How to Treatment Mesothelioma Cancer | Diagnose| Prognosis and Survival Mesothelioma Cancer

How to Treatment Mesothelioma Cancer| Diagnose|Prognosis and Survival Mesothelioma Cancer

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Mesothelioma Meaning?

Mesothelioma is a cancer that attacks the mesothelium, which is a thin layer of tissue that envelopes most of the internal organs. Some organs have mesothelium, including the lungs (pleura), abdomen (abdomen), heart (pericardial), and testicles (tunica vaginalis). This cancer is classified as aggressive and many sufferers are not successfully treated.

Mesothelioma most commonly attacks the mesothelium of the lungs (called pleural mesothelioma) and the chest wall. Another type of mesothelioma less commonly encountered is peritoneal mesothelioma, which attacks the mesothelium of the abdominal cavity. Mesothelioma is different from benign mesothelioma in the chest which is also called solitary fibrous tumor.

Causes of Mesothelioma

Cancer that attacks the organs of the body begins from cell mutations that cause its growth to become uncontrolled until then doubled. Experts still can not confirm the cause of these cell mutations. However, the interaction between lifestyle, derivative and environmental conditions is alleged to be a factor that triggers cancer.

Although the exact cause of mesothelioma is unknown, the major risk factor of mesothelioma is asbestos. This disease is relatively rare before the use of asbestos commercially commenced. Asbestos is a mineral used as a material for making brakes, floors, roofs, and insulation.

Asbestos dust that is inhaled or swallowed will accumulate in the lungs and abdomen for a long time, usually around 20-50 years, before it eventually develops into mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is also more commonly diagnosed in men than in women, and in people over 65 years of age.

Some other factors that can trigger mesothelioma disease, among others:

• The environment where the soil contains asbestos. 
• Living in an area or living with someone who has a job related to exposure to Asbestos can also stick to the skin and clothing so as to bring the asbestos into the house or other environment. 
• Ever exposed to asbestos or have family members suffering from mesothelioma.

Symptoms of Mesothelioma

Symptoms of mesothelioma may vary based on where the cancer cells are located. Pericardial mesothelioma may cause chest pain and difficulty breathing, while mesothelioma tunica vaginalis will show symptoms of swelling of the testicles.

Pleural mesothelioma has the following symptoms:

• Cough accompanied by unbearable pain.
• Shortness of breath due to the buildup of fluid in the chest. 
• Unusual lumps on the tissue behind the skin of the chest. 
• Weight loss for no apparent reason.
• Often overcome with excessive fatigue. 
• Fever accompanied by sweat especially at night. 
• Swollen fingertips. 
• Chest pain that feels under the ribs.

Peritoneal mesothelioma has the following symptoms:

• Pain in the abdominal area.
• There is a lump in the abdominal tissue. 
• Swelling in the abdominal area. 
• Weight loss without cause. 
• Diarrhea or constipation.

Diagnosis of Mesothelioma

The examination will begin with anamnesa about the symptoms suffered, personal and family medical history. Anamnesa is a conversation performed by the doctor to the patient directly as a way to get data about the condition and medical problems that are being experienced by the patient. In addition to anamnesa, the doctor will perform a physical examination to check for lumps or other abnormal signs. Furthermore, the doctor may instruct the investigation to be performed as part of the disease diagnosis. Common examination for the diagnosis of mesothelioma, such as X-ray to check if there is any abnormality in the chest and a CT scan to check the area of ​​the chest and abdomen.

Biopsies or other tests may also be performed to determine which illness causes the symptoms to appear. A biopsy is a laboratory examination of a small amount of tissue that can be taken from different parts of the body, depending on the location of the illness. The tissue is then examined in the laboratory to determine what cell types cause abnormalities, as well as to know the type of cancer they have.


Mesothelioma Treatment

There are several steps of mesothelioma treatment that may be recommended by doctors. The selected treatment plan will depend on the condition of the disease, the stage of the cancer, and the general health of the patient. But considering mesothelioma is a cancer that can not be cured and generally new can be detected at an advanced stage, then the treatment step is more aimed at reducing the symptoms felt by the patient.

#1. Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a drug used to shrink or inhibit cancer growth. This drug can spread to all parts of the body and can be used before surgery or after surgery. In the case of peritoneal mesothelioma, the drug can be heated and given directly into the abdominal cavity in order not to hurt healthy tissue in other body parts. This allows the dose of chemotherapy drugs to be given in high doses.

#2.Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy may be performed after surgical procedures to eradicate leftover cancer cells or reduce symptoms of advanced cancer when surgery is not possible.

#3.Surgery

Surgery is performed to remove mesothelioma cancer, which is generally still in the early stages of disease progression, although in some cases still can not successfully remove cancer cells completely. Surgery can also be done to reduce the symptoms of advanced cancer that has spread to other body parts in order to reduce symptoms suffered.

#4. Multimodality therapy

This therapy is a combination of three or more treatment steps, such as surgery, postoperative chemotherapy (adjuvant chemotherapy), and radiation therapy to enlarge the success rate of treatment.

#5.Alternative medicine

Alternative treatment has not been clinically proven to treat mesothelioma, but some of these treatments have shown good development in mesothelioma patients.
Here are related healing techniques:

• Respiratory exercises to control breathing when the patient begins to feel breathless. 
• Relaxation exercises of the body, especially the respiratory muscles, can also make it easier for people to breathe lightly. 
• Sitting close to the fan facing the face can reduce the sensation of difficulty breathing felt by the patient. 
• Acupuncture.

Mesothelioma Prevention

The major precaution of mesothelioma is by reducing contact with everything related to asbestos, a major cause of the development of mesothelioma. People who work or are often exposed to asbestos are high-risk groups, such as miners, factory workers, insulation equipment manufacturers, construction workers, and mechanics.