Dr. Raja Flores, mesothelioma specialist and chief of thoracic surgery at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York, says there are two approaches to surgery for mesothelioma patients. There are several factors, however, that surgeons consider before moving forward with surgery or choosing between the two approaches.
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer specifically prone to the mesothelium, the lining of the lungs and other abdominal cavities. Caused by asbestos fibers and other occupational hazards, mesothelioma has no known curative treatments. The prognosis is extremely grim—the patient is typically given a life expectancy of six months to two years. Patient care centers on pain management.
The possibility of surgery lies heavily on the patient’s health. Pleural mesothelioma is an extremely painful and fatiguing disease. Chemotherapy drugs used to fight the cancer cause additional conditions such as anemia and neutropenia. These side effects further weaken the patient, raising the risks associated with surgery. While removal of cancerous tissues is beneficial and may relieve pain and extend life expectancy, it is certainly not curative.
In a New York Daily News article, Dr. Flores said the two surgeries used in mesothelioma cases are extra-pleural pneumonectomy and pleurectomy/decortication. The first is the most commonly practiced approach and focuses on the removal of the infected lung. The second is the act of removing the cancerous tumors and lining of the lung while sparing the lung itself.
According to Dr. Flores, CT scans done prior to surgery are often misleading. Typically these tests underestimate the amount of tumors and infected tissues present. Surgeons often make the decision between an extra-pleural pneumonectomy and a pleurectomy/decortication once surgery has begun and they can more fully inspect the damage to lungs and lining.
There are no good early detection tools for mesothelioma. This is mostly due to the cancer’s developmental period; it can take between twenty and thirty years after asbestos fiber exposure for the cancer to demonstrate symptoms. Many patients with developing mesothelioma do not know they were ever exposed to the toxic chemical asbestos.
Dr. Flores says there is a broad range of symptoms associated with mesothelioma, shortness of breath being one. Chest pain is also a mesothelioma symptom and usually a sign that the cancer is more advanced. These symptoms, however, are common to many respiratory diseases. Mesothelioma is often misdiagnosed as curable illnesses such as pneumonia and influenza.
brought you by http://www.mesothelioma.net
No comments:
Post a Comment