Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer. It arises due to the inhalation of asbestos or coming in contact with it. In mesothelioma a malignant tumor develops in the mesothelial tissues of the lungs and the abdomen. A number of people are not aware of this deadly disease. Many people and even the physicians are not able to diagnose its symptoms as they are analogous to the symptoms of other diseases. It takes decades to develop mesothelioma, almost forty to fifty years. This cancer is already in the advanced state, when the symptoms are evident. According to the stages of cancer the treatment choices differ. The extent of the disease and its different stages must be known to the patient.
Pleural mesothelioma (lungs) includes two stage systems: TNM system and Brighan system. These systems are commonly used in other kinds of cancers. TNM system is also used in Peritoneal Mesothelioma (abdominal) as this cancer has no definite staging system. Tumor, lymph nodes and metastasis are three variables of TNM system. In stage I of mesothelioma, the malignant mesothelioma cells begin to grow on one layer of pleura. Pleura are the membrane that encircles the lungs and outlines the wall of the chest cavity. In some cases, in this stage the pericardium membrane and the diaphragm cover are already affected.
In stage II of mesothelioma, the two layers of the pleura are already affected by the cancerous cells. In this stage only one side of the body is affected. Pleura generates a small amount of lubricating fluid. This fluid allows easy expanding and contracting of the lungs. The extra fluid is absorbed by the blood and the lymph vessels. In the second stage, this fluid gets filled in the pleural space between the lungs and the chest wall that leads to pleural effusion. This results in problems like shortness of breathing and chest pain. It may also lead to dry and persistent cough.
In stage III Mesothelioma, the malignant cells multiple rapidly and reach to the chest wall, esophagus and the lymph nodes on one part of the chest. The patient suffers severe pain around the parts affected. Mesothelioma may reach to the fourth stage if the patient is not treated immediately. The fourth stage Mesothelioma is dreadful. At this stage the mesothelioma cells enter into the bloodstream and other organs in the body like the liver, the bones and the brain.
Brighan staging system verifies whether the mesothelioma cells can be removed surgically or not. It also finds out whether the lymph nodes are affected or not. The lymph nodes are not affected in the first stage and the patient can still get well through surgery. In stage II, surgery can be done but some lymph nodes are already affected by the cancer cells. Surgery cannot be done in stage III and stage IV, as the heart and chest wall are already affected. The patient in the final stage i.e. stage IV, has a time span of four to twenty months to live