The Four Stages of Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a form of lung cancer that is brought on exclusively by exposure to asbestos. Physicians ordinarily divide the progression of cancer into four stages based on how far the cancer has spread. The four mesothelioma stages are as follows:

Stage I

In Stage I, the mesothelioma is confined to 1 side of the physique. At this stage, it is normally limited to the pleura. The two pleura form a membrane that surrounds the lung, and are separated by a layer of lubricating fluid. Mesothelioma in the pleura causes them to make additional of this fluid than they require.

On rare occasions, Stage I mesothelioma could possibly involve the lung itself, the pericardium (the membrane that surrounds the heart), or the diaphragm (the muscle that separates the abdomen from the chest).

Stage II

In stage II, the mesothelioma has spread. It now involves the chest wall, the esophagus (which connects the mouth to the stomach), or the heart. It may possibly impact the pleura on each sides of the body. It could also have an effect on the chest's lymph nodes (portion of the immune program that works to filter out foreign particles).

Stage III

In stage III, the mesothelioma has spread further. It is now beyond the diaphragm and in the peritoneum (the membrane that surrounds the abdominal cavity). It may well also have an effect on lymph nodes outside of the chest.

Stage IV

In the final of the mesothelioma stages, the cancer has gone by way of metastasis, that is, it has gone through the bloodstream to spread to the organs far away from the chest and abdomen.

Symptoms caused by mesothelioma depend on where it has spread to. If it is confined to a lung (as is common of early mesothelioma stages), it can cause dry coughing and loss of breath. If it has spread to the peritoneum, it can cause fever, swelling, and bowel or urinary troubles. In the final stages, it can cause trouble swallowing, sudden weight loss, or vomiting blood.

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