Medical professionals currently using three different classification systems to diagnose and treat pleural mesothelioma. Each system takes into account different variables including the extent of the cancer, the involvement of the lymph nodes, the metastases, and more.
1. The Butchart System is the oldest and most system used and is based mainly on the extent of the tumor mass. The Butchart system divides mesothelioma into four stages:
* Stage I - Mesothelioma is seen on the left or right side of the chest or pleural cavity, and can also be found in the diaphragm.
* Stage II - Mesothelioma has invaded the lining of the chest and reaches the esophagus, heart, or pleura on both sides. Lymph nodes may also be affected.
* Stage III - Mesothelioma has passed the diaphragm and into the abdominal cavity or peritoneum. Lymph nodes that are beyond the breast may also be affected.
* Stage IV - Mesothelioma has spread through the bloodstream to other organs
2. The TNM system (for its initials in English) is a system used to classify most recent stages of mesothelioma considering variables such as size and extent of tumor, involvement of lymph nodes, and metastasis. In the TNM system, the disease is divided into four stages:
* Stage I - Mesothelioma is on the right or left cavity of the chest and may have spread to the pericardium, diaphragm, or lung on the same side. Lymph nodes are not affected.
* Stage II - Mesothelioma has spread from one breast to a lymph node near the lung on the same side. The disease also may have spread to the lungs, diaphragm, or pericardium on the same side.
* Stage III - Mesothelioma has spread to the chest wall, muscle, heart, esophagus, ribs and vital organs in the pleural cavity on the same side. Lymph nodes may or may not be affected in the side of the tumor.
* Stage IV - Mesothelioma has spread to the lymph nodes in the chest area across the tumor, or has spread to the pleural cavity or lung on the other side, or has reached organs in the abdominal area or neck. Any metastasis is involved in the fourth stage.
* Stage I - Mesothelioma is seen on the left or right side of the chest or pleural cavity, and can also be found in the diaphragm.
* Stage II - Mesothelioma has invaded the lining of the chest and reaches the esophagus, heart, or pleura on both sides. Lymph nodes may also be affected.
* Stage III - Mesothelioma has passed the diaphragm and into the abdominal cavity or peritoneum. Lymph nodes that are beyond the breast may also be affected.
* Stage IV - Mesothelioma has spread through the bloodstream to other organs
2. The TNM system (for its initials in English) is a system used to classify most recent stages of mesothelioma considering variables such as size and extent of tumor, involvement of lymph nodes, and metastasis. In the TNM system, the disease is divided into four stages:
* Stage I - Mesothelioma is on the right or left cavity of the chest and may have spread to the pericardium, diaphragm, or lung on the same side. Lymph nodes are not affected.
* Stage II - Mesothelioma has spread from one breast to a lymph node near the lung on the same side. The disease also may have spread to the lungs, diaphragm, or pericardium on the same side.
* Stage III - Mesothelioma has spread to the chest wall, muscle, heart, esophagus, ribs and vital organs in the pleural cavity on the same side. Lymph nodes may or may not be affected in the side of the tumor.
* Stage IV - Mesothelioma has spread to the lymph nodes in the chest area across the tumor, or has spread to the pleural cavity or lung on the other side, or has reached organs in the abdominal area or neck. Any metastasis is involved in the fourth stage.
Showing posts with label mesothelioma victims. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mesothelioma victims. Show all posts
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Mesothelioma Victims
Mesothelioma is not a disease that can be detected easily as it rarely gives out symptoms at its early stage in the body. Even with the symptoms, diagnosing the disease is difficult as these symptoms are very common with other diseases too.
Within this backdrop, patients' medical histories can help diagnose the disease. Therefore, physicians inquire about a patient's medical history if they suspect mesothelioma might be the case. Then the X-ray is performed and if necessary CT scan or MRI is also performed.
With these scans, the amount of fluid if it is present can be seen and this fluid is then aspirated with the help of a syringe. While a pleural tap is used to extract pleural fluid, the fluid in pericardial cavities is taken out by pericardiocentesis. Paracentesis is performed to take out fluid in abdomen.
If these fluids give out evidences of having mesothelioma, physicians do further tests on patients to prove the conditions clearly. At this stage, mostly a biopsy is done and tissues are sent to the pathologist for microscopic tests. Depending on the locations of the cancer, the methods used for biopsies can be different from each other. As an example, for cancer in the chest, thoracoscopy is performed to get tissues, in which, the physician make small incision on the chest wall and insert a thoracoscope between the ribs. In this way, the doctor can examine the inside of the chest cavities and extract tissue samples for microscopic testing.
On the other hand, to get tissue samples from a mesothelioma patient in the abdominal cavities, a laparoscopy is done. During this procedure a very small cut is made on the abdominal areas large enough to insert an instrument into the abdomen. Sometimes the procedure is not sufficient to take out enough tissues for the microscopic test and if this is the case, another major surgery has to be performed.
Within this backdrop, patients' medical histories can help diagnose the disease. Therefore, physicians inquire about a patient's medical history if they suspect mesothelioma might be the case. Then the X-ray is performed and if necessary CT scan or MRI is also performed.
With these scans, the amount of fluid if it is present can be seen and this fluid is then aspirated with the help of a syringe. While a pleural tap is used to extract pleural fluid, the fluid in pericardial cavities is taken out by pericardiocentesis. Paracentesis is performed to take out fluid in abdomen.
If these fluids give out evidences of having mesothelioma, physicians do further tests on patients to prove the conditions clearly. At this stage, mostly a biopsy is done and tissues are sent to the pathologist for microscopic tests. Depending on the locations of the cancer, the methods used for biopsies can be different from each other. As an example, for cancer in the chest, thoracoscopy is performed to get tissues, in which, the physician make small incision on the chest wall and insert a thoracoscope between the ribs. In this way, the doctor can examine the inside of the chest cavities and extract tissue samples for microscopic testing.
On the other hand, to get tissue samples from a mesothelioma patient in the abdominal cavities, a laparoscopy is done. During this procedure a very small cut is made on the abdominal areas large enough to insert an instrument into the abdomen. Sometimes the procedure is not sufficient to take out enough tissues for the microscopic test and if this is the case, another major surgery has to be performed.
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