Mesothelioma Survival Improved by Adding Heated Chemotherapy to Surgery
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• Study from The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery
• The chemotherapy drug is kidney damaging, so patients are given a kidney protective drug
• 51% of patients had the cancer return
• 4.3% died post-surgery
• 49% experienced complications after surgery, mostly kidney related, drug did have some protective benefits
Alternative Treatments
• Acupuncture
• Relaxation exercises
• Sitting near a fan to reduce breathlessness
• Breath training
• The chemotherapy drug is kidney damaging, so patients are given a kidney protective drug
• 51% of patients had the cancer return
• 4.3% died post-surgery
• 49% experienced complications after surgery, mostly kidney related, drug did have some protective benefits
Alternative Treatments
• Acupuncture
• Relaxation exercises
• Sitting near a fan to reduce breathlessness
• Breath training
Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer. Malignant (cancerous) cells develop in the mesothelium, the protective sac that covers most of the body's internal organs. Mesothelioma generally starts in the outer membrane of the lungs (pleura), but can also occur in the lining of the abdominal cavity (peritoneum). Uncommonly, the heart or reproductive organs may be affected. Treatment depends on where the cancer is found and whether it has spread.
Currently there is no cure for mesothelioma unless it can be removed by surgery. Unfortunately, by the time mesothelioma is diagnosed, it has usually already spread beyond the point where it could be removed by an operation. In this case, treatment aims to prolong life and keep the person as comfortable as possible.
Mesothelioma is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos and can develop decades after the exposure.
What is the Mesothelium?
• Membrane covers and protects internal organs
• Two layers of cells
• One layer immediately surrounds organs
• Second layer forms a sac around it
• Produces lubricating fluid between these layers
• Lubricant helps moving organs (heart, lungs)
Where is the mesothelium?
• Several locations in the body
• Different name depending on its location
• Peritoneum: Abdominal cavity
• Pleura: lungs, wall of the chest cavity
• Pericardium: heart
• Tunica vaginalis testis: Male reproductive
• Tunica serosa uteri: Female reproductive
What is Mesothelioma?
• Cells of the mesothelium are abnormal divide without control or order
• Almost always start at the pleura or peritoneum (lungs or abdominal region)
• Can invade/damage nearby tissues or organs
• Can also metastasize (spread)
Causes of Mesothelioma
• Has no connection to smoking
• Over 90% of mesothelioma cases linked to asbestos exposure
• Abestos exposure may be the largest culprit, however has been reported in people without exposure
• Membrane covers and protects internal organs
• Two layers of cells
• One layer immediately surrounds organs
• Second layer forms a sac around it
• Produces lubricating fluid between these layers
• Lubricant helps moving organs (heart, lungs)
Where is the mesothelium?
• Several locations in the body
• Different name depending on its location
• Peritoneum: Abdominal cavity
• Pleura: lungs, wall of the chest cavity
• Pericardium: heart
• Tunica vaginalis testis: Male reproductive
• Tunica serosa uteri: Female reproductive
What is Mesothelioma?
• Cells of the mesothelium are abnormal divide without control or order
• Almost always start at the pleura or peritoneum (lungs or abdominal region)
• Can invade/damage nearby tissues or organs
• Can also metastasize (spread)
Causes of Mesothelioma
• Has no connection to smoking
• Over 90% of mesothelioma cases linked to asbestos exposure
• Abestos exposure may be the largest culprit, however has been reported in people without exposure
Mesothelioma
o Most common-----moderate to large effeusion or unilat thickening
o Other ---- pl thickening with irregular margion between lung and pleura , invasion of soft
tissue and rib destruction
o Late on---- loss of volume with mediastinal shift to the tumor
o Very late --- lymph metast ,invasion through mediast to contralat chest
o 28% have pl plaques
o radiolo favor Dx of mesoth over metast pl dis include rind like pl involvement
o + pl thick > 1 cm +med pl involv.
o Most common-----moderate to large effeusion or unilat thickening
o Other ---- pl thickening with irregular margion between lung and pleura , invasion of soft
tissue and rib destruction
o Late on---- loss of volume with mediastinal shift to the tumor
o Very late --- lymph metast ,invasion through mediast to contralat chest
o 28% have pl plaques
o radiolo favor Dx of mesoth over metast pl dis include rind like pl involvement
o + pl thick > 1 cm +med pl involv.
Mesothelial cells are a single layer of specialized pavement-like cells that line the body's internal cavities and most organs.
•The primary function of this cell layer, termed the mesothelium, is to provide a slippery, non-adhesive and protective surface. However, mesothelial cells play other pivotal roles involving transport of fluid and cells across the surface of the body wall and organs, presentation of foreign molecules (such as bacteria and virus proteins) to immune cells, inflammation and tissue repair, formation and breakdown of fibrin clots (similar to blood clots) and tumour cell adhesion.
• Injury to the mesothelium triggers events leading to the migration of mesothelial cells from the edge of a wound towards its centre and release of mesothelial cells into the pleural fluid from which they can then attach and incorporate into the healing mesothelium. If healing is impaired, fibrous adhesions form between organs and the body wall that can impede vital movement of organs within these body cavities.
•Malignant change in mesothelial cells gives rise to malignant mesothelioma, an aggressive tumour mainly of the pleural but also the peritoneal spaces.
•The primary function of this cell layer, termed the mesothelium, is to provide a slippery, non-adhesive and protective surface. However, mesothelial cells play other pivotal roles involving transport of fluid and cells across the surface of the body wall and organs, presentation of foreign molecules (such as bacteria and virus proteins) to immune cells, inflammation and tissue repair, formation and breakdown of fibrin clots (similar to blood clots) and tumour cell adhesion.
• Injury to the mesothelium triggers events leading to the migration of mesothelial cells from the edge of a wound towards its centre and release of mesothelial cells into the pleural fluid from which they can then attach and incorporate into the healing mesothelium. If healing is impaired, fibrous adhesions form between organs and the body wall that can impede vital movement of organs within these body cavities.
•Malignant change in mesothelial cells gives rise to malignant mesothelioma, an aggressive tumour mainly of the pleural but also the peritoneal spaces.
