthen life expectancy. Depending on the age and physical condition of the patient, however, surgery may not be a viable option. In addition to surgical options, radiation treatment and chemotherapy may be helpful in the overall therapeutic program for treating pleural mesothelioma. Pain management and home care are typical alternatives in the later stages of pleural mesothelioma. Peritoneal Mesothelioma - Mesothelioma cancer in the lining that surrounds the abdomen (stomach). Diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma means the cancer is spread out. Peritoneal or Peritoneum is a smooth membrane, which lines the cavity of the abdomen (stomach). It helps to protect the contents of the abdomen. It also produces a lubricating fluid. This helps the organs to move smoothly inside the abdomen as we move around. Peritoneal mesothelioma accounts for approximately 10% of mesothelioma cases. When the symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma appear, they typically include abdominal pains,abdominal weakness, weight loss, loss of appetite, nausea, and abdominal swelling. Fluid often accumulates in the peritoneal space, a condition known as ascites. Over time the wasting symptoms can become more and more severe. The growing peritoneal mesothelioma tumor can exert increasing pressure on the organs in the abdomen, leading to bowel obstruction and distention. If the peritoneal mesothelioma tumor presses upward, it can impair breathing capacity. If the peritoneal mesothelioma tumor pushes against areas with many nerve fibers, and the bowel distends, the amount of pain can increase. Pericardial Mesothelioma - Pericardial Mesothelioma is a tumor that can occur at any age with a mean age of 46 years at presentation. Patients present with chest pain, dyspnea, cough, and palpitations. Although there appears to be a strong link to asbestos exposure, a definite association has not been established due to the rarity of this lesion. Surgery combined with radiation therapy may provide some palliation, but the prognosis is extremely poor. On CT there is irregular, diffuse pericardial thickening and a pericardial effusion. Pericardium is a thin lining of tissue surrounding the heart. Pericardial effusion is the collection of fluid in the sac that surrounds the heart, a possible sign of cancer as well as many other conditions. When it is caused by cancer, it can be result of either direct spread of cancer from adjacent organs like the lung, or by metastatic spread from other parts of the body Desmoplastic Malignant Mesothelioma - Desmoplastic mesothelioma is a rare subtype of diffuse malignant mesothelioma, and is often difficult to distinguish from reactive pleural fibrosis because of associated extensive collagen fibrosis. Believed to be caused by Asbestos exposure, autopsy analyses of fibrous pleurisy are necessary to detect a desmoplastic variant of mesothelioma of the pleura and its association with asbestos exposure. This variant of diffuse malignant mesothelioma constitutes 10 percent of all diffuse malignant mesotheliomas. Most are pleural. Seventy percent of patients with desmoplastic mesothelioma have had previous occupational exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma Treatment OptionsRadiation Therapy - uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body (external radiation therapy) or from putting materials that produce radiation (radioisotopes) through thin plastic tubes in the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy). If fluid has collected in the chest or abdomen, the doctor may drain the fluid out of the body by putting a needle into the chest or abdomen and using gentle suction to remove the fluid. If fluid is removed from the chest, this is called thoracentesis. If fluid is removed from the abdomen, this is called paracentesis. The doctor may also put drugs through a tube into the chest to prevent more fluid from accumulating. Chemotherapy - uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be taken by pill, or it may be put into the body by a needle in the vein or muscle. Chemotherapy is called a systemic treatment because the drug enters the bloodstream, travels through the body, and can kill cancer cells throughout the body. In mesothelioma, chemotherapy may be put directly into the chest (intrapleural chemotherapy). Intraoperative Photodynamic Therapy - is a new type of treatment that uses special drugs and light to kill cancer cells during surgery. A drug that makes cancer cells more sensitive to light is injected into a vein several days before surgery. During surgery to remove as much of the cancer as possible, a special light is used to shine on the pleura. This treatment is being studied for early stages of mesothelioma in the chest. src='http://www.lyndycomarketing.com/astracker/ast.php'> Search Related Web Sites for Mesothelioma Info |