Malignant mesothelioma is a cancer defined by the presence of malignant cancer cells in the tissues called the pleura that surround the chest cavity and cover the lungs. The cancer cells can also be located in the peritoneum, which is the tissue that lines the abdomen and the organs in the abdomen as well as in the lining of the heart, the pericardium. This type of cancer is very rare.
Those at risk for malignant mesothelioma are people who may have inhaled asbestos in the work place or in their home, or those who lived with people who worked near asbestos. Most cases of mesothelioma are not diagnosed until late in the patient’s life since it can take as long as 20 to 50 years before symptoms occur. Some of the symptoms are difficulty breathing, weight loss, lumps in the area of the abdomen, pain beneath the ribs, and swelling or pain in the abdomen.
Diagnosing the Disease
Mesothelioma is diagnosed through physical exams and the use of imaging tests. Other tests performed include blood counts, bronchoscopy, sedimentation rate, and biopsies. The cells of malignant mesothelioma are put into three histological categories – epithelial mesothelioma, biphasic mesothelioma, and sarcomatoid mesothelioma.
Malignant Biphasic Mesothelioma
One of the major types of malignant mesothelioma is the biphasic type. Malignant biphasic mesothelioma accounts for 46 to 63 percent of all cases of malignant mesothelioma. It is a mix of the other two mesothelioma cancer subtypes, epithelioid and sarcomatoid. Since it has the two distinctly different mesothelioma cell types, it is easier to diagnose. When a person is diagnosed with this version of the cancer, they are actually being diagnosed with both sarcomatoid and epithelial mesothelioma.
care for MesotheliomaTreating the Disease
Treatment for malignant biphasic mesothelioma is no different than the treatment for the other types. There are two types of treatment:
Traditional Treatments – Traditional treatments include chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. Often several treatments are used in combination to make a trimodal approach for better results and longer survival rates. The treatment combinations chosen depend on the stage of the cancer.
The type of surgery that may be performed as treatment for malignant mesothelioma includes drastic procedures like the removal of the infected part of the lung and the chest lining that surrounds it. Less drastic is a procedure to drain the fluid around the lung that causes pain and pressure.
New Treatments – Some of the newer malignant mesothelioma treatments include gene therapy, immunotherapy, photodynamic therapy (PDT), new chemotherapy agents, and modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). With the development of new treatments, patients can have more hope for their outcomes. To this point, these treatments are not as successful as the traditional treatments, but they are being used along with traditional treatments and the results are closely monitored.
Additional Treatment Methods
Besides the new forms of treatment mentioned above, other more radical treatments for malignant biphasic mesothelioma are being tested like angiogenesis therapies, antineoplaston therapy, interferon and interleukin therapy, as well as many different clinical trials. Researchers are even studying the effectiveness of alternative treatments like the use of herbs, special diets, acupuncture, homeopathic medicine, large doses of vitamin C, and therapeutic massage.
References:
American Cancer Society
Mayo Clinic
Biphasic Mesothelioma
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