Living with mesothelioma can be difficult, especially once the diagnosis is received and treatment has begun. Because treatment can be rigorous, it may be wise to live within proximity to your nearest treatment center so you are able to receive medication and undergo treatment without taxing yourself further.
Rely on family and friends during this time for support and strength. You may wish to further increase your health by picking up certain habits that may benefit you in your recovery process. If you are a smoker, quit. Many studies have shown that the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure is particularly hazardous. Smokers who are also exposed to asbestos have a risk of developing lung cancer greater than the individual risks from asbestos and smoking added together.
Ask your doctor about lifestyle changes safe for you to adopt during treatment. Although there is no way to reverse exposure to asbestos, there are healthy ways to boost your health through exercise and diet change.
Because mesothelioma’s symptoms and external signs can be attributed to other conditions, a medical diagnosis is necessary for cancer treatment.
A physical exam and medical history is the initial way to determine if the body is out of health. A superficial check for lumps and abnormalities may be able to indicate the need for further extensive testing. A history of the patient’s health habits, exposure to asbestos, past illnesses and treatments will also be taken.
A chest x-ray of the organs and bones inside the chest is another way to determine if an individual has mesothelioma. A complete blood count or CBC is a procedure in which a sample of blood is drawn and checked for the number of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets, the amount of hemoglobin (a protein which carries oxygen) in the red blood cells and the portion of the blood sample made up of red blood cells. Additionally, a sedimentation rate can be used. A sedimentation rate is a procedure where the blood sample is tested for the rate at which the red blood cells settle to the bottom of the test tube.
A biopsy can detect abnormalities or defects in the patient’s tissue. A biopsy for the testing of mesothelioma is the removal of cells or tissue from the pleura or peritoneum so they can be viewed underneath a microscope by a pathologist to check for signs of cancer. Procedures to collect cells or tissues include:
- Fine-needle (FNA) aspiration biopsy of the lung: This procedure removes tissue or fluid using a thin needle. An imaging procedure is then used to locate the abnormal tissue or fluid within the lung. A small incision may be made in the skin where the biopsy needle is inserted into the abnormal tissue or fluid, and a sample is removed.
- Thoracoscopy: An incision or cut is made between two ribs and a thoracoscope, a thin and tube-like instrument with a light and lens for viewing, is inserted into the chest.
- Peritoneoscopy: An incision is made in the abdominal wall and a peritoneoscope, a thin tube-like instrument with a light and lens for viewing, is inserted into the abdomen.
- Laparotomy: An incision is made in the wall of the abdomen to check the inside of abdomen for obvious signs of diseases.
- Thoracotomy: An incision is made between two ribs to check inside the chest for signs of disease.
A bronchoscopy is another procedure which is useful for determining the presence of mesothelioma. It is a procedure used to look inside the trachea and large airways in the lung for abnormal areas. A bronchoscope is a thin tube-like instrument with a light and lens for viewing and is inserted through the nose or mouth into the trachea and lungs. The instrument may have a tool to remove tissue samples in order to view them beneath a microscope.
A cytologic exam is the examination of cells under a microscope by a pathologist to check for any abnormalities. For mesothelioma, fluid is taken from where it has built up around the lungs or from the abdomen. A pathologist will then check the cells in the fluid.
A CT or MRI scan may be used once mesothelioma itself is diagnosed. Your doctor will want to see if the cancer has spread to other regions of the body.
How can asbestos-related disease or harm be determined?
- You most likely know best if you have experienced exposure to asbestos. If you have worked with the material, lived with an individual who has whether that be a spouse, partner, parent or relative, you may have experienced asbestos exposure. Symptoms of asbestos-related diseases include shortness of breath, wheezing, hoarseness, a persistent cough, blood coughed up from lungs, pain or tightening in the chest, difficulty swallowing, swelling in the neck or face, loss of appetite, weight loss and fatigue or anemia. Your doctor will conduct a thorough physical examination to look for any obvious abnormalities with your health. This may include a chest x-ray and lung function tests which could show signs of lung disease and asbestos fibers in the lungs. A CT scan or a lung biopsy may also be utilized to detect asbestos-related abnormalities.
What treatment options are available for recurrent malignant mesothelioma?
- Recurrent means the disease has returned or come again. Treatment for recurrent mesothelioma often includes and relies on clinical trials. These clinical trials may involve treatment options such as biologic therapy, chemotherapy and surgery. Biologic therapy uses the patient’s own immune system to fight cancer with the assistance of substances made within the body or in a laboratory to boost, direct or restore the body’s natural defenses against cancer. Chemotherapy uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells either by killing cells or by stopping them from dividing and multiplying.
Many individuals with mesothelioma have worked or lived in places where they inhaled or swallowed asbestos. After being exposed to asbestos, it usually takes a long time for malignant mesothelioma to form. Other risk factors for mesothelioma include living with a person who works near asbestos or being exposed to a certain virus.
Asbestos is a group of minerals that occur naturally in the environment as bundles of fibers which can be separated into thin, durable threads. These fibers are resistant to heat, fire and chemicals and they do not conduct electricity. Asbestos has been mined and used commercially in North America since the late 1800s and usage increased dramatically during World War II. It is often used for insulation, roofing, fireproofing and sound absorption. It’s used in ceiling and floor tiles, coatings and adhesives as well as plastics. In 1989, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency banned all new uses of asbestos and established regulations that require school systems to inspect buildings for the presence of damaged asbestos and to eliminate or reduce asbestos exposure by removing the material or encasing it.
When asbestos fibers are breathed in, they may get trapped in the body’s lungs and remain there for a long period of time. These fibers can accumulate over time and cause scarring as well as inflammation which can affect breathing and lead to serious health problems. Exposure to asbestos may increase the risk of lung cancer in addition to mesothelioma and some studies have suggested a connection between exposure to gastrointestinal and colorectal cancers. There is also an elevated risk for cancers of the throat, kidney, esophagus and gallbladder.
Symptoms of mesothelioma can be attributed to various other conditions so it is important to receive proper testing by your doctor or health care professional in order to rule out a cancer diagnosis.
Check with your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms:
- Trouble breathing
- Pain under the rib cage
- Pain or swelling in the abdomen
- Lumps in the abdomen
- Weight loss for no known reason
Sometimes, the cancer may cause fluid to collect around the lung or in the abdomen. These symptoms may either be caused by the build up of fluid or the condition itself.
Because mesothelioma attacks the body’s tissue in the chest cavity and abdomen, this tissue may become infected. Your doctor may rely on this affected tissue to determine your cancer diagnosis.
Because mesothelioma is so rare, it is important to catch the disease early in order for proper treatment to be given a chance to be successful. The first step to receiving a diagnosis is having the knowledge to seek appropriate testing for mesothelioma. If you know have been exposed to asbestos or live with someone who has, it is important to get tested as soon as possible. Remember, this may also include a parental figure who may have worked with the material before it was banned.
If you ever experience symptoms such as shortness of breath, a persistent cough, blood coughed up from the lungs, pain or tightening in the chest, difficulty swallowing, swelling in the neck or face, weight loss, loss of appetite or anemia and you know you have experienced exposure to asbestos, seek medical assistance immediately. These symptoms can be strong indicators for asbestos-related diseases and further testing is imperative to determining the exact cause.
If you are unaware of your potential exposure, ask your doctor for testing during your next physical examination. The important key is catching mesothelioma before it reaches an advanced and inoperable stage where the cancer has spread on one or both sides of the body.
There are three types of standard treatment used for mesothelioma: surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. There are also new types of treatment currently being tested in clinical trials including biologic therapy and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.
The following surgical treatments may be used:
- Wide local excision: A surgery to remove the cancer and some of the healthy tissue around it
- Pleurectomy and decortication: Surgery to remove part of the covering of the lungs and lining of the chest as well as part of the outside surface of the lungs
- Extrapleural pneumonectomy: Surgery to remove one entire lung and part of the lining of the chest, the diaphragm, and the lining of the sac around the heart.
- Pleurodesis: A surgery that uses chemicals or drugs to make a scar in the space between the layers of the pleura. Fluid is first drained from the sapce using a catheter or chest tube and the chemical or drug is put into the space. The scarring stops the build up of fluid in the pleural cavity.
Surgical options are used to physically remove cancerous cells from the body and the tissues they affect. However, even if the doctor removes all the cancer that can be seen at the time of the surgery, some patients may be given additional treatment such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy after surgery in order to kill any lingering cancer cells.
Radiation therapy is a cancer treatment which uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells and keep them from growing. External radiation therapy uses a machine outside of the body to send radiation toward the cancer. Internal radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance sealed in needles, seeds, wires or catheters that are placed directly into or near the cancer.
Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment which uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells directly or by stopping them from dividing and multiplying. When chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injection, the drug enters the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells spread out throughout the body. When chemotherapy is placed directly into the cerebrospinal fluid, an organ, or a body cavity, the drugs mainly affect cancer cells in those specific areas. Combination chemotherapy is the use of more than one anticancer drug.
Biologic therapy and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy are newer types of treatment currently being tested in clinical trials. Biologic therapy is a treatment that uses the patient’s own immune system to fight the cancer. Substances made by the body or laboratory are used to boost, direct or restore the body’s natural defenses against the disease. Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy is a type of chemotherapy being studied in the treatment of mesothelioma that has spread to the peritoneum, the tissue lining the abdomen and covering most of the organs in the abdomen. After the surgeon removes all the cancer that can be seen, a solution containing anticancer drugs is heated and pumped into and out of the abdomen to kill any remaining cancer cells.
Certain drugs can be utilized to aid doctors in the treatment of mesothelioma. They may be used in a form of combination therapy. These pharmaceuticals include:
- Alimta
- Cisplatin
- Pemetrexed Disodium
- Platinol (Cisplatin)
- Platinol-AQ (Cisplatin)
Malignant mesothelioma is a form of cancer in which malignant cells are present in the pleura, the thin layer of tissue which lines the chest cavity covering the lungs, or the peritoneum, the thin layer of tissue that lines the abdomen covering most of the organs in the abdomen.
Symptoms of mesothelioma include trouble breathing, pain under the rib cage, pain or swelling in the abdomen, lumps in the abdomen and weight loss for no clear reason. Sometimes, the cancer may cause fluid to collect around the lung or in the abdomen.
It is sometimes hard to tell the difference between mesothelioma and lung cancer. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer and one included in a diagnosis may be unexpected. You will need proper medical testing by a health care professional in order to determine if you have mesothelioma and not a different condition or cancer. A chest x-ray, complete blood count, biopsy, bronchoscopy and thoractomy are a few testing procedures your doctor may utilize to test for the presence of mesothelioma.
Exposure to airborne asbestos particles increases one’s risk of developing this form of cancer. If you have spent prolonged periods of time exposed to asbestos and are experiencing symptoms, ask your doctor about testing for mesothelioma.