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 (Stomach/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

Pleural Mesothelioma (Lung Cancer)

One of the most common among mesothelioma cancers is pleural mesothelioma. It has been accounted for almost 75% of all the mesothelioma cases.

What is Pleural Mesothelioma?

Known as malignant pleural mesothelioma as it attacks the pleura or the lining of the lungs, it is a deadly cancer which is known to take a patient’s life within 16-18 months after diagnosis. It is either misdiagnosed or diagnosed in its last stage as some of its symptoms resemble those of other diseases and appear decades after asbestos exposure.

Who is at risk for Pleural Mesothelioma?

In most of the cases, it has been found that people suffering from pleural mesothelioma are those who worked in asbestos related industry such as asbestos mines, mills, insulation, construction, shipyards, dockyards and automobile industry etc.

These people inhaled asbestos dust and particles while working and developed mesothelioma as a result. As mesothelioma symptoms appear after a latency period of 20-50 years, it was found that mostly men from 50-70 years of age suffer from mesothelioma.

What are the Symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma?

Some symptoms of pleural mesothelioma are:

• Chest pain
• Pleural effusion or accumulation of liquid in the lung lining
• Shortness of breath
• Chronic coughing
• Weight loss
• Fever
• Anorexia

How is Pleural Mesothelioma Diagnosed?

The best way to diagnose if a patient is suffering from malignant pleural mesothelioma is to carry out some tests which will give an exact picture of the disease. It is important to distinguish mesothelioma from other diseases having same symptoms.

Some of the ways to diagnose mesothelioma are:

• X-ray or CT scan to determine the location of cancer
• Biopsy in which some of the cancerous cells are taken out and tested under microscope
• PET scan for diagnosis of malignant pleural 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 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 Glycoprotein are also being employed to diagnose mesothelioma

What are the Options for Pleural Mesothelioma Treatment?

Depending upon the stage of mesothelioma, there are various treatment options available for patients. Surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, drug therapy and gene therapy are some of the treatment options.

When the pleural effusion or liquid accumulation becomes painful, steps can be taken to drain the liquid and alleviate the pain. Surgery can also be performed to remove the cancerous growth of cells from the affected area of the pleura. This can effectively remove any chance of recurrence of cancer.

One of the chemotherapy drugs, Alimta is given to decrease the pain and improve the quality of patients’ life.

In some cases, a combination of treatments such as surgery along with chemotherapy and radiation are carried out to help the patient. This kind of treatment is known as ‘multimodality therapy’.

Pleural mesothelioma is a rare but extremely serious form of cancer. Once diagnosed, it should be treated very carefully and properly as carelessness might cost a patient’s life. Though serious, it is still a cancer which can be treated.

Types of Mesothelioma

Types Mesothelioma

A disease caused by asbestos exposure, mesothelioma is a malignant cancer which can occur in any part of the body, eventually leading to death. It is called mesothelioma as it affects the mesothelium i.e. the protective lining which covers the chest, lungs and abdominal cavity to prevent friction between the organs as they function. The type of mesothelioma is determined on the basis where the cancer occurs in the body.

Mesothelioma may attack any part of the body depending on the asbestos exposure and time period for which the patient was exposed to asbestos. However the 3 common types of mesothelioma are:

• Pleural mesothelioma
• Peritoneal mesothelioma
• Pericardial mesothelioma

Now let us discuss these types of malignant mesothelioma in detail and see how they can affect us.

Pleural Mesothelioma

Pleural mesothelioma is the cancer of lining or mesothelium of the lungs. It is one of the most commonly occurring cancers. The linings of the lungs is called pleura, hence the name pleural mesothelioma. This type of mesothelioma is known to affect up to 75% of the patients.

When asbestos particles or dust is inhaled, they settle into the lining of lungs and cause cancerous growth of cells which eventually leads to pleural mesothelioma. It can cause the lung lining to enlarge and fill with fluid, causing considerable pain and discomfort to the patient.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Cancer of the abdominal cavity is known as peritoneal mesothelioma. The lining of abdominal cavity is known as peritoneum. When mesothelioma attacks the peritoneum of the abdominal lining, it is known as peritoneal mesothelioma. 10 to 20% of the mesothelioma patients are known to be suffering from this type of cancer.

Peritoneal mesothelioma can lead to filling of abdominal cavity with liquid which can cause pain and distention of the abdomen along with other symptoms. In some cases, peritoneal mesothelioma is also known to affect male testicles as the covering layer of scrotum is also an out pouch of peritoneum. Thus, for proper treatment, correct diagnosis is very necessary.

Pericardial Mesothelioma

Pericardial mesothelioma is the rarest form of cancer which affects the pericardium or the lining of chest cavity. Only 10% of all mesothelioma cases are related to the heart. Asbestos exposure can cause cancerous growth of cells in the pericardium which can cause expansion of the tissues along with liquid accumulation in chest cavity.

Accumulation of liquid in pericardium can disrupt the proper working of the heart and cause chest pain and breathing problems.

Prolonged asbestos exposure can cause any of these types of mesothelioma. However, before treatment can begin, it is important to know which kind of mesothelioma you are suffering from. Contact a mesothelioma doctor for correct diagnosis and best treatment options.

What is Mesothelioma?

What is Mesothelioma?

You may have heard about it, but you may not be fully aware of its dangers and effects. One of the basic but a very important question asked is what is mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a deadly cancer that affects the lining round the lungs, heart and abdominal cavities. The tissues or cells which surround the lining of the abdomen, lungs and heart are called mesothelium, hence the name mesothelioma.

Mesothelium helps to protect these organs by producing a special lubricating fluid which allows these organs to function without friction. When this mesothelium is affected, it may cause pain and other problems leading to mesothelioma, cancer of the mesothelium. It is a rare but serious disease which proves fatal in most of the cases as there is no cure for it.

It can begin as a tumor in the mesothelium and can be non-cancerous which can be easily treated. However, if it is cancerous or malignant, it is an indication of mesothelioma, a serious disease that requires extensive treatment.

Causes of Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma can only be caused by asbestos exposure. Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral which can cause mesothelioma if its fibers or dust particles are inhaled. In most of the cases of mesothelioma, it was reported that the patient had either inhaled asbestos particles where s/he lived previously or when the patient worked at an asbestos industry. In many of the cases, mesothelioma also occurred in people who had no previous exposure to asbestos.

People who were detected with mesothelioma without living or working in asbestos affected areas were the family members of workers who worked in asbestos industry. These people inhaled the fibers or dust particles from the clothing, shoes or hair of the workmen while washing or dusting them. Also, people living in the neighborhood where asbestos was processed developed mesothelioma. The particles of asbestos dust settle into the lining of the lungs, chest or abdomen and cause cancerous growth of cells. Researches have shown that only one year of asbestos exposure can also cause mesothelioma or other asbestos diseases in a healthy person.

Mesothelioma Symptoms

Some of the mesothelioma symptoms, common to all its types are:

• Weight loss
• Cachexia
• Abdominal swelling
• Pain due to buildup of fluid in abdominal cavity, lungs or heart
• Bowel obstruction
• Blood clotting abnormalities
• Anemia
• Fever
• Trouble swallowing
• Swelling of the neck or face

When it comes to symptoms and appearance of the disease, mesothelioma takes the lead among all cancers. Mesothelioma has one of the lengthiest latency periods of all diseases as it takes more than 20-50 years for its symptoms to appear. In some of the cases, it was discovered that the patient had worked in the asbestos industry 40 years ago and it was after all this time that he was diagnosed with this deadly cancer.

According to an estimate, more than 2,000 to 3,000 cases of mesothelioma are discovered in US each year. The primary reason is high usage of asbestos in shipbuilding and other related industries. Since a large number of people have been detected with this disease, mesothelioma has been declared a legitimate cause of death in US and its commercial use has also been banned.