I dedicate this blog to my Uncle Tony who was like a father to me and lost his life at 55years old. I posted some great articles about Mesothelioma and Lung cancer I found if you have any articles or comments please post them.
Pleural Mesothelioma Symptoms
The earlier symptoms of malignant pleural mesothelioma are very similar to those experienced with other lung conditions, such as pneumonia or lung cancer. Symptoms also tend to present very gradually, and may therefore go unnoticed for a while. Breathlessness is one of the early and more common symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. This may present as a recent onset of shortness of breath, or a recent increase in shortness of breath. Breathlessness may be caused by a buildup of fluid (pleural effusion) in the space surrounding the lungs. This buildup of fluid may be removed periodically to make breathing easier. Certain substances may also be introduced into the space between the pleural membranes where fluid collects. These substances cause an inflammatory reaction in the pleural membranes, causing them to fuse together and thereby preventing the formation and collection of more fluid.
The thickening of the pleural membranes due to the growth of cancer cells also restricts lung function and contributes to breathlessness. Sometimes, this thickened tissue may require surgical removal to restore some lung function. The removal process is called decortication or pleurectomy.
Malignant mesotheliomas tend to spread fairly rapidly to other parts of the body, and this spread can result in additional symptoms. When pleural mesothelioma spreads to the chest wall and other tissues in the chest, it can result in severe pain. Even before the cancer spreads, chest pain, particularly in the lower chest and side, may be experienced. Chest pain tends to become progressively worse as the cancer spreads. Severe pain may be treated with strong pain-relieving drugs or with radiotherapy. When pleural mesothelioma spreads to the lungs, symptoms that are typically seen in lung cancer, such as hoarseness and coughing up of blood, may be present.
As with other cancers, the effect of pleural mesothelioma is widespread. The increased metabolism caused by cancer cells results in fever, weight loss and fatigue.
Mesothelioma Symptoms provides detailed information on Advanced Mesothelioma Symptoms, Clinical Mesothelioma Symptoms, Mesothelioma Diagnosis: An Introduction, Mesothelioma Stomach Symptoms and more. Mesothelioma Symptoms is affiliated with Pleural Mesothelioma Information.
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Lung Cancer Treatment
The most commonly used treatments for lung cancer are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. The exact treatment a lung cancer patient receives will depend on several factors. These include the type of cancer, the stage or extent to which it has spread at the time of diagnosis, and the overall health of the patient.
Non-small cell lung cancer, which accounts for about 80 percent of lung cancer cases, is treated depending on its stage at diagnosis. Lung surgery is the mainstay of treatment for the early stages of lung cancer. Cancerous tissue, along with a margin of healthy tissue, is removed. Patients who are unable to have surgery may be treated with radiotherapy. While cure rates for early lung cancer are good, it is rarely detected in its early stages. As non-small cell cancer spreads within the chest, it is treated with some combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Once cancer has spread to other parts of the body, chemotherapy and radiotherapy replace surgery as the main treatment options. A number of drugs are available, and many more are being tested in clinical trials. Radiotherapy is palliative, and while it may ease symptoms such as pain and cough, it will not stop cancer growth. If the cancer obstructs a major airway, using a laser, freezing the tumor or keeping the airway open with a stent or tube may remove the obstruction.
Small cell lung cancer, which is found in about 20 percent of lung cancer patients, is more aggressive and more likely to have spread by the time of diagnosis. It is therefore treated primarily with chemotherapy. Radiotherapy to the chest may also be used to kill off remaining cancer cells. This type of cancer often spreads to the brain. This is why radiotherapy to the brain may be used as a prophylactic even if no cancer is detected in the brain.
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Lung Cancer Symptoms
In approximately 25% of people with lung cancer, there are no symptoms and the cancer is detected during screening or a routine physical examination. However, in three-quarters of lung cancer patients there are warning symptoms and signs that can alert the patient or their physician.
Most commonly, lung cancer patients experience respiratory symptoms such as shortness of breath, wheezing, hoarseness and a persistent cough. These symptoms are very common among smokers, and are also present in a number of other conditions such as asthma, emphysema and chest infections. A new cough should always be evaluated, as it may be a symptom of lung cancer. Lung cancer may spread to the chest wall, causing chest, shoulder and back pain. If cancer cells erode lung blood vessels, the patient may cough up blood. There may also be other generalized effects that occur with most cancers, such as fever, fatigue, appetite loss and weight loss.
As a lung cancer grows, it increasingly compromises the normal functioning of an affected lung. Secondary complications may occur, such as collection of fluid in the tissue lining the lungs (pleural effusion), lung collapse, airway obstruction, and repeated lung infections. Lung cancer may also spread or metastasize to other parts of the body such as the lymph nodes, bones, liver and brain. Bone pain and abnormal liver or brain function may result.
The absence of symptoms does not necessarily indicate early disease, and the presence of non-specific chest symptoms can often go unheeded. Both these factors contribute to the fact that only about 15 percent of lung cancer patients are diagnosed in the early stages of disease. The later lung cancer is diagnosed, the less effective treatment options are. Delays in diagnosing lung cancer patients result in an overall survival rate of only 15 percent at five years after diagnosis.
Lung Cancer provides detailed information on Asbestos Lung Cancer, Lung Cancer, Lung Cancer Stages, Lung Cancer Survival Rate and more. Lung Cancer is affiliated with Asbestos Exposure.
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Mesothelioma Lung cancer
