Mesothelioma pain, a rare form of pain

Mesothelioma pain, a rare form of pain is a disease in which cells are cancerous (malignant) in the bag that covers the chest (the pleura) or in covering the abdomen (peritoneum). Most people with malignant mesothelioma pain have worked in places where they inhaled asbestos breathing.

You should see a doctor if you lack the breath, pain in the chest or pain or swelling in the abdomen. If you have symptoms, the doctor may send you to a chest X-ray or abdomen.

The doctor can examine the inside of the chest cavity with a special instrument called thoracoscopy. To do this, make a slit through the chest wall and install the thoracoscopy in the chest between two ribs. This test, called thoracoscopy, is usually performed in a hospital. Before the test, will be given a local anesthetic (a drug that causes loss of sensitivity for a short period of time). You may feel some pressure, but generally do not feel pain.

The doctor also can examine the inside of the abdomen (peritoneoscopia) with a special device called peritoneoscopio, which is inserted into an opening made in the abdomen. Usually, this test is also carried out in hospital. Will be given a local anesthetic before they carried out the test.

If abnormal tissue is found, the doctor will have to remove a small piece to be submitted for analysis under a microscope to determine the presence of cancer cells. This process is known as a biopsy. Biopsies are usually done during the thoracoscopy or peritoneoscopia.

His chances of recovery (prognosis) depends on the size of the cancer, its location, how far has spread, the appearance of cells under a microscope, how the cancer responds to treatment and patient age.

Chemotherapy for Mesothelioma Pain

Chemotherapy involves the use of anticancer drugs that act by preventing cancer cells from multiplying. In most cases, combinations of drugs are used to increase efficiency. Chemotherapy can be used aggressively to reduce the tumor, or palliative to relieve symptoms like shortness of breath or pain. Chemotherapy can be administered by injection into a vein or muscle, or by ingestion may be administered directly into the pleural or peritoneal cavity. The drugs most commonly used are:

* Pemetrexed (Alimta)
* Cisplatin (Platinol)
* Carboplatin (Paraplatin)
* Gemcitabine (Gemzar)
* Doxorubicin (Adriamycin)
Mitomycin *
* Raltitrexed (Tomudex)
* Vinorelbine (Navelbine)

New drugs are constantly being studied by pharmaceutical companies, so do not hesitate to check with your doctor about drugs most recent and most promising. Such a drug, Alimta (pemetrexed) was approved for Europe in September 2005.
Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy involves the use of X-ray high energy to kill cancer cells and reduce tumors. It can be used in conjunction with surgery to help remove aggressively seeding microscopic which may cause the recurrence of disease, or palliative treat pain caused by tumors that compress the nerve endings or another organ. Radiation therapy was also effective in preventing tumor seeding from biopsy sites or tube drainage of the chest.
Clinical trials

The goal of clinical trials is to involve patients in the discovery of new and better treatments for their illnesses. Several clinical trials have different objectives which may include testing of new drugs, by comparing several ways to treat a disease or test several techniques to prevent cancer. Clinical trials are divided into three phases. Short summaries of what each phase of the test seeks to achieve are described below.

The Phase I trials are the earliest phase in the system of clinical trials. At this point, the drugs were only tested in the laboratory, but had a destructive effect on cancer cells. These tests n'enrôlent a limited number of participants, and are only available in few institutions of cancer. The objective of Phase I trials are to determine the maximum tolerated dose of the drug without causing side effects serious side effects which are most common, and if the drug continues to have anticancer activity when administered to human beings . If the drug showed an effect on cancer at a safe dosage, the drug will be tested in Phase II trials.

The essays Phase II continue to test the safety of medications or procedures, but also begin to more carefully analyze their effectiveness for certain types of cancer. These tests include larger numbers of participants, and can be dispersed over several institutions. These tests may be "randomized", which means that different groups of participants are chosen by computer, rather than by a doctor.

The Phase III trials compare new drugs or procedures promising current standard treatment. Large numbers of participants from widely scattered regions involved in these tests, and receive either the new treatment is the standard treatment. One of the primary objectives of Phase III trials is to determine if the cancer is reduced or slowed by drugs, how long patients remain stable without progression of the disease and how treatment with the drug affects the quality of life of the patient.

If you are interested to participate in a clinical trial for mesothelioma pain, your doctor should be able to provide information on eligibility and availability in your area.

Surgery Treatment for Mesothelioma Pain

There are two surgical approaches of mesothelioma pain, the pleurectomie / decortication (P / D) and pleuropneumonectomie extrapleural (PPEP). These are highly specialized surgery, which may not be offered in all schools. All thoracic surgeons are not responsible for these types of surgeries. The ultimate objective of these procedures is the elimination of a large part of the disease, knowing that most probably the residual microscopic disease remains. Adjuvant therapy in which additional forms of treatment are used in conjunction with the primary therapy, typically aims to eliminate residual disease. The most common forms of therapy are adjuvant radiotherapy and / or chemotherapy.

The pleurectomie / decortication is considered the least radical of the two approaches since it involves only the removal of the pleura (lining of the lung) without removing the lung cover. In some cases, the pericardium and diaphragm must be removed, depending on the size of the tumor. The benefits of this procedure is a time for more rapid recovery, and utility for patients who may not be able to tolerate a more radical PPEP. The disadvantages include an increased risk of recurrence of disease because of the impossibility to remove the tumor, and the inability to use high doses of radiation adjuvants because of potential damage to the underlying lung.

The extrapleural pleuropneumonectomie is a more radical procedure which involves the removal of the lung, pleura (lining of the lung), the pericardium surrounding the heart and part of the diaphragm. During surgery, the pericardium and diaphragm are reconstructed with a material similar to Gortex. To be eligible for this surgery, patients must meet certain criteria and demonstrate stage lung function and cardiac suitable to be able to withstand the procedure.

Diagnosis of mesothelioma pain

A diagnosis of mesothelioma pain is frequently traced from a cautious evaluation of clinical and radiological determinations, plus a tissue biopsy confirmation. A few of the examinations that your specialist may advocate and their diagnostic value and evaluation of mesothelioma pain are presented below.

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Computed tomography (CT)

CT scans can reveal a pleural effusion, as well as pleural inspissation, pleural calcification, inspissation of interlobular crevices possible invasion or chest wall. However, the CT can not tell the difference between alterations connected with harmless asbestos disease, or adenocarcinoma of the lung and mesothelioma pain. CT scans can also be valuable in directing smooth needle inhalation of pleural bulks for tissue diagnosis. The scanner usually takes ten - thirty minutes, but can vary depending on the patient.
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Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

MRI scanners are often used to ascertain the extent of a tumour before treatment aggressive. They provide pictures in multiple shots and therefore better identify peuvnt tumors compared to normal structures. They are also more exact than computed axial tomography in approximating the expansion of mediastinal lymph nodes located between the 2 lungs and a clean diaphragmatic surface, both of which have an important function for the surgical option. The magnetic resonance imaging scan usually needs twenty - forty minutes, but can vary depending on the patient.
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Positron emission tomography (PET)

PET imaging is now a large part of the diagnosing and valuation of mesothelioma pain. ERPs are considered the best diagnostic tumor sites, as well as to determine the best stage of mesothelioma pain. PET scans are comparatively newly arisen and may not be usable in all institutions, it may be inevitable to travel to find a center who has one.
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The analysis of fluid

Pleural fluid analysis to find malignant cells has a limited diagnostic value for mesothelioma pain. The diagnostic thoracentesis by which cells are extracted from the pleural cavity is commonly done when there is a suspicion of mesothelioma pain. Unfortunately, the results are negative or inconclusive in almost 85% of tests. Even in the case of a positive result of fluid, doctors may opt for a biopsy to confirm the time that it is not at the expense of patient health.
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Analysis of tissue (biopsy)

In most cases, finally takes a needle biopsy of pleura, or a surgical biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of mesothelioma pain. At a pleural biopsy procedure, the operating surgeon creates a little incision in the thorax wall and sneaked in into the thorax between 2 ribs a thin lighted tube called thorascope. It will remove a sample of tissue that will then be examined under a microscope by a pathologist. When peritoneal biopsy, the operating surgeon creates a little incision in the abdominal cavity and puts in a péritonéoscope in the abdominal muscle cavum.

Early symptoms of mesothelioma pain

Early symptoms of mesothelioma pain are non-specific and can delay diagnosis. In general, breathlessness, chest pain and cough are common symptoms of pleural mesothelioma pain, but in some cases, they can not be serious enough to push the patient to a medical consultation. Some patients complain of pain in the shoulder or lower back. These symptoms usually occur 2-3 months time before a confirmed diagnosis. In the peritoneal mesothelioma pain, abdominal pain and swelling, nausea or vomiting, intestinal obstruction and weight loss are the most common symptoms. Significantly, these symptoms are not specific mesothelioma pain and may be symptoms of other conditions. The assessment by a qualified doctor is always recommended.

While mesothelioma pain progresses, the pleural effusion (accumulation of fluid between the two pleural layers) occurs in 95% of patients, and this symptom, which ultimately leads patients to consult their doctor. During this visit, a chest x-ray can confirm the effusion. Thickening of the pleura may also be noted at this time. If the physician suspects cancer, he can send his patient to a hospital consultant specializing in lung cancer and mesothelioma pain.

When your doctor recommends you, the following information should be given:

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The place where you are sent.
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When the appointment will be made.
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Who you are visiting.
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To test what can you expect.
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When the test results will be available.

The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) has developed the following general guidelines to address a patient suspected of cancer, in force since June 2005. These guidelines may not apply to all individuals, and you should always discuss the details of your case with your health care team, so you can play a proactive in your treatment and your care.

An evaluation of the emergency will be made by your doctor and will be based on the following criteria:

* To send immediately: The patient requires a consultation in a few hours.
* To send an urgent: The patient will be seen within 15 days.
No urgent: All other addresses.

Once the emergency determined, your doctor will send all information relating to you to your specialist for evaluation.