Pericardial Mesothelioma (Heart Mesothelioma)

An Insight into Pericardial Mesothelioma
The rarest type of mesothelioma cancer which comprises of only 5% of all the mesothelioma cases is pericardial mesothelioma.

 

The lining of the chest cavity which protects the heart is known as pericardium. It is provided with a natural fluid or mucous which provides continuous lubrication to the heart so that it can work properly and perform its functions.

 

When this pericardium is exposed to asbestos, it is pierced leading to mutation and cancerous growth of cells which can result in malignant pericardial mesothelioma. Once this cancer takes root in the pericardium, it can lead to painful symptoms and other related problems. As indicated by results, pericardial mesothelioma is very dangerous as it can destroy the tissues around the heart which diminishes the survival chances of the patient. As the asbestos particles settle further into the lining and the cancer spreads in the body, it slowly destroys the heart tissues and muscles which is very hazardous to life.

 

It has been seen that people who are middle aged are most likely to develop this type of mesothelioma and men are more vulnerable to this cancer due to their exposure to asbestos.

 

Symptoms of Pericardial Mesothelioma
Symptoms that are associated with pericardial mesothelioma include:

 

• Chest pain
• Fluid buildup around the heart
• A mass in the space between the lungs
• Abnormal or difficult breathing (dyspnea)
• Chronic coughing
• Irregular heartbeat or palpitations

By the time, these symptoms are apparent; it is usually too late to do anything except to relieve the painful symptoms. Long latency period makes timely diagnosis and treatments difficult.

 

Diagnosing Pericardial Mesothelioma
The first steps taken to diagnose pericardial mesothelioma are x-ray and scans to determine where the cancer is located in the body. CT and PET scan are quite helpful in this regard as they can locate the cancerous cells in the body with help of imaging.

 

Apart from this, biopsy is also carried out if there is any abnormality or growth in the surrounding tissues. In biopsy, the cancerous cells are taken out from the body with help of a needle and checked under a microscope. This helps in determining the kind of mesothelioma a patient is suffering from. More and newer tests are being carried out to determine an easy and exact way to determine pericardial mesothelioma, which prove to be more effective.

 

Treatment for Pericardial Mesothelioma
Although there are a few treatment options for malignant pericardial mesothelioma, it is only a few of them which are really effective. In most of the pericardial mesothelioma cases, the patients do not respond to the treatments as the disease has already progressed to a later stage when it is diagnosed. However, medicines are given to control the pain and improve the quality of patients’ life.

 

Surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are some of the most common ways to treat malignant mesothelioma. While radiation is used to slow down the spread of cancer in the body, chemotherapy acts as a medicine to kill the cancerous cells.

 

In many of the cases, fluid is taken out by help of a surgery called ‘fine needle aspiration’ to drain the pericardium of the excess fluid which causes pain. This can help in relieving some of the symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma. If needed, in some cases, the pericardium is also removed which tries to eliminate the cancer from the body.

 

Treatment is decided keeping in mind the patient’s age, stage of the disease and location of cancer in the body. In some cases, the doctor may prefer surgery or any other means depending upon the patient’s condition.

 

One thing which is beneficial to the patients is the compensation which they can claim from the responsible industry which negligently exposed them to asbestos. They can file a lawsuit and claim a handsome compensation to pay for their medical bills and other expenses.

 

 

Peritoneal Mesothelioma (Abdominal Mesothelioma)

The mesothelioma cancer which is caused by exposure to asbestos dust and particles and attacks the abdominal cavity is known as peritoneal mesothelioma. This is the second most common type of mesothelioma which strikes people. As this type affects the peritoneum i.e. the lining of the abdominal cavity, it is known as malignant peritoneal mesothelioma.

An Introduction to Peritoneal Mesothelioma
The peritoneum or the cell membrane surrounding the abdominal cavity provides lubrication for the stomach and intestines so that they can move and function without any friction to process the food and carry on normal body functions. However, exposure to asbestos causes abnormal growth of cells in the peritoneum which later becomes cancerous. This leads to abnormal functioning of the cells which results in painful symptoms and problems. Peritoneal mesothelioma can also affect the liver, spleen or the bowels.

It has been found that it is men who are more afflicted with this deadly cancer than women. One of the reasons for this is that men work at the factories and mills where they are directly exposed to asbestos. Also, it is in their later ages that men are diagnosed with malignant peritoneal mesothelioma cancer. Current statistics show that women make up lesser than 1/5 of the total mesothelioma patients.

Symptoms to Recognize Peritoneal Mesothelioma
Recognizing malignant peritoneal mesothelioma cancer in its early stages is not so easy. The reason being that most of the symptoms resemble that of flu such as abdominal pains and fever. It is only when these symptoms persist and become more painful that proper tests are carried out and the cancer is detected.

Some of the symptoms are:

* Stomach pain
* Lower abdominal pain
* Difficulty with bowel movements
* Weight loss
* Nausea
* Loss of appetite
* Weakness
* Abdominal swelling
* Ascites or accumulation of fluid in abdominal cavity
* Swelling of the feet
* Anemia

Due to late diagnosis and careless attitude towards the disease, this cancer has high mortality rate. The survival rate for this cancer is only 5% as most of the people are diagnosed 20-50 years after their first exposure to asbestos. It is a known fact that most of the people die within 16-18 months after the first symptoms appear.

Ways to Diagnose Peritoneal Mesothelioma
For proper diagnosis of mesothelioma, it is necessary to run some tests which will prove if the patient is really suffering from this deadly cancer. Due to long forgotten exposure to asbestos, many people forget to mention it to the doctor that they have been exposed to this toxic material which makes the diagnosis easy.

In many cases, it is only after the patients go for a test when the pain becomes unbearable or the abdominal swelling becomes too much.
Some of the tests taken to diagnose peritoneal mesothelioma are: X-ray or CT scan to check out the affected area for cancerous growth of cells
To make sure that the cells are cancerous, biopsy is carried out in which the affected cells are tested under a microscope to detect peritoneal mesothelioma
A new method for detecting pleural mesothelioma is Histochemistry. In this method, the types of compounds generated by mesothelioma cancer cells are evaluated which can help in the diagnosis of mesothelioma
Immunochemistry is another method by which antibodies are studied to detect mesothelioma
Two new blood tests known as SMR Protein and Osteopontin Gycoprotein are also being employed to diagnose mesothelioma

Peritoneal Mesothelioma Treatment
As there is no cure for this disease, treatment is the only way to get rid of this deadly cancer. Treatment in the early stages of diagnosis can help the patient in full recovery. However, in later stages of the disease, treatment can help in improving the quality of patient’s life and providing relief from painful symptoms.

Due to vast development in the medical fields, innovative methods of treatment for peritoneal mesothelioma are being worked out. However, not all of these treatments have yielded a 100% result. Some of these treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and drug therapy and pain management along with several experimental clinical trials for patients.

In some cases, Ascites or fluid accumulating the chest is also removed through surgery to alleviate the pain. In some cases, the cancerous tissues are also removed from the abdomen or the gastrointestinal tract through surgery. Surgery is carried out based on the locations and extent of cancer.

One of the newer treatments is multimodality treatment of peritoneal mesothelioma which is becoming popular as it combines two or more ways to treat the cancer. This includes Cytoreductive or debulking surgery with intraperitoneal chemotherapy or with Intra-Peritoneal Hyperthermic Chemotherapy (IPHC), which helps to remove the visible tumor. It has also been administered with radiation to some patients which gave beneficial results.

Even though new treatments are being worked out, not all of them are beneficial. On the other hand, some of them also pose side effects and negative outcomes which make them unreliable. However, it has been established that early diagnosis of peritoneal mesothelioma can always be treated.

New Alternate and Advanced Mesothelioma Treatments

There are lots of new routines to treat mesothelioma being tested. These new routines combine conventional treatments or include something completely new.

Angiogenesis Drugs
Significant progress has been made in the early cancer detection and treatment options but still there are cancers, such as Mesothelioma, that are not easy to treat. Since 2006, scientists have learned quite a bit about the differences between normal cells and cancer cells. They are working overtime to come up with drugs that can treat mesothelioma without causing any side effects. Angiogenesis drugs are promising treatments that have no side effects attached and target the tumor rather than the normal cells of the body.

Immunotherapy and Mesothelioma
Commonly known as biological therapy, immunotherapy uses the immune system of the body to protect it against disease. Scientists have come to the conclusion that the immune system can distinguish between cancer cells and healthy cells and it can get rid of cancerous cells. The main objective of immunotherapy is to repair and increase the natural anticancer function of the immune system. Substances employed in immunotherapy are known as biological response modifiers. With biological response modifiers, you will find that your body can fight disease much better.

There are plenty of biological response modifiers such as antibodies and cytokines that occur naturally in the body. However, with advancements in technology, scientists are making biological response modifiers in the laboratory that can imitate natural immune response agents. These biological response modifiers increase the immune system so cancer cell growth can be reduced. They also create cancer cells that can be easily destroyed by the immune system.

Photodynamic Therapy for Mesothelioma
Photodynamic therapy is a treatment set on the basis of the “single-celled organisms” concept. The main function of photodynamic therapy is to get rid of the cancerous cells using fixed frequency light. By using fixed frequency light, photosensitizing drugs are activated. Generally, photosensitizing drugs are accumulated in body tissues.

In photodynamic therapy, a photosensitizing drug is administered intravenously. Within two or three days, photosensitizing drugs selectively focus on diseased cells while avoiding normal cells. After this, the treated cancer cells are exposed to a laser light directed on the cancer site using a fiber-optic device which allows manipulation of the laser light.

The major side effect associated with photodynamic therapy is skin sensitivity. If you are undergoing photodynamic therapy, you must avoid direct sunlight for a period of one month. Other side effects of photodynamic therapy are nausea, eye sensitivity to light, vomiting and a metallic taste in the mouth.

Other Therapies for Mesothelioma Patients

Gene Therapy treats the disease at the DNA level. For individuals with abnormal genes, this therapy can be quite useful.

Replacement Gene Therapy where a missing gene is substituted. The p53 gene is often the main target for gene substitution.

Knockout Gene Therapy the emphasis is on the oncogenes products (cancer causing genes) that are responsible for tumor formation.

Mesothelioma Lawsuits format and stages in the USA

To file Mesothelioma lawsuits in the US, you need to take the services of Mesothelioma attorneys. You can file for a Mesothelioma lawsuit claim if you have been diagnosed with Mesothelioma because you were exposed to asbestos. Mesothelioma lawsuits are quite complicated so you need to take action immediately and with as much assistance as possible.

The most important thing to note about Mesothelioma is that it has a lengthy latency period and you may not have any symptoms of this disease until twenty or thirty years after being exposed to asbestos. Mesothelioma lawsuits are quite challenging for law firms because of this latency period which make it difficult to prove that the exposure led to the disease.

Duration of Mesothelioma Lawsuits

Similar to other cases, Mesothelioma lawsuits take plenty of times to finish, often more than three years. In order to assert your legal rights, you need to take action on the basis of preset Mesothelioma laws. To reduce the time frame of these cases, you must consider settlements and compliant parties.

Statute of Limitations

According to US law, you need to file a claim within one or two years of being diagnosed with Mesothelioma. If you happen to be the executor of an estate, you need to file a claim within six months of the victim’s death or you will lose the ability to claim benefits.

Location of Exposure

To attain success in your Mesothelioma lawsuit, it is your responsibility to pinpoint the exact location where you were exposed to asbestos. By successfully identifying the location of asbestos exposure, you make the task of your Mesothelioma attorney very simple and the completion of your case very speedy.

Mesothelioma Lawsuits and Mesothelioma Attorneys

Once you have decided to go for legal action, make sure that you first contact a local attorney. They can tell you which Mesothelioma attorneys have expertise in handling Mesothelioma lawsuits. Finding the right Mesothelioma attorney is not easy and you need to do plenty of research before settling on one.

As Mesothelioma is a rare cancer form that can take so many years to develop, Mesothelioma attorneys require specific training and work experience when filing lawsuits for clients. Mesothelioma attorneys normally have a team of medical professionals who are given the responsibility of testing documentation and interpreting health records to show a link between the Mesothelioma diagnosis, its effects faced by the patient and the location of exposure. After the identification of the illness, Mesothelioma attorneys need to prove in court that the main reason behind illness is the extended exposure to asbestos.

Hiring a Mesothelioma Attorney

Before hiring a Mesothelioma attorney, you need to note the experience level of the attorney. You are only going to attain success in your Mesothelioma case when it is handled by an experienced attorney. Only hire a Mesothelioma attorney who is a member of the Better Business Bureau because with Mesothelioma lawsuits, you can get compensation ranging from thousands dollars to millions of dollars when you have a skilled attorney.

Mesothelioma Risk Factors

Risk factors are the most important elements which are looked into when a disease is studied in detail. Risk factors are essential to know when a disease is being diagnosed in a person as they help locate a disease if the patient has been suffering from a set of symptoms and in studying the causes of these symptoms.

In short, risk factors increase your chances of diagnosing any disease following exposure or contact with any harmful agents. As with any other disease, risk factors are also taken into consideration when mesothelioma is diagnosed in a person.

Risk Factors for Mesothelioma

It is a proven fact that the biggest risk factor for mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos, a naturally occurring fibrous mineral. It has been established that previous exposure which took place 20-50 years back could eventually cause mesothelioma. Even short term exposure to low doses of asbestos can lead to mesothelioma. Here we have discussed all the mesothelioma risk factors in detail which will give you an insight how this deadly cancer is contracted.

Asbestos

Asbestos exposure is the main risk factor for developing mesothelioma. Asbestos belongs to a family of fibrous minerals made of silicate. Its usage was very common in numerous products like insulation, floor tiles, door gaskets, soundproofing, roofing, patching compounds, fireproof gloves and ironing board covers and even brake pads due to its fire retardation properties. It was found that people working in asbestos industry developed mesothelioma by inhaling asbestos. Asbestos particles settle in the lining of the lungs, chest and abdominal cavity and cause cancer.

Mesothelioma can occur in any person who has been directly or indirectly exposed to asbestos regardless of trade, age, sex or race. Even people who inhale asbestos particles from the clothing or other items of affected people can get mesothelioma.

However, with recent studies, it has come to light, that it is not solely asbestos exposure which is a risk factor for mesothelioma. There are some other risk factors for mesothelioma too.

Radiation and Mesothelioma

It was found that some of the cases of peritoneal and pleural mesothelioma were also caused by exposure to thorium dioxide (Thorotrast). Thorium dioxide was used in certain kinds of X-rays in the past. However, since it was known that it is a risk factor for mesothelioma, its use was banned.

Zeolite

Zeolite is naturally occurring asbestos like mineral. Zeolite is mostly found in the soil of Anatolia (the Asian region of Turkey) as it was determined after numerous mesothelioma cases were detected in Turkey.

Tobacco as a Risk Factor for Mesothelioma

Although, no direct link between tobacco and mesothelioma has been established, yet it has been found that a combination of smoking tobacco and inhaling asbestos can be a huge mesothelioma risk factor. It was found that people who worked in asbestos industry and also smoked were 50 to 90 times more likely to develop pleural mesothelioma or lung cancer. Also, according to researches, more asbestos workers are known to die of lung cancer rather than mesothelioma.

SV40 Virus

Simian Virus 40, also known as SV40 is considered as a mesothelioma risk factor. Some polio vaccine injections were found to be contaminated with SV40 during 1955 and 1963. It was found that around 10 to 30 million people were exposed to this virus.

Another thing which came to be known was that SV40 virus does not cause mesothelioma unless the patient is also exposed to asbestos. However, nothing has been proved yet and studies are still underway to determine the link between SV40 and mesothelioma.

In spite of all these risk factors, asbestos remains the main risk factor for mesothelioma. As the link between asbestos and mesothelioma was established, the use of asbestos has been banned in US since 1989. However, it is still used in some products and several cases of mesothelioma are still under study to determine the various risk factors.

Mesothelioma Stages and Staging Systems

To keep a track of mesothelioma cancer, the extent of its spread and the size of tumor(s); mesothelioma has been divided into a few stages or staging systems. These mesothelioma staging systems keep a track of the development of cancer in the human body and also help in planning future treatments and the line of action for taking care of the mesothelioma patients.

An important aspect is that as pleural mesothelioma is the most common among all types of cancer and occurs frequently, these staging systems are devised to mark its stages.

The three established and recognized clinical staging systems for mesothelioma are:

The Butchart System
TNM Staging
The Brigham System
Butchart Staging System
This staging system was used quiet frequently in the past. It is mainly based on the extent of primary tumor mass and divides mesothelioma into 4 stages depending upon the extent of tumor.

Stage I - In the first stage, mesothelioma is present in the right or left pleura or lining of the lungs. It can also include the lungs, pericardium or diaphragm on the same side.

Stage II – This stage marks the invasion of chest wall or esophagus, heart or pleura by mesothelioma cancer. In this stage, the lymph nodes in the chest may also become affected.

Stage III - By this stage, mesothelioma has penetrated through the diaphragm into the peritoneum, the lining of the abdominal cavity. In this stage, the lymph nodes beyond the chest may also become affected.

Stage IV – In this stage, there is evidence of distant metastases. This means the cancer might have spread to other organs of the body through blood.

TNM Staging System
Another recent staging system developed by International Mesothelioma Interest Group and adopted by the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) for mesothelioma staging is TNM staging system. T stands for tumor, N stands for spread to the lymph nodes and M is for metastasis. This system judges mesothelioma by the size of its tumor and its spread to other nearby organs.

In TNM staging, the information about tumor, lymph nodes and metastasis is staged in 4 steps. This staging system is more accurate than Butchart Staging System in diagnosing the extent of mesothelioma tumor.

Stage I – Mesothelioma has invaded either the right or left pleura lining the chest. In this stage it is restricted to only outer lining or at most a few spots. The lymph nodes are safe yet.

Stage II – Mesothelioma has now spread from the lining of the chest into the outer lining of the lung or the diaphragm or the lung itself.

Stage III - By this stage the cancer has spread to the first layer of the chest wall or the fatty part of the mediastinum – the cavity between the lungs that contains the heart, aorta, esophagus, trachea and thymus or a single spot in the chest wall, the outer covering of the heart or lymph nodes anywhere in the same side of chest.

Stage IV – This is the last stage when mesothelioma has spread into the chest wall, either muscles or ribs, through diaphragm, organs of mediastinum or spine, across the spine, other side of the chest, into the heart itself, nerves leading to arms, lymph nodes outside the chest or other organs through bloodstream.

The Brigham System
This is the latest mesothelioma staging system and works according to the resection or the surgical removal of the affected lymph nodes.

Stage I – In this stage the mesothelioma can be surgically removed as it has not yet spread to the lymph nodes

Stage II – Even though the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, it can still be operated and removed

Stage III – In this stage, the tumor cannot be removed surgically as it has spread to the chest wall, heart, diaphragm and abdominal lining. The lymph nodes outside the chest may not necessarily be infected yet.

Stage IV – By this stage, mesothelioma has spread to other parts of the body and is in the final stages.

These three are the most commonly used clinical staging systems for mesothelioma. Aided by various medical tests and approaches, these staging systems check the advancement, size and spread of mesothelioma tumor or cancer in the human body. They help the doctors in diagnosing the patient’s stage of mesothelioma as well as planning the treatment and also preparing them for what to expect in the final stages.

Benign or Non-Malignant Mesothelioma

The word ‘benign’ in medical terminology means ‘not dangerous to health’. Benign mesothelioma is a rare form of mesothelioma cancer which is not considered as harmful as other forms of mesothelioma. Although caused by asbestos exposure, it is not as deadly as the mesothelioma cancer itself.

 

Thus, benign mesothelioma represents a type of disease, which even though is a rare form of mesothelioma, is not cancerous or does not result in death if treated on time. Benign mesothelioma occurs in the body either in form of cysts, tumors or plaques.

 

Important Information about Benign Mesothelioma
In most of the cases, benign form of mesothelioma is cystic or multicystic with one or more tumors in the body. It can occur in the peritoneum which is the thin membrane of mesothelium surrounding the organs in the abdomen. This peritoneum helps in smooth functioning of the abdominal organs. However, if a tumor is formed, it may cause some pain in the stomach and difficult bowel movements. In some of the cases, the benign mesothelioma also possesses the danger of turning into peritoneal mesothelioma if it progresses beyond limits.

 

Benign mesothelioma can also occur in the pleura which is the lining of the lungs. It may take the form of tumors in the lining of the lungs. However, if these tumors are not detected timely and taken care of, they may weigh down on the lungs causing breathing problems and other symptoms of pleural mesothelioma.

 

Symptoms of Benign Mesothelioma
Symptoms of benign mesothelioma are not easily recognized as they resemble those of other common problems and ailments. Some of the symptoms which occur in pleural or peritoneum benign mesothelioma are:

 

1. Cough
2. Chest pain
3. Accumulation of fluid in the membranes in serious conditions
4. Weight loss
5. Difficulty in bowel movements
6. Nausea
7. Pain

Detecting Benign Mesothelioma
Detecting benign mesothelioma is not easy. It is only with help of tests and physical examinations that a benign tumor is detected. Chest or abdominal x-rays and CT scan can help in determining if a patient is suffering from benign mesothelioma.

 

In some cases, lung and abdominal biopsies can help in checking out the tumor. They can be used to establish the size and location of the tumor or cyst. In some cases, extensive electron microscopy and immuno-histochemical studies have been required to locate the extent of benign mesothelioma.

 

Treating Benign Mesothelioma
Surgery is the main treatment option for benign mesothelioma. With the help of surgery, tumor is removed from the cells, depending on the size and severity of the disease.

 

However, in some of the cases, hormonal therapy has also been carried out to control the size of cyst or tumor. It helps in reducing the size of cyst and alleviates pain too.

 

People suffering from benign mesothelioma have a good chance of recovery following prompt diagnosis and proper treatment. They can live a normal life as before. However, asbestos exposure should be avoided and proper tests should be carried out after every few months to make sure that the tumor has not recurred.