Histopathology Lung, pleura--Mesothelioma

2010-12-10T09:11:00.001-08:00

Mesothelioma what does this word means?

this is an explanation that Wikipedia gives to us:

Mesothelioma (malignant mesothelioma) is a rare form of cancer that develops from protective lining that covers many of body's internal organs. It is usually caused by exposure to asbestos

that is a set of 6 naturally occurring silicate minerals exploited commercially for their desirable physical properties.

Its most common site is the pleura (outer lining of the lungs and internal chest wall),

but it may also occur in the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity),

the heart, the pericardium (a sac that surrounds the heart)

or tunica vaginalis.

Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or they have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in other ways. It has also been suggested that washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos can put a person at risk for developing mesothelioma. Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking, but smoking greatly increases the risk of other asbestos-induced cancers. Compensation via asbestos funds or lawsuits is an important issue in mesothelioma.

What is Mesothelioma?

2010-12-10T09:11:00.000-08:00

SYMPTOMS
The symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath due to pleural effusion (fluid between the lung and the chest wall) or chest wallpain, and general symptoms such as weight loss. The diagnosis may be suspected with chest X-ray and CT scan, and is confirmed with abiopsy (tissue sample) and microscopic examination. A thoracoscopy (inserting a tube with a camera into the chest) can be used to take biopsies. It allows the introduction of substances such as talc to obliterate the pleural space (called pleurodesis), which prevents more fluid from accumulating and pressing on the lung. Despite treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or sometimes surgery, the disease carries a poor prognosis. Research about screening tests for the early detection of mesothelioma is ongoing.

TREATMENT
Surgery:
Surgery, by itself, has proved disappointing. In one large series, the median survival with surgery (including extrapleural pneumonectomy) was only 11.7 months. However, research indicates varied success when used in combination with radiation and chemotherapy.

Radiation:
For patients with localized disease, and who can tolerate a radical surgery, radiation is often given post-operatively as a consolidative treatment. The entire hemi-thorax is treated with radiation therapy, often given simultaneously with chemotherapy. Delivering radiation and chemotherapy after a radical surgery has led to extended life expectancy in selected patient populations with some patients surviving more than 5 years.

Chemotherapy:
Chemotherapy is the only treatment for mesothelioma that has been proven to improve survival in randomised and controlled trials.

Immunotherapy:
Treatment regimens involving immunotherapy have yielded variable results.