Treatment for Peritoneal Mesothelioma: Treatment for peritoneal mesothelioma can also vary, and is dependant upon a number of factors. The doctor, once a diagnosis has been made, will make a recommendation based upon details such as: the extent of the cancer and how advanced it is; the patient’s general condition and health; past medical history of the patient; and the patient’s age. Treatments include:
Surgery:
This entails cutting out part of the lining and tissue from the abdomen in order to remove the tumour. Whether or not surgery is performed and how much tissue is removed will depend on how far the cancer has spread and how big the tumour is. It may sometimes be necessary to remove a lung or part of the diaphragm in order for surgery to succeed in removal of the tumour.
Radiation Therapy:
This is where high energy x-rays are used to shrink tumours and kill off cancerous cells in the affected area. There are two ways to administer radiation therapy. The first is through external means, where a machine is placed outside the body and emits radiation through the body. The second is by placing a source of radiation directly to the affected area by way of plastic tubes. As well as administering the radiation treatment through the tubes, doctors are also able to administer any required drugs this way.
Chemotherapy:
This is where a combination of drugs is used to try and kill off cancer cells. Drugs can be administered by mouth in tablet form, or you may have to have them administered intravenously via needle into a vein or a muscle. The drug can then enter the blood stream and travel through the body, hopefully killing off any cancer cells along the way.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma is responsible for many deaths each year. Although it is not the most common form of this cancer, many new cases come to light each year. However, with continued research and clinical trials, it may be possible to one day make this a curable disease.
Peritoneal Mesothelioima is the name given to the cancer that attacks the lining of the abdomen. This type of cancer is caused by asbestos exposure, and it affects the lining that protects the contents of the abdomen and which also provides a lubricating fluid to enable the organs to move and work properly.
This disease is sometimes referred to as diffuse peritoneal mesothelioma and this is where the cancer has spread out. Accountable for around ten percent of mesothelioma cases, this type asbestos-related cancer is the second most common(after Pleural Mesothelioma).
There are a nu,ber of symptoms for this disease. However, like all other types of mesothelioma, there is a very long latence period, and symptoms may not become evident for decades after exposure. This means that by the time symptoms have begun, it is often already too late to offer any real constructive treament. Further delay can be caused dye to the fact that the symptoms are generally non-specific and can therefore be attributed to a number of more common ailments. Unless your doctor is aware that you have been exposed to asbestos in the past, he or she is likely to look at other options before even contemplating mesothelioma. It is therefore important to let your doctor know of any exposure to this substance.
Symptoms:
Ths symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include:
abdominal pains
weakness
weight loss
nausea
loss off appetite
abdominal swelling
bowel obstruction
Depending on the locaiton of the tumour, additional problems can be experienced such as:
As there are several tests that doctors can run to determine if a patient has a mesothelioma diagnosis. These mesothelioma tests vary in terms of intrusion into the body and accuracy. A time line for testing a person suspected of having mesothelioma is as follows:
When a patient first presents at the doctors office complaining of difficulty breathing, abdominal pain, or pneumonia types symptoms, the primary care physician will take an X-ray or CT scan to determine the presence of asbestos in or around the lungs, heart or stomach.
Once the detection of asbestos is noted, the doctor will look for tell tale signs of cancer including but not limited to the presence of tumors around the vital organs. If tumors or growths are detected, the primary care physician will typically refer the patient to a specialist for various tests to determine whether there is a mesothelioma diagnosis.
A mesothelioma diagnosis is generally tested for in one of two ways. Depending on the condition of the patient, the doctor may want to do a minimally intrusive procedure called a needle biopsy. The procedure allows the doctor to abstract cells suspected of cancer infection from the lining affected area. The doctor can run tests on the mesothelial cells to determine the proper diagnosis for the patient. There are several ways in which the doctor can perform a tissue biopsy in order to run tests for mesothelioma. A thoracoscopy or laparoscopy entails making a small incision and using a tiny camera to look at the affected area. At this time a small tissue sample can be taken. The tissue samples will be sent away to a pathologists for further tests. Your doctor may decide to do a needle biopsy, where a hollow needle is inserted through the skin and into the chest cavity. However, needle biopsies can be less than precise.
The second more common way that doctors test for mesothelioma is to surgically enter the patients body, at which time they cut a small piece of infected tissue for biopsy purposes. This test is known as an "open biopsy". The abstracted tissue is then sent out for testing by a specialist. This process generally takes several days. If this test reveals the presence of mesothelioma the doctor will determine whether the diagnosed mesothelioma is benign or malignant.
If the doctor determines that the mesothelioma diagnosis is malignant, they will likely refer the patient to an oncologist (cancer doctor) for further tests and treatment.
The oncologist will test the patient to determine the progression of the mesothelioma and the prognosis for the future. At this time the oncologist will decide what treatment option is best for the patient.
Generally, the oncologist will start the patient on a series of chemotherapy treatments to slow the growth of the mesothelioma. If the doctor determines, after running tests, that the patient is not a candidate for chemotherapy, the oncologists may prescribe medication to help the patient with pain management.
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that impacts something called as mesothelium. You also find that this cancer is often linked to exposure to asbestos.
Mesothelioma Symptoms:-
Mesothelioma Symptoms may be indentified by coughing, chest pain, shortness of breath, weight loss, abdominal swelling, bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities and other swelling related symptoms. The same bronchial symptoms can be caused by other such as colds and flu’s.
Mesothelioma Research:-
Mesothelioma is a disease that is still very hard to recognise, difficult to diagnose and virtually impossible to treat effectively. It is known that the disease is asbestos related and that there is a long latency period before symptoms become apparent. But with more and more cases coming to light each year, it is vital that further research is carried out in order to make this fatal disease more manageable for both patients and doctors.
Many organizations are involved in research in to mesothelioma. This includes the companies that are responsible for the use of asbestos. Many people that have been diagnosed with mesothelioma have now discovered that they can claim compensation for being exposed to hazardous asbestos by companis, which means that these companies have a responsibility to help with this research. With many mesothelioma patients now seeking legal advice, it has become essential for law firms to learn about and research the disease. It is the lawyer's job to assist the mesothelioma patient and provide advice and resources from which the patient can get help and assistance. Therefore, law firms dealing with these types of cases also have a responsibility to learn about the disease and what can be done to help patients.
The National Institute of Cancer is also working hard to research mesothelioma, its symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.The rising number of mesothelioma cases means that it is essential to learn more about this disease in order to look into developing treatments.
A great deal of research into mesothelioma goes into learning about the effects of asbestos upon cells, and how the cells are changed by exposure to this material. By learning how healthy cells and corrupted by asbestos, we hope to learn more about how this cell corruption can be prevented or minimised.
The National Institute of Cancer has also carried out clinical trials into the treatment of mesothelioma. The trials, which are performed with real patients who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, should help to determine how effective the various treatments are, and hopefully will go some way to helping experts find more effective treatments for the disease.
Mesothelioma trials are based upon treatments that are thought to have some value to patients. But the trials are just that - trials. This means that there are no guarantees and that a great deal more work and research will be required before a conclusive and effective treatment is found. On the upside, many new trials are being carried out on a regular basis, and with the information and technology available to scientists today, the discovey of an effective treatment for mesothelioma patients is just a matter of time.
Several new methods of treatment have been used following research into mesothelioma. These include:
Photodynamic therapy:- which uses fixed frequency light to target abnormal cells and kill them off by the activation of photosensitizing drugs.
Immunotherapy:- Which fights the abnormal cells through the use of the body's own defence system through enhancement and development of the immune system.
Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy:- Which is a radiation treatment that targets just the affected area/tumour, thus avoiding contact with healthy cells and tissue.
Although there is no quick-fix answer to the treatment of mesothelioma, ongoing research and dedication from the medical profession means that the chances of finding an effective treatment are continually increasing.
