One can contract mesothelioma if they inhale asbestos fibers. The fibers can travel into the lungs and settle in the Mesothelium. This Mesothelium is the protective membrane that covers our organs. Mesothelioma occurs as a result of damage to cells and DNA.
Early symptoms of Mesothelioma are the same as those likely to be from other common problems. People often ignore them for common and minor ailments. Most people with Mesothelioma develop symptoms for a few months before they know about it.
Can Mesothelioma Be Found Early?
Mesothelioma is a very rare type of cancer. There are no such early screening tests for this cancer. People who are known to have exposure to asbestos may recommend by doctors for regular imaging tests. There are several imaging tests like chest x-rays, computed tomography (CT) scans. These tests are to look for changes in the lungs that might be signs of Mesothelioma or other types of lung cancer. But these tests are not very useful in finding Mesotheliomas early.
There are other tests to find Mesothelioma early. People with Mesothelioma may have high levels of certain substances in their blood. Substances like fibulin-3 and soluble SMRPs (Mesothelin-related peptides) may found in their blood. Blood tests for these substances might help detect Mesotheliomas early.
Most Mesotheliomas are diagnosed when a person goes to a doctor because of shortness of breath and chest pain. Unfortunately, many of these symptoms are because of reasons other than Mesothelioma. Still, it’s important to report any new symptoms to a doctor right away so that the cause can be found as early as possible.
Common Symptoms by Type of Mesothelioma
After asbestos exposure, it can take 10 – 50 years to develop Mesothelioma symptoms. Some types of Mesothelioma have similar symptoms. Other signs of Mesothelioma are unique to the location of the tumor.
However, there are common signs of the disease like abdominal pain, chest pain, fatigue, fever and night sweats, muscle weakness, unexplained weight loss, coughing or wheezing, difficulty breathing, loss of appetite, and fluid buildup.
Early signs of Mesothelioma are hard to detect. They are mild. In the later stages, tumor growth leads to worsening symptoms. Late-stage warning signs commonly include pain, loss of appetite, fatigue, and unexpected weight loss.
Symptoms by Type
There are several types of Mesothelioma. Each type develops in different parts of the body. So symptoms may vary across types of Mesothelioma. Types are based on the origin of the tumor.
Pleural Mesothelioma: Malignant pleural mesothelioma develops in the lungs lining. Symptoms often manifest in the chest cavity. It may cause respiratory problems. Common signs of Pleural Mesothelioma are a pain in the side of the chest or lower back. There could be trouble swallowing, cough, feeling like food gets stuck, swelling of the face and arms, shortness of breath, and hoarseness.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma: Peritoneal Mesothelioma develops in the abdomen lining. So, most of the symptoms are found in the abdominal area. In the abdominal cavity, there are multiple organs. So peritoneal Mesothelioma symptoms may vary. It depends on the location of the tumor. Common signs of this Mesothelioma are like swelling or fluid in the abdomen, constipation, nausea and vomiting, and abdominal pain.
Pericardial Mesothelioma: This Mesothelioma develops in the heart lining. Symptoms typically present in the chest cavity. Due to the aggressive nature of pericardial Mesothelioma, symptoms generally progress quickly. Symptoms are irregular heart rhythm, heart murmur, chest pain, and shortness of breath.
Testicular Mesothelioma: Testicular Mesothelioma growths in the linings of the testes. Though cases are very few in numbers, the common symptoms includes pain and swelling in the testicles. Other rare signs are like swelling around the scrotum and testicular pain.
Tests for Malignant Mesothelioma
In most cases, Mesothelioma is detected after a person visits a doctor because of symptoms they are having. If there is a reason to suspect he or she might have Mesothelioma, the doctor will ask to go through some tests. Symptoms might suggest that the person has Mesothelioma, but tests are compulsory to find out the reasons behind the symptoms.
The doctor will examine the patient’s medical history to learn more about symptoms and possible risk factors, especially asbestos exposure.
Mesothelioma can be hard to diagnose. If the results of the patient’s history and physical exam suggest the person might have Mesothelioma, the doctor will recommend more tests. These could include blood tests, imaging tests, and biopsies.
Mesothelioma Treatment
Most oncologists have never encountered Mesothelioma because it is very rare. Mesothelioma specialists provide patients the best chances to extend life and improve prognosis.
The most common treatment for mesothelioma involves a combination of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy. Supportive treatments might help relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life for many patients.
What treatment the patient undergoes for Mesothelioma depends on his or her health and different aspects of cancer. Mostly the treatment depends on the tumor’s stage and location.
Unfortunately, Mesothelioma often is an aggressive type of cancer. And for most of the patients, it is incurable. Doctors diagnose Mesothelioma at an advanced stage. At that stage, it is almost impossible to remove cancer through surgery. Instead, the doctor may work to control the patient’s cancer to make the condition more comfortable.
Sometimes the treatment depends on the patient’s need. Some Mesothelioma sufferers want to do everything to treat their cancer. This may endure side effects for a small chance of an improvement. Other patients prefer treatments that make them comfortable. They can live their remaining life as symptom-free as possible.
Surgery
Patients diagnosed in the early stages go through Mesothelioma surgeries. They benefit the most from it. Detection of early cancer and successful surgery offers them the best chance of living longer lives. Surgery is often performed with chemotherapy, remove all visible tumors from the infected area, and improve quality of life.
Chemotherapy
In chemotherapy, doctors use a certain amount of chemicals to kill cancer cells. These chemicals travel throughout the body. Usually, this therapy shrinks or slows the growth of a Mesothelioma tumor that can’t be removed using surgery. This therapy is likely to be done before surgery, called neoadjuvant chemotherapy. This makes an operation easier. In adjuvant chemotherapy, patients receive chemotherapy after surgery. It reduces the chance that Mesothelioma will return. In intraperitoneal chemotherapy, drugs may also be heated and administered into the abdominal cavity. It is the most usual treatment for peritoneal Mesothelioma.
Radiation
When doctors cannot perform surgery, they suggest radiation therapy. It eases symptoms, shrinks the tumor, and reduces chest pain and discomfort. Radiation can also decrease the risk of local metathesis. In a palliative procedure, doctors perform radiation therapy along with surgery.
Immunotherapy
It helps the patient’s immune system to fight cancerous growth. Sometimes the immune system may not attack cancer cells because malignant growths produce proteins. These proteins blind the immune system cells. Immunotherapy interferes with that process. If other therapies aren’t working, this treatment might be an option.
Multimodal Therapy
It is also known as multimodality treatment. This multimodal therapy is a combination of two or more conventional treatments. Doctors use this therapy to treat the pleural and peritoneal types of Mesothelioma. This is an effective option than using only one treatment.