Important info about Mesothelioma

by Siddiqui

MESOTHELIOMA:

It is also called malignant mesothelioma due to cancerrous growth of mesothelial cells. Mesothelioma does not destroy the cells of any tissue but is associated with only the internal lining or membrane of that particular organ or tissue.


Mesothelium:

Mesothelium is a membrane that lines the internal organs of body's organs likepleura of lungs,peritoneum of other organs like kidney,lungs,etc; pericardium covering heart. Mesothelium is mesodermal in origin.

Causes:

The major cause of mesothelioma is working at high risks with asbestos. But it can also occur due to irradiation, intraplueral thorium oxide and other fibrous silicates. Some facts show that it may also be due to simian virus 40, which act as co-factor in mesthelioma

Signs and symptoms:

1)breathlessness due to pleural effusion(accumulation of fluid in the space betwwen pleurae of lungs including water,pus,blood,etc)

2)weight loss

3)cachexia

4)bowel obstruction

5)blood clotting abnormalities

6)anemia

7)fever, etc

spread due to metastasis:

This disease,in certain cases like pneumothorax(accumulation of air or gases in pleural cavity), may spread to different parts of the body by metas as is; a process in which cells divide abnormally.

Diagnosis: Diagnosing patients with mesothelioma may create some problems as its symptoms resmbles to other diseases too, neverthless a physician begins with the medial history, followed by chest x-ray revealing a thickening of pleura due to incresed susceptibility to asbestos. Other lung tests include CT scan which shows hydropneumothorax due to acumulation of fluid and gases in pleura. Pericardial effusion can be done by pericardiocentesis, pleural efusion by thoracentesis. Immunohistochemical studies play a important in diagnosing role mesotheliom and also whether it is malignant or not.

Typical immunohistochemistry results Positive Negative

EMA (epithelial membrane antigen) in a membranous distribution CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen)

WT1 (Wilms' tumour 1) B72.3

Calretinin MOC-3 1

Mesothelin-1 CD15

Cytokeratin 5/6 Ber-EP4

HBME-1 (human mesothelial cell 1) TTF-1 (thyroid transcription factor-1)

screening can detect it in much early stages. Serum osteopontin level helps in determining mesothelioma. Mesothelian-related proteins also plays a vital role in this process and is used currently.

Pathophysiology: It spreads in the whole body through lymphatic system. Asbestos may also react and even combine with chromatin network which may cause chromosomal abnormalities like monosomy of chromosome 22.Common gene abnormalities in mesothelioma cell lines include deletion of the tumor suppressor genes. Asbestos may also posses immunosupressive properties. Furthermore, genetic alterations in asbestos-activated macrophages may result in the release of potent mesothelial cell mitogens such as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) which in turn, may induce the chronic stimulation and proliferation of mesothelial cells after injury by asbestos fibres.

Treatment:

Prognosis of mesothelioma does not show any success, however modern techniques have shown quie improvement. Treating it at early stages is better,but cure is rare. Surgery along with chemotherapy and radiation has proved a better cure by removing the effected mesothelium like pleurectomy. To patients who can tolerate radiation, can be subjected to radiation. Treatment regimens involving immunotherapy have yielded variable results. For more informations and my source: http://info-pakistan.page.tl/MESOTHELIOMA.htm

About the Author
Siddiqui arsalan is a student of Medical college and writing about different diseases is his hobby.