Stage 4 Mesothelioma: Handle The Symptoms and How To Recognize
Stage 4 Mesothelioma — The four stages of malignant mesothelioma are generally described as stage I, stage II, stage III, and stage IV. This is where the disease typically begins to show symptoms.
A tumor in this stage of cancer typically does not show signs or symptoms and is rarely detected on routine examination. Early diagnosis and treatment of this cancer are extremely important.
There are some symptoms of stage I cancer, which include pain and swelling in the lower body, nausea, fatigue, and weight loss. Occasionally, patients may exhibit increased abdominal girth or flaccid size.
No other symptoms present themselves in stage I. Patients in the second stage of the disease will experience more severe abdominal pain and may suffer from a loss of appetite and weight. Stage III tumors will cause a chronic cough, severe swelling, and possibly fever and nausea.
Stage 4 Mesothelioma Symptoms Change Dramatically
In stage 4 mesothelioma, the symptoms change dramatically. Patients in the last two stages will experience extreme pain and a constant pressure on the chest area, along with fluid build-up in the pleura and occasional fever, persistent coughing, and a loss of appetite.
In advanced cases, this disease may be accompanied by pericardial effusions, chest x-ray findings that are uncharacteristic of this stage, and an increased chance of spread to the lymph nodes, lungs, and heart. Surgery may be indicated in most cases, especially if the disease has spread to the liver or lungs.
Treatment of this disease is based on the stage of disease that is first diagnosed. In the early stage of this disease, physicians use chemotherapy to kill malignant cells, such as those that have already formed into tumors or are growing. If these appear to be normal cells, doctors do not perform any surgery. However, if the growths are cancerous or malignant in nature, doctors will perform some kind of surgery in order to either remove them or destroy them.
Mesotheliomas that are caught early before they can spread to other parts of your body can be treated with a combination of surgery and chemotherapy.
In fact, this is often the preferred treatment option for these patients because it offers a long life expectancy compared to other cancer treatments. Unfortunately, once you have been diagnosed with this condition, you are usually faced with the sad reality that there is no cure.
However, advances in medical research have led to some improvements in the treatment options available to people who are diagnosed with this disease.
Advanced Mesothelioma Stage 4
One thing that you should keep in mind is that even if you find out that you are suffering from advanced stage mesothelioma, you do not necessarily have to look at yourself as being in a grave danger.
Instead, you should focus on how to deal with your symptoms so that you can prolong your life. One thing that many people fail to realize is that while doctors may be able to categorize different stages of cancer based on the type and size of the tumor, there are still some general signs that may indicate the presence of tumors.
For example, if the tumors grow in close proximity to the lining of the lung passages or the air sacs in your chest, you should take special note. Similarly, if the symptoms cause pain in your muscles or other parts of the body, you should also get yourself checked out.
In addition, you should not lose hope if you find out that you have stage I or II mesothelioma. You can choose to undergo one or more surgery treatments in order to get rid of your tumors.
Mesothelioma Symptoms and Treatment
Depending on the type and extent of your tumors, you may also choose to undergo chemotherapy or radiation therapy. If you go for surgery, it is important to understand that you will only get better after surgery, whereas in chemotherapy and radiation therapy, you will definitely feel the positive effects of these procedures in just a few months.
In addition to this, the symptoms that are associated with advanced stage mesothelioma include weight loss, nausea, abdominal pains and fever. On the other hand, the symptoms that are common to stages III and IV Mesothelioma include bone pain, weight loss, unexplained weight loss and abdominal swelling.
However, despite the fact that the symptoms that you experience during the first few months of tumor growth may seem like those of other diseases, you should not panic and make the mistake of thinking them to be caused by another disease.
As such, your primary doctor is the right person to ask for advice and to offer you various possible courses of treatment. You should remember that in case of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, you must consult your family doctor as well, in order to make sure that you are following the recommended treatment procedure.
