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