Mesothelioma Picture

Mesothelium is a membrane that covers and protects most internal organs of the body. It is composed of two layers of cells: Three layer immediately surrounds the organ the other forms a sac around it. Mesothelium produces a lubricating fluid that is released between these layers, so moving organs (such as the heart and the expanding and contracting lungs) to glide easily against adjacent structures.

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer primarily caused by exposure to asbestos. There is a higher incidence of mesothelioma among shipyard workers U.S. Navy personnel, etc. due to asbestos exposure naval vessels. In addition, family members and others close to asbestos may also be at risk (for example, a wife who washed her husband's work clothes). Cancer is usually a latency period of 20-50 years.

The mesothelium has different names depending on its location in the body. The peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that covers most organs in the abdominal cavity. The pleura is the membrane surrounding the lungs and lines the chest cavity wall. The pericardium covers and protects the heart. The mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis testis. The tunica serosa of the uterus covers the internal reproductive organs in women.

Symptoms:

Diagnosis:

Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 30 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath and chest pain due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleura are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma weight loss and abdominal pain and swelling due to fluid accumulation in the abdomen. Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, difficulty swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face. These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or other less serious conditions. It is important to consult a doctor if any of these symptoms. Only a doctor can diagnose.

Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult because symptoms resemble those of a number of other conditions. Diagnosis begins with a review of patient history, including any history of asbestos. A complete physical examination may be performed, including x-rays of the chest or abdomen and lung function tests. A CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI may also be useful. A scanner is a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. In an MRI is a powerful magnet linked to a computer used to make detailed pictures of areas inside the body. These images were displayed on a monitor and can also be printed.

A biopsy is needed to confirm the diagnosis of mesothelioma. In a biopsy, a surgeon or oncologist (a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer) removes a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope by a pathologist. A biopsy can be done in different ways, depending on where the lesion. If the cancer is in the chest, the doctor may perform a thoracoscopy. In this procedure, the doctor makes a small incision in the chest wall and puts a thin tube called a thoracoscope and informed in the chest between two ribs. Thoracoscopy allows the doctor to see inside the chest and receive samples of tissue. If the cancer is in the abdomen, the doctor may perform a laparoscopy. For tissue for examination, the doctor makes a small opening in the abdomen and inserts a special instrument called a peritoneoscopy in the abdominal cavity. If these procedures do not provide a tissue diagnosis may require more surgery.

If the diagnosis is mesothelioma, the doctor will have to learn the stage (or extent) of the. Staging includes more tests in an attempt to determine if the cancer has spread and, if so, what parts of the body. Know the stages of the treatment plan to help the doctor.

Mesothelioma is described as localized if the cancer is found only on the membrane surface where it originated. It is classified as advanced if it has spread beyond the surface of the membrane of origin to other parts of the body such as lymph nodes, lungs, chest wall, or abdominal organs.

Treatment for mesothelioma depends on the location of the cancer, the stage and the patient's age and general health. Standard treatment options include surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Sometimes, these treatments are combined.

Treatment:

Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Most drugs used to treat mesothelioma are given by injection into a vein (intravenously or IV). Doctors are also studying the effectiveness of putting chemotherapy directly into the chest or abdomen (intracavitary chemotherapy).

Surgery is a common treatment of mesothelioma. The doctor may remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen, and a number of surrounding tissues. Because the pleura (pleural mesothelioma), lung can be removed by operation called pneumonectomy. Sometimes a part of the diaphragm, the muscle below the lungs that helps breathing, is also removed.

Radiotherapy, also called radiotherapy, involves the use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy affects cancer cells only in the treated area. Radiation can be a machine (external radiation) or the introduction of materials that produce radiation through thin plastic tubes in an area where cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy).

Relieve symptoms and control pain, your doctor may use a needle or a narrow tube to drain fluid that has built up in the chest or abdomen. How to remove the fluid in the chest is called thoracentesis. Withdrawal of the abdominal fluid is called paracentesis. Medications can be given through a tube in the chest to prevent more fluid. Radiation therapy and surgery may also help relieve the symptoms of.