| One rare form of cancer is called | | | | the pleura produces only small amount of |
| Mesothelioma, a malignant tumor in the | | | | lubricating fluid that allows easy expanding |
| mesothelial tissues of the lungs and the | | | | and contracting of the lungs. The excess |
| abdomen, arising from the inhalation of | | | | fluid is absorbed by the blood and the lymph |
| asbestos. Its rarity is one of the reasons | | | | vessels so there's a balance between the |
| why a lot of people are not aware of this | | | | amount of fluid produced and removed. During |
| kind of fatal disease. In fact, many people | | | | the second stage Mesothelioma, fluid starts |
| die of Mesothelioma undiagnosed. Although | | | | to build up between the membrane of the lungs |
| there is now a growing awareness of the | | | | and the membrane of the chest wall, resulting |
| hazards of asbestos to health, still many | | | | to pleural effusion. The increase in the |
| have not heard of Mesothelioma and thus, have | | | | volume of fluid produced causes shortness of |
| not understood its nature, cause, signs and | | | | breath and chest pain. Other Mesothelioma |
| treatment. Even some physicians find it hard | | | | cancer patients experience dry and persistent |
| to detect Mesothelioma because its symptoms | | | | cough. Diagnosis of the pleural effusion is |
| are akin to other diseases like lung cancer | | | | achieved through a chest x-ray. |
| and pneumonia. Furthermore, it takes decades | | | | |
| for a patient who was exposed to asbestos to | | | | Stage III Mesothelioma means that the |
| develop Mesothelioma - fifty years, at most. | | | | malignant cells have already spread to the |
| | | | chest wall, esophagus and the lymph nodes on |
| Being unaware of Mesothelioma poses higher | | | | one part of the chest. The patient may suffer |
| risks since it deters diagnosis and | | | | severe pain near the parts affected. When not |
| treatment. A person undergoing treatment must | | | | treated immediately or when the Mesothelioma |
| know the different stages of the cancer or | | | | patient doesn't respond well to medication, |
| the extent of the disease. Chances of | | | | the cancer may advance to the fourth stage. |
| recovering from Mesothelioma and the kind of | | | | The fourth stage Mesothelioma is formidable |
| treatment depend on the stage of the illness. | | | | since at this stage the Mesothelioma cells |
| There are basically two staging systems used | | | | have penetrated into the bloodstream and |
| for Pleural Mesothelioma (lungs): TNM system | | | | other organs in the body like the liver, the |
| and Brighan system. These staging systems are | | | | bones and the brain. The lymph nodes on the |
| also used in other kinds of cancers; however, | | | | other side of the chest may also be affected |
| the first is commonly used. There is no | | | | by Mesothelioma in stage IV. |
| established method in determining the stage | | | | |
| of the Peritoneal Mesothelioma cancer | | | | Brighan staging system, on the other hand, |
| (abdominal) so the TNM system is used. | | | | determines whether the Mesothelioma can be |
| | | | surgically removed or not and whether the |
| There are three variables in the TNM system: | | | | lymph nodes are affected or not. In stage I |
| tumor, lymph nodes and metastasis. In the | | | | Mesothelioma, the lymph nodes are not yet |
| earliest stage of Mesothelioma, stage I, the | | | | affected and the patient can still recover |
| malignant Mesothelioma cells start to grow | | | | through surgery. In stage II, surgery can |
| and multiply only one layer of the pleura. | | | | still be executed but some lymph nodes have |
| The pleura is the membrane that encloses the | | | | already been infiltrated by the cancer cells. |
| lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. | | | | In stage III, the heart and chest wall are |
| However, there are some instances wherein the | | | | already affected; thus, surgery is no longer |
| pericardium (membrane that covers the heart) | | | | advisable. The lymph nodes in this stage, |
| and diaphragm cover are already affected. In | | | | however, may or may not be affected. In the |
| this case, the cancer patient is still in | | | | final stage, stage IV Mesothelioma, cancer |
| stage I Mesothelioma. | | | | cells have already gone to the bloodstream |
| | | | and other parts of the body like the heart, |
| In the second stage, the two layers of the | | | | brain, bone and liver. In most cases, a |
| pleura are already affected by Mesothelioma. | | | | patient who has reached stage IV Mesothelioma |
| Take note, however, that in this stage, only | | | | only has four to twenty-four months to live. |
| one side of the body is affected. Normally, | | | | |