Mesothelioma Diagnosis

A diagnosis of mesothelioma typically occurs within six months after a patient first visits their doctor concerning breathing difficulties or pain in the chest or abdomen. The initial step is to furnish an accurate and complete history of all medical problems, including current health issues, past problems, and a detailed description of the patient's current symptoms. At this stage, it is critical to mention any asbestos exposure that may have occurred in the past. If the doctor is aware that such exposure has occurred, he or she can be sure to consider the possibility of a disease related to asbestos, which can expedite a diagnosis.

The doctor will perform a physical examination to search for potential explanations for the symptoms the patient is experiencing. Because many symptoms of mesothelioma can also indicate other diseases, all possibilities must be considered. Unless a definite diagnosis can be made, further tests are likely to be ordered.

Diagnostic Tests for Mesothelioma
If mesothelioma is suspected, the physician will want to confirm that the disease is present, where it is located, determine the type and size of the cancer, and determine whether or not the disease has spread. There are several tests available to help answer these questions.

Imaging Tests

Chest X-ray: This is typically the first imaging test your doctor will order. It is usually not the sole determinant of a proper prognosis, and so additional tests may be ordered.

CT Scan: Sometimes referred to as a CAT scan, this is similar to an X-ray but produces multiple images that are then assimilated by a computer to allow viewing of the tissue in greater detail. Patients receiving a CT scan are sometimes injected with a dye that will create greater contrast, thus providing greater detail.

PET Scan: Cancerous cells use and absorb sugars differently than healthy cells. This allows a PET scan to be an efficient method of detecting them. Patients are given an injection of glucose and then a scanner is used to identify any cells that are absorbing the glucose abnormally.

MRI: An MRI creates highly detailed images in three dimensions that allow a trained radiologist to identify any suspicious areas. This procedure uses a magnetic field and radio waves to produce the images.

Tissue and Fluid Tests
It is normal for a doctor to perform a biopsy of the suspicious area. This involves retrieving a sample of the tissue or fluid and then testing the sample for cancerous cells. There are four main types of biopsies that a doctor may choose to order.

Fine Needle Aspiration: Mesothelioma typically leads to a build-up of fluids in the area afflicted, such as the mesothelium, or lining, in the chest cavity. To perform a fine needle aspiration, the doctor uses an extremely thin, long needle to extract a fluid sample.

Thoracoscopy: If the doctor wishes to confirm or eliminate pericardial or pleural mesothelioma, a thoracoscopy might be ordered. This involves a tiny incision in the chest wall in order to obtain a tissue sample.

Laparoscopy or Bronchoscopy: These two procedures are conducted on different areas of the body. A bronchoscopy may be ordered to check the airway and trachea. A laparoscopy involves the removal of a sample of the tissue from the peritoneal area.

Mediastinoscopy: This test is used to examine the lymph nodes located in the neck and chest to see if the cancer has spread from its initial site.

Diagnosis Codes for Mesothelioma
Standardized codes have been assigned to the various types of mesothelioma. Patients may not regularly encounter these codes, however, it is helpful to have them available should the doctor refer to them or a patient encounter them while performing research.

•ICD-9 code 163: Pleural mesothelioma
•ICD-9 code 158: Peritoneal mesothelioma
•ICD-9 code 164: Pericardial mesothelioma
After Mesothelioma is Confirmed

A primary care physician will likely refer the patient to an oncologist, or a doctor who specializes in cancer, who has experience treating mesothelioma. The oncologist can help determine which treatment options are best for each case. Patients are also encouraged to perform their own research, providing education on the various options available in order to better discuss them with the physician. Patients are also advised to locate any available sources of support during this difficult time.

Smoking and Mesothelioma

There has been some confusion about the relationship between smoking and mesothelioma. This confusion often stems from the fact that smoking can lead to lung cancer. However, mesothelioma, while also a cancer that attacks the lungs, is a completely separate condition.

Differences
Unlike lung cancer, mesothelioma is not caused by smoking. Mesothelioma is a very specific kind of cancer that usually only results from an exposure to asbestos. Like smoking-related illnesses, it can severely impact the health of the lungs. However, this cancer can also attack thelining of heart and the abdomen as well.

In addition, mesothelioma cannot be the cause of lung cancer. Lung cancer is a kind of cancer that is most commonly the result of repeated exposure to firsthand or secondhand cigarette smoke. In other, less common cases, exposure to carcinogens in the air or radiation may lead to lung cancer. Asbestos exposure and the subsequent development of mesothelioma, however, are not known to cause this disease.

Links
Even though mesothelioma is not directly caused by smoking, there may indeed be some links between smoking and the development of this kind of cancer, although these links are not direct. An indirect link exists because smoking can severely debilitate the normal functioning of the lungs. In this unhealthy state, lungs may be more susceptible to developing a condition known as asbestosis.

Asbestosis is a disease that affects the lungs and is caused by the scarring asbestos fibers cause. Asbestosis is not the same condition as mesothelioma. However, the existence of asbestosis in the lungs can, over time, lead to the development of mesothelioma cancer.

Health Risks
Still, a direct causal link between smoking and mesothelioma has yet to be discovered. Smoking, on the other hand, can certainly lead to other very serious health conditions that affect the lungs. People who smoke, for example, have a fifty percent higher likelihood of developing lung cancer. It is for this reason that mesothelioma patients are instructed to quit smoking. The development of smoking-related conditions in addition to mesothelioma can lead to rapid health degeneration.

It is also important to note that there are many similarities between the development of mesothelioma and lung cancer. Both conditions are very difficult to detect at an early stage of development. Telltale symptoms may not appear until much later for both illnesses.

This is why it is extremely important for all smokers and people who have been exposed to asbestos to receive routine check-ups. If conditions such as mesothelioma and lung cancer are detected early enough, more treatment options exist and their success rates remain higher.

References:

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

National Cancer Institute

Risk Factors of Mesothelioma

Risk factors of cancer are varied and can include environmental, occupational, or genetic factors. Lifestyle choices and pharmaceutical substances may also fall into this category. However, it remains uncertain why those possessing several risk factors pointing to the development of cancer never develop the condition. Nevertheless, the relatively rare form of cancer resulting from asbestos exposure, known as mesothelioma, develops most commonly in those exposed to the highest intensity of asbestos for the longest period of time.

Asbestos and Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma attacks the mesothelium, which is the protective lining surrounding the lungs, abdomen, chest, and other internal organs. Asbestos, the toxin leading to this form of cancer, is a mineral silicate which naturally occurs in the environment and was used extensively in construction, automotive and fire-resistant materials, especially in the 20th century. Today, the use of this type of silicate is prohibited by the Environmental Protection Agency. However, asbestos is still legally used in specific situations, like high temperature gaskets in refineries

Despite many regulations, including the Environmental Protection Agency’s initial 1989 "Asbestos Ban and Phase Out Rule," as many as 3,000 new mesothelioma cases arise every year in the United States. These newly-diagnosed individuals suffered dangerous levels of exposure to asbestos, despite recent regulation of the material. While there has been a decrease in the diagnosis of males, the number of females exposed has remained stable, indicating the cancer’s equal threat to both sexes as career roles change.

Some occupations have higher risks of asbestos exposure than others, such as miners, construction workers, factory workers, demolition workers, railroad workers, and veterans of branches of the military, especially the Navy. Ship disassembling workers and building workers are also at high risk. Mesothelioma sometimes affects the families of these workers as well, due to the possibility of carrying asbestos fibers from work on clothing and hair.

Even today, the EPA estimates that asbestos-containing materials can be found in most of the nation’s primary, secondary and charter schools. Its most common uses in schools were as insulation and as a building material. Other public buildings are estimated to contain it as well, often in floor and ceiling tiles, cement asbestos pipe and pipe and boiler insulation, the EPA reports. All of these sources of asbestos exposure become mesothelioma risks as the material ages and becomes friable, which allows its small, light fibers to suspend in the air for hours if disturbed.

Effects on the Respiratory System
Asbestos fibers are composed of silicates. These fibers can be inhaled and spread throughout the respiratory system. Asbestos fibers can be swallowed as well, affecting the abdomen's inner lining. This condition is known as peritoneal mesothelioma. When asbestos fibers reach the lungs, they can penetrate the lining and the inner surface of the chest area.

People who have experienced symptoms of mesothelioma should contact a physician immediately, as well as consulting with an attorney. Employers and manufacturers that knowingly used asbestos despite its terrible health consequences could be held liable for just compensation, covering medical bills, lost wages, and any additional financial matters that arise for patients and their families from the contraction of mesothelioma.

References:

EPA

Mayo Clinic

Mesothelioma Treatment

The treatment of the condition mesothelioma follows three standard, accepted procedures: surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. There are many different ways these three mesothelioma treatments can be enacted. Different physicians may suggest combining more than one of the three. In some cases, the physician may present the case for each mode of treatment and leave the final decision of the course of action up to the patient. This is why the patient needs to understand the basic points of each of the three treatment plans.

Mesothelioma Surgery
Surgery is frequently employed to remove cancer or the surrounding cancerous tissue, and it can also follow the process of removing both. Ultimately, surgery will be based upon how far the cancer has spread. In many instances, a minimally invasive procedure will be employed to reduce problems associated with the cancer. Such minor procedures are an alternative to a complete surgical operation and can help improve the quality of the patient’s life immensely. Thoracentesis is a common example of this. Such a procedure entails inserting a needle into the chest cavity and draining problematic fluid that may have collected in the chest. It is not uncommon for the doctor to inject antibiotics or talc into the chest cavity to prevent the potential of the fluid returning.

SuccessSuccess rates are high for fluid-draining procedures such as thoracentesis. One of the best results of such procedures would be improved breathing. Fluid causes compression in the lungs and shortness of breath. Eliminating such fluid restores the breathing process. However, while this procedure certainly helps improve quality of life, it does not eliminate or cure the patient of the actual cancer.

The two main reasons that mesothelioma surgery would be performed are palliative care and curative procedures. Palliative surgery deals mainly with reversing the pain and discomfort that tumors yield. As the name implies, curative surgery is intended to remove a localized mesothelioma tumor and the problems it causes. Unfortunately, the success rate for curative surgery is low because the cancer is rarely detected before it can spread.

Mesothelioma Radiation
Radiation therapy employs X-rays which target the cancerous cells and completely destroy them. Radiation therapy does not entail internal exposure of any kind. Rather, the radiation is “sprayed” outside the body through an external beam. This beam directly focuses on the cancerous cells and can have a positive effect on reversing the presence of the cancer. Radiation is highly popular as a form of mesothelioma treatment since it can seriously reverse cancer cells.

In many ways, the process is no different than having “traditional” X-rays taken. Obviously, the employment of radiation to treat cancer will require far more treatment sessions that merely taking photos. The length of time each procedure requires may be a bit lengthy as well.

A more specialized form of radiation treatment is Brachytherapy. This procedure revolves around exposing the internal abdomen or chest cavity with radiation to kill off the actual cancer cells. Such a procedure is commonly employed when the patient may not be physically able to handle surgery.

Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is considered the most well-known of cancer treatments. It entails using oral or injected drugs to kill off the cancer cells. With mesothelioma, the drugs have been known to be directly injected into the chest cavity or the abdominal region. Whether or not chemotherapy is the right process to take will depend upon the stage of the mesothelioma. In some instances, chemotherapy can be the primary treatment while in other cases it is used as a supplement to other treatments.

Physical Therapy
All forms of cancer treatment will require physical therapy or rehab. This is because the body will need to be strengthened once again after the serious impact of the surgery.

References:

Mayo Clinic

National Cancer Institute
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Mesothelioma Causes

Mesothelioma is a very deadly form of cancer made up of four main types, which impacts 2,000 to 3,000 Americans every year. The first form of this disease is pleural mesothelioma, which develops in the lining of the lungs. This cancer of the lungs can cause many serious side-effects, including hoarseness, shortness of breath, fluid buildup in the lungs, sharp chest pains, coughing up of blood, a loss of muscle function, and extreme swelling. Pleural mesothelioma makes up for the highest percentage of mesothelioma cases.

The two less common kinds of mesothelioma are peritoneal and pericardial mesothelioma. Peritoneal mesothelioma is a cancer that affects the lining of the abdomen and may develop when patients cough up, then swallow inhaled asbestos fibers. Symptoms of this cancer include intense stomach pain, abnormal weight loss, ruptures of the abdomen, vomiting, and a build of fluid in the abdominal region. Pericardial mesothelioma is a cancer that affects the lining of the heart. Symptoms of this disease include shortness of breath and sharp chest pains.

The final form of mesothelioma involves tumors found in the tunic vaginalis, known as testicular mesothelioma. This extremely rare form of mesothelioma is characterized by the development of tumors which begin in the covering layer of the testicles. In many cases, this testicular form of mesothelioma is secondary, with the main form of the cancer being located elsewhere in the patient.

Causes of Mesothelioma
The main cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos, a naturally-occurring material created through the amalgamation of several different minerals with fiber-like structures. These fibers are extremely friable and hard, allowing them to break into tiny pieces that can enter the body and burrow into internal tissues. Until very recently, asbestos saw heavy usage and was a popular and cost effective component of a number of construction materials and consumer products. In addition to its low cost, its popularity largely derived from the material’s strong resistance to heat, chemicals and electricity.

However, the 1960s saw the discovery and publication of the extremely negative effects that exposure to asbestos can have on an individual’s health. Among these negative side effects was the development of mesothelioma, which can impact those exposed for decades after. Although most usage stopped after 1989 legislation regulated the use of asbestos, it is still permitted in some products. Furthermore, the long latency period of this disease means individuals might not be aware of past exposure for as many as five decades later, when symptoms finally begin to appear.

Exposure to Asbestos
Exactly how asbestos causes mesothelioma has yet to be fully explained. A number of competing theories have been introduced by scientists to account for this causation. One theory states that asbestos fibers may scar certain cells in the protective lining of organs, known as the mesothelium, eventually leading to the development of cancer.

Another popular theory states that asbestos fibers have properties that can change the normal structure of cells in the body. The theory states that the fibers can corrupt the natural ability of these cells to divide at a healthy rate. This new unnatural cell division produces this form of cancer.

What is not disputed, however, is the fact that exposure to asbestos causes every form of mesothelioma. This much has been proven scientifically by a staggering amount of evidence showing a strong correlation between exposure length and intensity and mesothelioma development.

Who Is at Risk for Developing Mesothelioma

Studies have shown that certain individuals are at a higher risk of developing mesothelioma than others. One such group of people is individuals who have been exposed high amounts of radiation. The American Cancer Society also explains that most cases of mesothelioma have been linked to workplace asbestos exposure, which was common in the past. However, because this material can attach to clothing and hair and travel with these laborers, anyone who comes in contact with them may be at risk, including relatives at home. Furthermore, many schools, commercial buildings and industrial factories were constructed with or hold asbestos-containing products, putting individuals who frequent these locations at risk as well.

Tobacco Use and Mesothelioma
It has been proven that smoking alone does not cause mesothelioma, unless the cigarettes used asbestos filters. However, smoking can damage the lungs, reducing the body’s ability to stave off the negative effects of asbestos exposure, including mesothelioma. For this reason, smokers see an even higher risk of suffering from the cancer.

References:

The American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society: What is Asbestos?

EPA
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Mesothelioma Symptoms

For the past several decades, information about mesothelioma had been scarce and inconclusive, making this form of cancer one of the most indefinite and unspecified diseases in modern history. As physicians, scientists and various medical research experts learn more about this fatal disease, we’ve been able to determine that the greatest asset we have in battling this disease is information. Because mesothelioma carries such a great latency period, this disease is often misdiagnosed because the symptoms are so similar to more common and treatable illnesses.

MesotheliomaSymptoms.com is an extensive database of information and resources for patients and their families to better understand the symptoms of mesothelioma and the various aspects of diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and many other factors of survival. Information regarding mesothelioma will continue to become more prevalent over the next 10 years, as scientists are working effortlessly to better understand this terrible disease. With this new information comes hope and progress, and patients, their families, and the general public can continue their growth in knowledge and awareness, and through that this disease can be combated.

Currently, as many as 3,000 people will be diagnosed with mesothelioma each year, and that number is only expected to increase in conjunction with the widespread use of asbestos throughout the last century. There is no cure for mesothelioma, but that does not mean that something cannot be done to prevent the spread of this cancer. By identifying symptoms early, life expectancy can be increased, creating a better quality of life for patients and their loved ones.

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