Friday, May 13, 2011

Stages And Diagnosis Of Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is definitely an difficult cancer to detect in early stages. The early symptoms tend to be generic and even nonexistent sometimes, it will take nearly 15 to 50 years after contact with develop. The very first symptom is usually constant heart problems, followed by coughing, lung damage, and shortness of breath. Patients who may have peritoneal mesothelioma (a less common form of mesothelioma) generally experience abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea, and abdominal swelling, often in addition to the signs and symptoms of pleural mesothelioma cancer. They can also develop bowel obstruction or further breathing obstruction.


There are actually three staging systems helpful to determine treatment for mesothelioma: Butchart System, TNM System, and also the Brigham System, Butchart Staging System

The Butchart Method is the oldest system and the most typical. This system concentrates upon determining the extent of primary tumor mass and divides mesothelioma into four stages.

Stage I of the Butchart System consists of the presence of mesothelioma in the lining of the right or left lung and may even also involve the diaphragm on a single side. Stage II includes the progress of mesothelioma to the chest wall, esophagus, or lung lining on bother sides. There may also be lymph nodes inside chest. The onset of Stage III begins if your mesothelioma surpasses the diaphragm into the lining with the abdominal cavity or peritoneum. In this stage cancer may also get a new lymph nodes extending beyond those who work in stomach. Doctors identify Stage IV, one more stage, when evidence of multiplication of cancer with other organs (metastasis) is confirmed.

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