Mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer, affects the lining surrounding the lungs, stomach and heart. Either one area or all three can be affected by this disease. Although inhaling asbestos fibers causes mesothelioma, the onset of the disease usually does not occur until well after initial asbestos exposure.
Identification
Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer affecting the mesothelial cells. Pleural mesothelioma makes up approximately 75 percent of all mesothelioma cases, and is found in the pleural space between the lungs and the chest wall.
Symptoms
Symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath, chest pain, chronic cough, weight loss and fever. Because these symptoms are common in patients with viral pneumonia, patients are sometimes misdiagnosed.
Staging
Staging involves determining the extent of the disease after a diagnosis has been made. Stage 1 is an encapsulated disease local to a specific, generally small, area. Stage 2 includes Stage 1 with lymph node involvement. Stage 3 involves Stages 1 and 2 with localized spreading. Stage 4 includes Stages 1, 2 and 3 with metastasis, or spreading to other areas or organs.
Treatment
Treatment options for mesothelioma include chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. However, because the disease is extremely aggressive, none has proven capable of curing the disease. After confirming the diagnosis, your physician will begin staging, or determining how far the cancer has spread. Staging determines the treatment options.
Survival Rate
According to the National Cancer Institute, the average post-diagnostic time of survival averages between one and two years. However, factors such as age, stage of the disease when it was diagnosed, areas involved and response to treatment all play a role in survival rates.
