Pleural Mesothelioma

                       WHAT IS MALIGNANT PLEURA MESOTHELIOMA?

    The pleura is a thin, cushioning membrane that protects the lungs in which fluid within the pleura membrane separates two layers of tissue in the chest cavity. Pleural mesothelioma, also known as malignant pleural mesothelioma, is the most common form of mesothelioma. There are 1500 to 2250 new cases of malignant pleural mesothelioma each year and unfortunately the survival rate of malignant pleural
mesothelioma is low but the earlier it is detected the higher the survival rate. In most cases those diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma have up to 1.5 years to live and in extreme cases the survival time could be as high as five years. Most cases of malignant pleural mesothelioma are diagnosed during the latent stages of this type of cancer thus making it difficult to prolong the lives of those infected. The majority of malignant pleura mesothelioma cases are caused from exposure to asbestos.

            WHO IS AT RISK FOR MALIGNANT PLEURA  MESOTHELIOMA?

    The highest risk occupations for malignant pleura mesothelioma include: home re modelers, construction workers,insulation manufacturers and insulation installers, automotive and railroad workers, gas mask manufacturers, some factory workers where asbestos is used and some miners. Just because you do not work in these industries does not mean you are not at risk for malignant pleural mesothelioma; asbestos fibers may be attached to the clothes of these workers and carried into the household. Malignant pleura mesothelioma may take 20 to 50 years to develop; much depends on how much asbestos you were exposed to. Since the latency in diagnosing malignant pleura mesothelioma most cases appear in people between the ages of 50 to 70 years old.    

                    MALIGNANT PLEURA MESOTHELIOMA SYMPTOMS

    Malignant pleura mesothelioma symptoms may be confused with many other ailments at first due to its latent nature in developing. Usually several weeks or month can pass before a correct diagnosis can be made. Malignant pleura mesothelioma symptoms initially appear no different than other symptoms from a flu or a cold. You may have a persistent cough and hoarse voice or trouble swallowing and breathing. A fever may be present along with sweating,fatigue and muscle weakness. There also could be swelling in the face and arms along with lower back pain or pain on the side of the chest. All of these may point to malignant pleura mesothelioma and it is recommended that you see a doctor and tell him your work history or possible exposure to asbestos.

    In a study conducted by Dr. Philipe Chahinian, a leading oncologist, conducted five studies in malignant pleura mesothelioma patients who encountered the symptoms listed below in varying degrees;

Shortness of Breath         6%  to  60% of cases
Chest Pain                   33%   to  71% of cases
Both of the Above        19%   to  28% of cases
Cough                           3%   to  28% of cases 
Spitting of blood           1%     to  6% of cases
Hoarseness                   1%    to  3% of cases
Difficulty Swallowing      0%    to   1% of cases
Weight Loss                 14%   to  29% of cases
Fever                           3%   to  33% of cases 
Asymptomatic                 3%  to   4% of cases
Pleural effusion              74%  to  84% of cases

                       MALIGNANT PLEURA MESOTHELIOMA STAGES

    Staging is defined as what level malignant pleura mesothelioma has spread within the body. It assists the doctor in determining what the outlook is and treatment to administer to the patient. Since malignant pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of mesothelioma it is the only one to have a staging system issued to it. The American Joint Committee on Cancer has developed the most common system used to determine the stage of malignant pleura mesothelioma. The systems name, TNM, is an acronym for Tumor Node Metastasized.

    The T tells the doctor how far the main tumor has spread

    The N tells the doctor how far the cancer has traveled to regional lymph nodes.

    The M tells the doctor whether the cancer has spread to other regions of the body

    There is a number system associated with each letter in the TNM system,1-4, which tells the doctor to which degree the malignant pleural mesothelioma has spread throughout the body. i.e. T2N1MO

                    MALIGNANT PLEURAL MESOTHELIOMA TREATMENT