Staging
Once mesothelioma is diagnosed, your doctor orders other tests to determine the extent, or stage, of the cancer. Imaging tests that may help determine the stage of your cancer may include:
* Chest X-ray
* CT scans of the chest and abdomen
* Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
* Positron emission tomography (PET)
Your doctor determines which tests are more appropriate for you. Not every person needs every test.
Once the extent of pleural mesothelioma is determined, a stage is assigned.
* Stage I pleural mesothelioma is considered localized cancer, meaning it's limited to one portion of the lining of the chest.
* Stage II mesothelioma may have spread beyond the lining of the chest to the diaphragm or to a lung.
* Stage III mesothelioma may have spread to other structures within the chest and may involve nearby lymph nodes.
* Stage IV mesothelioma is an advanced cancer that has spread more extensively within the chest. Stage IV may also indicate that mesothelioma has spread to distant areas of the body, such as the brain and lymph nodes elsewhere in the chest.
Formal stages aren't available for other types of mesothelioma because these types are rare and aren't well studied.
treatments-and-drugs
Treatments and drugs
What treatment you undergo for mesothelioma depends on your health and certain aspects of your cancer, such as its stage and location. Unfortunately, mesothelioma often is an aggressive disease and for most people a cure isn't possible. Mesothelioma is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage — when it isn't possible to remove the cancer through an operation. Instead, your doctor may work to control your cancer to make you more comfortable.
Once mesothelioma is diagnosed, your doctor orders other tests to determine the extent, or stage, of the cancer. Imaging tests that may help determine the stage of your cancer may include:
* Chest X-ray
* CT scans of the chest and abdomen
* Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
* Positron emission tomography (PET)
Your doctor determines which tests are more appropriate for you. Not every person needs every test.
Once the extent of pleural mesothelioma is determined, a stage is assigned.
* Stage I pleural mesothelioma is considered localized cancer, meaning it's limited to one portion of the lining of the chest.
* Stage II mesothelioma may have spread beyond the lining of the chest to the diaphragm or to a lung.
* Stage III mesothelioma may have spread to other structures within the chest and may involve nearby lymph nodes.
* Stage IV mesothelioma is an advanced cancer that has spread more extensively within the chest. Stage IV may also indicate that mesothelioma has spread to distant areas of the body, such as the brain and lymph nodes elsewhere in the chest.
Formal stages aren't available for other types of mesothelioma because these types are rare and aren't well studied.
treatments-and-drugs
Treatments and drugs
What treatment you undergo for mesothelioma depends on your health and certain aspects of your cancer, such as its stage and location. Unfortunately, mesothelioma often is an aggressive disease and for most people a cure isn't possible. Mesothelioma is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage — when it isn't possible to remove the cancer through an operation. Instead, your doctor may work to control your cancer to make you more comfortable.
Discuss treatment goals with your doctor. Some people want to do everything they can to treat their cancer, even if that means enduring side effects for a small chance of an improvement. Others prefer treatments that make them comfortable so that they can live their remaining time as symptom-free as possible.
No comments:
Post a Comment