The Four Stages of Mesothelioma

Cancer is a nasty disease, and mesothelioma may be the nastiest form of this nasty disease. Pleural Mesothelioma (lung cancer) starts with a tiny tumor in the mesothelium (the membrane that separates the heart and lungs). These tumors are very hard to detect, mostly because mesothelioma victims typically do not have lifestyle or genetic cancer red flags. So, by the time doctors discover the tumor, the illness has already reached Stage III or even Stage IV. More on that below.

Cutting-edge gene therapy and other mesothelioma treatments are available. But these treatments often cost six or seven figures. A nationwide asbestos lawyer goes to court and obtains the financial resources these victims need to fight their diseases. Furthermore, a legal action holds a polluting company responsible for the damages it causes. You break it, you buy it. This simple principle applies in china shops, and it also applies to mesothelioma and other asbestos exposure victims.

Identifying the disease is difficult at this early stage. Mesothelioma tumors are too small to cause pain, breathing difficulties, or other visible physical symptoms. That is why patients with a known history of asbestos exposure should undergo screening, even if they do not have cancer symptoms.

The good news is that, in stage 1 mesothelioma, the cancer has not spread past the outer lung lining. So, all treatment options are open and usually effective at this early mesothelioma stage.

Mesothelioma enters Stage II when the malignancy spreads locally and develops in nearby lymph nodes. It is generally rare for symptoms to appear in stage 2, so most diagnoses occur after screening, as mentioned above, or accidentally during medical care for another condition.

If the cancer has spread to some of the lymph nodes around the lung, that is slightly more advanced and may qualify as Stage II or Stage III. Doctors can treat Stage II mesothelioma with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.

By this time, the mesothelioma tumors have spread deeper to nearby tissues, organs, and lymph nodes. Also by this time, most patients have physical symptoms, such as difficulty breathing or chest pain. These symptoms often lead to a diagnosis at this cancer stage.

Stage III mesothelioma is borderline treatable. Doctors typically treat Stage III mesothelioma with immunotherapy or chemotherapy. Surgery may be an option in some cases, but most Stage III mesothelioma patients are not good surgical candidates. Palliative options can help control pain, improve quality of life, and extend survival.

Late-stage mesothelioma means the cancer has spread throughout the body cavity where it originated. Unlike other cancers, mesothelioma tends to metastasize locally rather than distantly. It may spread to the chest cavity or the abdominal cavity. In rare cases, mesothelioma spreads to distant body parts such as the liver, brain, bones, or elsewhere.

Curative treatments are limited. Aggressive surgery for tumor removal is typically not beneficial at this mesothelioma stage. The cure is worse than the disease, which is saying quite a bit, considering mesothelioma is so aggressive and so painful.

Palliative care options include chemotherapy, tumor treating fields, immunotherapy, or radiation therapy. These can reduce symptoms, extend survival, and improve quality of life. Clinical trials could offer experimental treatments. Overall, however, the patient's outlook is bleak if mesothelioma reaches Stage IV.

Mesothelioma victims need and deserve significant compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced nationwide mesothelioma lawyer, contact the Throneberry Law Group. The sooner you reach out to us, the sooner we start working for you.