All About Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that affects the mesothelial cells of the serous membranes in the body. The most common form of mesothelioma,mesothelioma is cancer occurring in the lining of the lungs , is pleural mesothelioma.

Malignant mesothelioma affects the lining or membranes of certain large cavities in the body. These cavities, called the serous cavities, house certain major organs in the body including the heart, lungs, abdomen and others. The membranes that surround these cavities are called the serous membranes. They serve to protect these major organs from the friction and abrasion that occur as the organs move against each other during typical daily functioning, such as breathing and heart beating. The serous membranes derive from specialized cells called mesothelial cells. These cells form to create the mesothelium, which is the major tissue layer of the serous membranes. Cancer that occurs in the mesothelium tissue is called mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma can also recur÷meaning that once it has been treated, it can occur again. Recurrent malignant mesothelioma may come back to the same area of the body in which it initially manifested itself (typically the chest or abdomen), or in another, previously unaffected part of the body.

MESOTHELIOMA TREATMENT STRATEGIES

A treatment plan is devised depending upon the mesothelioma type, aggressiveness, primary location, and degree of local (rarely, distant) spread. The treatment of pleural mesothelioma is difficult. Treatment with surgery, radiation therapy or chemotherapy used alone or in combination may be proposed, depending upon the potential benefits and risks of each modality. Surgery is rarely used alone, but sometimes suffices when only a small pleural patch of mesothelioma is detected, thus allowing visually complete removal of the tumor. More often, mesothelioma of the left or right pleural cavity cannot be completely removed without taking the entire lung (pneumonectomy) on the same side as well. In such cases, radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy is given postoperatively to help eradicate any residual mesothelioma that may have escaped the surgeon. * Draining of fluid in the chest or abdomen (thoracentesis or paracentesis) to reduce discomfort.
* Drugs also may be put into the chest or abdomen to prevent further collection of fluid.
* Surgery to relieve symptoms.
* Radiation therapy to relieve symptoms.
* Chemotherapy.
* A clinical trial of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.
* Chemotherapy given in the chest or abdomen.

The treatment of peritoneal mesothelioma is even more problematic; until recently no consistent treatment was available. Peritoneal mesotheliomas have been managed in the experimental setting with combined modality treatment consisting of extensive(usually not complete) debulking surgery, followed by intraperitoneal and systemic chemotherapy followed in turn by whole abdominal radiation therapy.

Because mesothelioma now represents less than one percent of cancers and are infrequently seen in the practice of most community oncologists, finding the correct treatment can be very difficult. Proper management of mesothelioma often requires evaluation at larger tertiary hospitals or Comprehensive Cancer Centers by specialists in medical, surgical and radiation oncology with experience in all aspects of the clinical care of mesothelioma patients, including the newest experimental treatments.