Malignant Mesothelioma and Treatment
Stages of Malignant Mesothelioma
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Key Points for This Section
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After malignant mesothelioma has been diagnosed, tests are done
to find out if cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body.
cancer
has spread outside the pleura
or peritoneum
is called staging.
The information gathered from the staging process
determines the stage
of the disease. It is important to know the spread of
the cancer in order to plan treatment. The following
tests and procedures may be used in the staging
process:
- Chest x-ray:
An x-ray
of the organs
and bones inside the chest. An x-ray is a type of
energy beam that can go through the body and onto
film, making a picture of areas inside the body.
- CT scan (CAT scan):
A procedure that makes a series
of detailed pictures of the chest and abdomen,
taken from different angles. The pictures are made by
a computer linked to an x-ray machine. A dye may be injected
into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or
tissues
show up more clearly. This procedure is also called
computed tomography, computerized tomography, or
computerized axial tomography.
- MRI
(magnetic resonance imaging): A procedure that uses a
magnet, radio waves, and a computer to make a series
of detailed pictures of the chest or abdomen. This
procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance
imaging (NMRI).
The stages of malignant
mesothelioma are divided into two groups.
Malignant
mesothelioma stages are grouped into localized
and advanced.
Localized malignant mesothelioma
(stage I)
In localized
malignant
mesothelioma, cancer
is found in the lining of the chest and may also be
found in the lung,
the diaphragm,
or the lining of the sac that covers the heart on the
same side of the chest.
Advanced malignant mesothelioma
(stage II, stage III, and stage IV)
Advanced malignant
mesothelioma includes stage II, stage III, and stage
IV.
- In stage II, cancer
is found in the lining of the chest and the lymph
nodes on the same side of the chest. Cancer may
also be found in the lung,
the diaphragm,
or the lining of the sac that covers the heart on the
same side of the chest.
- In stage III, cancer
has spread to any of the following areas:
Cancer may have also spread
to lymph
nodes on the other side of the chest or outside
the chest.
- In stage IV, cancer
has spread to distant organs
or tissues.
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