Mesothelioma can attack the pleural lining around the lungs. It can also attack the peritoneum, a tissue that surrounds the GI tract. Mesothelioma can attack the stomach lining, other internal organs, or even the pericardium (the tissue sac covering the heart). Thus, mesothelioma can be generally classified into the following types:
* Pleural — 75% of all mesothelioma cases
* Peritoneal — 10%–20%
* Pericardial — 5%
Mesothelioma can also be classified by the cancer type rather than the location of the cancer:
* Epithelioid — most common, best survival rate
* Sarcomatoid — most severe, but more rare
* Mixed/biphasic — a mixture of epithelioid and sarcomatoid cancer
Symptoms of Mesothelioma
The symptoms of mesothelioma differ somewhat according to the location of the cancer cells. In addition, each mesothelioma patient may have a different combination of mesothelioma symptoms. Tumors that affect the pleura may result in the following signs:
* Wheezing, cough, and/or hoarseness
* Anemia, fatigue
* Bloody sputum
* Shortness of breath
* Chest wall pain, or pain under the rib cage
* Pleural effusion (fluid surrounding the lung)
Mesothelioma in the abdominal cavity often doesn't show symptoms until it's at a late stage. These symptoms may include:
* A mass in the abdomen
* Abdominal pain and/or swelling
* Weight loss
* Bowel problems
* Ascites (an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen)
Treatments for Mesothelioma
Research into new and more effective mesothelioma treatments is ongoing. There is no cure as yet for mesothelioma. The standard treatments that attempt to hold back the progression of this cancer are:
* Surgery — to remove part of all of the affected body tissues
* Radiation therapy — to target and kill the mesothelioma cells
* Chemotherapy — the use of drugs, injected or taken orally, to kill or stop the growth of the cancer cells
Types of Mesothelioma
What're the symptoms of asbestosis?
The effects of long-term exposure to asbestos typically don't show up for 20 to 30 years after exposure. Symptoms of asbestosis appear gradually only after large areas of the lung become scarred. The first symptom of asbestosis is usually shortness of breath following exercise or other physical activity. The early stages of the disease are also characterized by a
dry cough and a generalized feeling of illness. A person with noncancerous asbestos effusion may have difficulty in breathing because of fluid accumulation. Pleural plaques cause only a mild breathing difficulty that results from stiffness of the chest wall. Smokers who have chronic bronchitis along with asbestosis may cough and wheeze. Gradually, breathing becomes more and more difficult. In about 15% of people with asbestosis, severe shortness of breath and respiratory failure develop.
As the disease progresses and lung damage increases, shortness of breath occurs even when the patient is at rest. Recurrent respiratory infections and coughing up blood are common. So is swelling of the feet, ankles, or hands. Persistent pain in the chest and shortness of breath are the most common symptoms caused by mesothelioma. Other symptoms of advanced asbestosis include chest pain, hoarseness, and restless sleep. Patients who have asbestosis often have clubbed (widened and thickened) fingers. Other potential complications include heart failure, collapsed (deflated) lung, and pleurisy (inflammation of the membrane that protects the lung).
