Metastatic mesothelioma is a type of cancer that occurs when malignant cells spread from the primary tumor, which is usually located in the lining of the lungs or abdomen, to other parts of the body. This process, known as metastasis, depends on the stage of cancer, cell type, and treatment. Mesothelioma can spread throughout the body in several ways, similar to other types of cancer that spread in more advanced stages.The spread of mesothelioma cells is classified as localized, regional, or distant, depending on which tissues or organs are affected. Only pleural mesothelioma has a formal staging system that describes the spread of cancer through the lining of the chest and whether it has spread to other organs in the body.
As cancers progress, they can spread to other parts of the body.Metastasis occurs when cancer cells break away from a tumor and travel through the body's lymphatic or vascular system to other parts of the body. Over time, these cells become lodged in an organ or tissue and new tumors begin to grow there. Stage IV mesothelioma has spread to both sides of the body.At this stage, mesothelioma cancer cells may have moved to structures and organs away from the initial tumor. Patients with this stage of cancer may receive palliative treatments that reduce discomfort and pain.
Mesothelioma may have spread to the chest wall or lining of the heart (pericardium), but it is still possible that it can be removed by surgery. Or it may have spread to lymph nodes on the same side of the chest.Metastasis refers to the spread of cancer cells from their original point of development to other parts of the body. Because mesothelioma is usually not diagnosed until its later stages, metastasis is often common at diagnosis. It can also occur as the disease progresses.
Regardless of where it originates, mesothelioma can spread to other parts of the body.The signs of mesothelioma can go unnoticed for decades and when diagnosed, it has often already spread or metastasized. The doctor will determine what “stage” the cancer is in - stages 1, 2, 3, or 4 - depending on how much mesothelioma has spread to other parts of the body. Mesothelioma tumors that consist of epithelioid cells may metastasize more slowly than tumors that consist of sarcomatoid cells. Standard treatments for mesothelioma such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy may continue to be recommended even for patients with metastatic cancer.Generally speaking, patients with metastatic mesothelioma do not qualify for curative treatments because the tumor has spread too much for surgery or chemotherapy to be effective.
In addition to where tumors originate in the body, the type of mesothelioma cells associated with these tumors has a major influence on how cancer spreads. Doctors describe the overall growth of mesothelioma with a staging system that ranges from stages 1 to 4.While metastasis to nearby and distant organs and tissues is quite commonly associated with these stages of cancer, doctors have also observed that pleural mesothelioma spreads to other specific organs.Although it seems obvious, the stage of disease at diagnosis is one of the most important factors that will indicate whether cancer has spread and how it has spread, as well as how it may progress over time. When cancer spreads beyond the lining of lungs, chest, or heart to other parts of the body, it is considered metastatic. As a patient, you cannot control your diagnosis but you can improve your prognosis by looking for top-notch mesothelioma specialists and researching clinical trials.
Patients with advanced mesothelioma tend to benefit most from palliative treatments that relieve pain and discomfort.In stage II mesothelioma grows in pleura that lines chest wall on one side of chest and also in pleura that lines diaphragm, mediastinum, and lung. While these are less common areas affected by mesothelioma progression, it is important for patients to be aware of any symptoms correlated with mesothelioma. First, diagnosis will review how advanced mesothelioma is and how quickly it spreads.
