Staging Of
Mesothelioma
The Staging of Mesothelioma
is the method used to determine the progression or spread of cancer,
specifically malignant mesothelioma in the body.
Physicians use staging to evaluate
the size of the tumor, the extent that mesothelioma has invaded the
body, including surrounding tissue and lymph nodes, and the extent
to which it has spread or metastasized from its original location.
The initial staging of the mesothelioma will help your physician to
determine what treatment options are best for you. The staging of
your cancer will also help to determine the prognosis of the
disease.
Since malignant pleural
mesothelioma is the most common of all mesotheliomas and it is the
specific type of mesothelioma that has been studied the most often,
it is the only mesothelioma that utilizes a staging classification
system. With mesothelioma being such a rare disease, it is
understandable that the staging system for this rare cancer is not
as standardized as in other forms of cancer.
TNM Staging, The Butchart System,
and the Brigham System are the three currently recognized clinical
staging systems for evaluating the spread and extent of malignant
pleural mesothelioma. The TNM staging system is used by major cancer
centers and is thought to be a more accurate system for evaluating
the stages of malignant pleural mesothelioma. With the TNM system,
the “T” stands for tumor, the “N” for lymph nodes, and the “M” for
metastasis.
The Butchart System is a standard
staging method for most cancers, including malignant mesothelioma.
One of the most recent methods of staging developed for evaluating
malignant mesothelioma is the Brigham System. This system was
developed at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
There are four stages of mesothelioma. Each
of the four stages describes the seriousness of the cancer. As the
stages advance in number (1 through 4) the cancer is known to be
more serious and more advanced.
The four stages of malignant pleural
mesothelioma are described by the National Cancer Institute in the
following manner:
- The mesothelioma is described as Stage
I when the cancer is found in the lining of the chest wall and
possibly the lung, the diaphragm, or the pericardium, the
membrane surrounding the heart. Stage I disease is also referred
to as localized malignant mesothelioma and has the best
prognosis of all the stages. Patients diagnosed with Stage I
malignant pleural mesothelioma have the best chance of a longer
survival.
- Stage II is defined when mesothelioma
is discovered in the lining of the chest wall and the lymph
nodes on the same side of the chest. Malignant pleural
mesothelioma might also be found in the lining of the lung, the
lining of the diaphragm, or the lining of the sac that covers
the heart on the same side of the chest. Patients diagnosed with
Stage I or II are the best candidates for surgical treatment.
- When the cancer is more advanced, it
is defined as Stage III. With Stage III, the cancer is found to
have spread to the chest wall, possibly the heart, trachea,
esophagus, the bronchi, lymph nodes, the area below the
diaphragm, the peritoneum, which is the lining that covers the
majority of abdominal organs and lymph nodes on the opposite
side of the chest or even outside of the chest.
- Stage IV, is the most advanced of all
malignant pleural mesotheliomas and is diagnosed when the cancer
has spread beyond the original site to distant organs or
tissues.
Staging of mesothelioma
is a critical part of the early overall assessment of malignant
pleural mesothelioma. Once the staging of mesothelioma is complete
then your physician has a better understanding of where your cancer
is at, what treatment options are best and what is the overall
prognosis.
More Resources
Articles
Incidence Of Malignant
Mesothelioma
It is thought that the
number exposed between 1940 and 1980 exceeds
25 million. |
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Asbestos Exposure
After asbestos fibers are breathed in, they can easily enter and become trapped
in the airways and lung tissue and the body has difficulty removing the fibers. |
Diagnosing Pleural Mesothelioma
Diagnosing pleural
mesothelioma is a challenge. Pleural mesothelioma is the most common of all
mesothelioma cancers. |
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Pleural Mesothelioma
Pleural
mesothelioma is the most common of all mesotheliomas and diagnosing this
rare cancer can be a challenge. |
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