Jane Doe
What is malignant mesothelioma?
A cancerous tumor of the mesothelium is called a malignant mesothelioma, although this is often shortened to just mesothelioma. Mesotheliomas can start in 4 main areas in the body. Malignant mesothelioma is a cancer that starts in cells in the linings of certain parts of the body, especially the chest or abdomen.
The mesothelium helps protect your organs by making a special lubricating fluid that allows organs to move around. For example, this fluid makes it easier for the lungs to move inside the chest during breathing. The mesothelium has different names in different parts of the body:
About 50% to 60% of mesotheliomas are epithelioid. This type tends to have a better outlook (prognosis) than the other types.
About 10% to 20% of mesotheliomas are sarcomatoid (fibrous).
Cuases of Malignant Mesothelioma
Asbestos
The major known cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. A known history of asbestos exposure is present in 70-80% of all cases of mesothelioma. Asbestos likely causes cancer by physically irritating the cells. When asbestos fibers are breathed in, they reach the ends of the small airways and penetrate into the pleura (lining of the lung). These fibers may then injure mesothelial cells of the pleura and eventually cause mesothelioma.
Smoking
Although smoking has not been associated with the development of mesothelioma, the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure significantly increases a person's risk of developing pleural mesothelioma.
Radiation
Mesothelioma has been reported to occur in few people following exposure to therapeutic radiation using thorium dioxide (Thorotrast).
Zeolite
Zeolite is a silicate mineral (chemically related to asbestos) commonly found in the soil of the Anatoli region of Turkey. A few cases of mesothelioma reported from this region may have been caused by zeolite.
Simian virus 40
The role of SV40 in the development of mesothelioma has also been suggested. This virus has been identified in human mesothelioma cells. In studies conducted in animals, it has been shown to induce the development of mesothelioma. However, further research is needed to confirm the link.
Symptoms of Malignant Mesothelioma
Malignant mesothelioma is usually diagnosed only when symptoms appear—often many years after the asbestos exposure. Because the symptoms of malignant mesothelioma are similar to other common illnesses, the patient may ignore them for months, delaying the diagnosis even further.
Early symptoms of malignant mesothelioma may include:
Treatment of Malignant Mesothelioma
After the cancer is found and staged, your cancer care team will discuss your treatment options with you. The main factors in selecting treatment for mesotheliomas are the location and extent of the tumor, whether it has spread to lymph nodes or other organs, and your health and personal preferences. Based on these factors, your treatment options may include:
Surgery
Surgical treatment of malignant mesothelioma is the physical removal of a cancerous tumor. The most proactive approach to treating any form of cancer, surgery is split into three categories:
Chemotherapy
Treatment of mesothelioma using chemical substances is commonly referred to as chemotherapy. Cancer cells divide at a faster rate than normal cells, fostering a rapid spread of the disease. Although chemotherapy is not a curative procedure, it works to slow the spread of cancer cells throughout the body. Chemotherapy is used for various purposes in treating malignant mesothelioma:
Radiation Therapy
Commonly called radiotherapy, radiation therapy uses high-energy rays such as x-rays to kill malignant mesothelioma cells. Somewhat similar to chemotherapy, radiotherapy is not typically viewed as a curative procedure; rather, it is used in combination with surgical procedures and for the purpose of treating the symptoms. Usually, radiotherapy is applied solely to a localized area of concern, as opposed to the entire body.
Lifestyle changes after malignant mesothelioma
You can’t change the fact that you have had cancer. What you can change is how you live the rest of your life – making choices to help you stay healthy and feel as well as you can. This can be a time to look at your life in new ways. Maybe you are thinking about how to improve your health over the long term. Some people even start during cancer treatment.
Make healthier choices
For many people, a diagnosis of cancer helps them focus on their health in ways they may not have thought much about in the past. Are there things you could do that might make you healthier? Maybe you could try to eat better or get more exercise. Maybe you could cut down on the alcohol, or give up tobacco. Even things like keeping your stress level under control may help. Now is a good time to think about making changes that can have positive effects for the rest of your life. You will feel better and you will also be healthier.
Eating better
If treatment caused weight changes or eating or taste problems, do the best you can and keep in mind that these problems usually get better over time. You may find it helps to eat small portions every 2 to 3 hours until you feel better. You may also want to ask your cancer team about seeing a dietitian, an expert in nutrition who can give you ideas on how to deal with these treatment side effects.
One of the best things you can do after cancer treatment is put healthy eating habits into place. You may be surprised at the long-term benefits of some simple changes, like increasing the variety of healthy foods you eat. Getting to and staying at a healthy weight, eating a healthy diet, and limiting your alcohol intake may lower your risk for a number of types of cancer, as well as having many other health benefits
Rest, fatigue, and exercise
If you were sick and not very active during treatment, it is normal for your fitness, endurance, and muscle strength to decline. Any plan for physical activity should fit your own situation. An older person who has never exercised will not be able to take on the same amount of exercise as a 20-year-old who plays tennis twice a week. If you haven’t exercised in a few years, you will have to start slowly – maybe just by taking short walks.
Talk with your health care team before starting anything. Get their opinion about your exercise plans. Then, try to find an exercise buddy so you’re not doing it alone. Having family or friends involved when starting a new exercise program can give you that extra boost of support to keep you going when the push just isn’t there.
Keep in mind exercise can improve your physical and emotional health.
A cancerous tumor of the mesothelium is called a malignant mesothelioma, although this is often shortened to just mesothelioma. Mesotheliomas can start in 4 main areas in the body. Malignant mesothelioma is a cancer that starts in cells in the linings of certain parts of the body, especially the chest or abdomen.
The mesothelium helps protect your organs by making a special lubricating fluid that allows organs to move around. For example, this fluid makes it easier for the lungs to move inside the chest during breathing. The mesothelium has different names in different parts of the body:
- Pleural mesotheliomas start in the chest. They account for about 3 out of 4 mesotheliomas.
- Peritoneal mesotheliomas begin in the abdomen. They make up most of the remaining cases.
- Pericardial mesotheliomas start in the covering around the heart and are very rare.
- Mesotheliomas of the tunica vaginalis are very rare tumors that start in the covering layer of the testicles.
About 50% to 60% of mesotheliomas are epithelioid. This type tends to have a better outlook (prognosis) than the other types.
About 10% to 20% of mesotheliomas are sarcomatoid (fibrous).
Cuases of Malignant Mesothelioma
Asbestos
The major known cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. A known history of asbestos exposure is present in 70-80% of all cases of mesothelioma. Asbestos likely causes cancer by physically irritating the cells. When asbestos fibers are breathed in, they reach the ends of the small airways and penetrate into the pleura (lining of the lung). These fibers may then injure mesothelial cells of the pleura and eventually cause mesothelioma.
Smoking
Although smoking has not been associated with the development of mesothelioma, the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure significantly increases a person's risk of developing pleural mesothelioma.
Radiation
Mesothelioma has been reported to occur in few people following exposure to therapeutic radiation using thorium dioxide (Thorotrast).
Zeolite
Zeolite is a silicate mineral (chemically related to asbestos) commonly found in the soil of the Anatoli region of Turkey. A few cases of mesothelioma reported from this region may have been caused by zeolite.
Simian virus 40
The role of SV40 in the development of mesothelioma has also been suggested. This virus has been identified in human mesothelioma cells. In studies conducted in animals, it has been shown to induce the development of mesothelioma. However, further research is needed to confirm the link.
Symptoms of Malignant Mesothelioma
Malignant mesothelioma is usually diagnosed only when symptoms appear—often many years after the asbestos exposure. Because the symptoms of malignant mesothelioma are similar to other common illnesses, the patient may ignore them for months, delaying the diagnosis even further.
Early symptoms of malignant mesothelioma may include:
- Coughing up blood
- Hoarseness
- Pain in the lower back, side, or abdomen
- Weight loss
- Weakness or fatigue
- Fluid in the chest or abdomen
Treatment of Malignant Mesothelioma
After the cancer is found and staged, your cancer care team will discuss your treatment options with you. The main factors in selecting treatment for mesotheliomas are the location and extent of the tumor, whether it has spread to lymph nodes or other organs, and your health and personal preferences. Based on these factors, your treatment options may include:
- Surgery
- Radiation therapy
- Chemotherapy
Surgical treatment of malignant mesothelioma is the physical removal of a cancerous tumor. The most proactive approach to treating any form of cancer, surgery is split into three categories:
- Diagnostic surgery: A precursor to treatment rather than a method of treatment, diagnostic surgery helps confirm and stage malignant mesothelioma. In a procedure called a biopsy, tissue is removed from an area in question and examined by a pathologist.
- Palliative surgery: As opposed to aggressively treating malignant mesothelioma, palliative surgery is the process of solely treating the disease's symptoms. For example, fluid build-up (pleural effusion) is a common symptom of malignant mesothelioma. Relief of pleural effusion requires draining of the fluid (thoracentesis). Because pleural effusion often recurs, the only way to eliminate the problem is through surgical closure of the pleural space.
- Curative surgery: The goal of curative surgery is to remove all instances of malignant mesothelioma. More often than not, microscopic mesothelioma residue will remain following curative surgery, so it is typically followed by some other treatment (adjuvant therapy) such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
Chemotherapy
Treatment of mesothelioma using chemical substances is commonly referred to as chemotherapy. Cancer cells divide at a faster rate than normal cells, fostering a rapid spread of the disease. Although chemotherapy is not a curative procedure, it works to slow the spread of cancer cells throughout the body. Chemotherapy is used for various purposes in treating malignant mesothelioma:
- Slowing the growth and spread of cancer cells throughout the body.
- Shrinking tumors prior to surgical treatment (neoadjuvant chemotherapy).
- Killing microscopic mesothelioma residue following surgery (adjuvant chemotherapy).
- Treating the symptoms, using chemical substances (palliative chemotherapy).
Radiation Therapy
Commonly called radiotherapy, radiation therapy uses high-energy rays such as x-rays to kill malignant mesothelioma cells. Somewhat similar to chemotherapy, radiotherapy is not typically viewed as a curative procedure; rather, it is used in combination with surgical procedures and for the purpose of treating the symptoms. Usually, radiotherapy is applied solely to a localized area of concern, as opposed to the entire body.
Lifestyle changes after malignant mesothelioma
You can’t change the fact that you have had cancer. What you can change is how you live the rest of your life – making choices to help you stay healthy and feel as well as you can. This can be a time to look at your life in new ways. Maybe you are thinking about how to improve your health over the long term. Some people even start during cancer treatment.
Make healthier choices
For many people, a diagnosis of cancer helps them focus on their health in ways they may not have thought much about in the past. Are there things you could do that might make you healthier? Maybe you could try to eat better or get more exercise. Maybe you could cut down on the alcohol, or give up tobacco. Even things like keeping your stress level under control may help. Now is a good time to think about making changes that can have positive effects for the rest of your life. You will feel better and you will also be healthier.
Eating better
If treatment caused weight changes or eating or taste problems, do the best you can and keep in mind that these problems usually get better over time. You may find it helps to eat small portions every 2 to 3 hours until you feel better. You may also want to ask your cancer team about seeing a dietitian, an expert in nutrition who can give you ideas on how to deal with these treatment side effects.
One of the best things you can do after cancer treatment is put healthy eating habits into place. You may be surprised at the long-term benefits of some simple changes, like increasing the variety of healthy foods you eat. Getting to and staying at a healthy weight, eating a healthy diet, and limiting your alcohol intake may lower your risk for a number of types of cancer, as well as having many other health benefits
Rest, fatigue, and exercise
If you were sick and not very active during treatment, it is normal for your fitness, endurance, and muscle strength to decline. Any plan for physical activity should fit your own situation. An older person who has never exercised will not be able to take on the same amount of exercise as a 20-year-old who plays tennis twice a week. If you haven’t exercised in a few years, you will have to start slowly – maybe just by taking short walks.
Talk with your health care team before starting anything. Get their opinion about your exercise plans. Then, try to find an exercise buddy so you’re not doing it alone. Having family or friends involved when starting a new exercise program can give you that extra boost of support to keep you going when the push just isn’t there.
Keep in mind exercise can improve your physical and emotional health.
- It improves your cardiovascular (heart and circulation) fitness.
- Along with a good diet, it will help you get to and stay at a healthy weight.
- It makes your muscles stronger.
- It reduces fatigue and helps you have more energy.
- It can help lower anxiety and depression.
- It can make you feel happier.
- It helps you feel better about yourself.