Mesothelioma treatment options are improving with research and the program of treatment depends on factors such as where the cancer is situated, the stage of the cancer, how far it has spread, the patients age and needs and how the cancer cells appear under a microscope.

There are three main types of traditional treatment for people with mesothelioma lung cancer, namely, surgery to remove the cancer, chemotherapy which is the use of drugs to eradicate cancer cells and radiation therapy which uses x-rays in high dose or other energy rays to destroy cancer cells.  Usually, these therapies are combined. 

The mesothelioma cancer prognosis is usually only eight to twelve months.  However, time is of the essence when treating this disease and the earlier it is diagnosed, the better. 

In the case of surgery, sometimes diagnostic surgery is needed as a very necessary step, as mesothelioma diagnosis through fluid is sometimes inconclusive.  Sometimes a thoracoscopy (like an open biopsy but less invasive) is done to carry out multiple tissue biopsies and for assessment of the pleural cavity.  A conclusive diagnosis is obtained in up to 98% of cases.  Fluid can be drained from the intrapleural space at the same time and the extent of the tumor assessed to determine the possibilities of resection.

An alternative to thoracoscopy is video assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) which is more invasive but the physician is able to see the pleural space using a camera while collecting tumor samples for examination by a pathologist.  The physician can also determine the extent of tumor invasion for example in the chest wall or pleural involvement. 

A laproscopy or mediastinoscopy are also sometimes used as other ways of gaging the extent of disease. 

Palliative procedures are used to treat symptoms of mesothelioma but do not treat the disease itself.  Such procedures include chest tube drainage and pleurodesis which are the most common palliative treatments.  Thoracoscopy and pleurodesis are done with VATS.  A pleuroperitoneal shunt  is sometimes used, but in limited capacity due to tumor seeding concerns.  Lastly a pleurectomy is sometimes carried out in cases where more extensive surgery is not possible. 

Along with diagnostic and palliative treatments, surgery with potentially curative intent is carried out where the aim is to remove all of the disease with the awareness that some microscopic elements will probably remain. 
For malignant pleural mesothelioma two surgical treatments are available namely, a pleurectomy/decortication which is carried out on early stage tumors (Stage I and sometimes Stage II) and secondly, an extrapleural  pneumonectomy which is only executed by surgeons with much expertise and where previous surgery has failed to cure or prolong life.
For peritoneal mesothelioma, cytoreductive surgery aims at removing all of the visible or gross tumor within the peritoneal cavity. Cancer cells left are treated with chemotherapy and focused in the abdominal cavity.
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with anticancer chemical substances to control the division of cancerous cells by destroying them.  It is not considered curative but seeks to control the spread, shrink tumors, to relieve symptoms like pain and to destroy microscopic cells remaining post surgery (adjuvant chemotherapy).
Radiation therapy or radiotherapy is included in the range of mesothelioma treatment options and treats the tumor with the use of penetrative beams of high energy radiation and can be used in conjunction with surgery and palliatively.
 

Pleural effusion is when fluid builds up between pleura or membranes that surround the outside of each lung. When the lungs expand and contract with breathing, the fluid takes up the space making it extremely hard to breath using a full lung capacity therefore resulting in breathlessness. When fluid is extracted, it is tested for cancer cells and if detected this is considered lung cancer stage 4. The presence of fluid does not necessarily mean the cancer has spread and if the fluid does not contain cancerous cell this does not count towards the 4^th stage of cancer. Pleural effusion is just one of the several factors that medical professionals consider when deciding the stage.

Stage 4 lung cancer prognosis and treatment depends largely on the stage, the histological type of cancer and the patient’s performance status (a measure of the general well being and therefore tolerance to treatment). The most likely treatments include chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery.

There are two main types of lung cancer – small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) and non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). The treatment varies depending on which one is diagnosed so the distinction is important. Stage 4 lung cancer life expectancy varies greatly from person to person such as:

patient’s age – younger patients are more likely to live longer than older patients.

type of lung cancer and its location – within stage 4 there are several types of lung cancer which may have stayed in one place or spread to one or several locations.

general health when diagnosed – those with good all round health are expected to live longer. Survival can be extended with the ability to stand up to treatments.

sex of the patient – female sufferers have a higher life expectancy at each stage of lung cancer.

response to treatments – people respond differently to the side effects of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted therapies. If there is a low tolerance to these side effects then treatment could be limited.

lung cancer complications such as blood clots can reduce life expectancy.

additional health conditions for example, asthma or emphysema.

Statistically, the life expectancy of stage 4 NSCLC is sadly only about 8 months. The five year lung cancer survival rate (the amount of patients expected to live to five years after a diagnosis of stage 4 lung cancer) is less than 10%. However, bear in mind that although lung cancer is not usually curable but it is treatable.

Staging cancer helps doctors assess the extent that a cancer has spread. Scans and tests carried out to help diagnose the cancer provide information about the stage however, an operation maybe the only way to obtain a definitive answer. But, in the majority of cases, the tests are adequate enough.

All cancer staging is determined by several factors namely, whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, the size of the tumor and whether it has moved to other areas of the body.

There are a variety of tests. A CT scan looks though section of the body using x-rays. Or a combined PET-CT scan gives in depth pictures of the body’s structures and uses a slightly radioactive dye which focuses on areas where there is abnormal activity in cell growth.

A bronchoscopy test uses a flexible, narrow tube which is inserted into the nose or throat down into the windpipe. This is normally carried out under local anesthetic however, a sedative or general anesthetic is sometimes used.

A tumor biopsy test involves the insertion of a very fine needle into the lung through the skin. The patient holds their breath while this is taking place and only takes a two to three minutes. The collected cells are then taken for examination.

Lung cancer can be caused by various factors such as tobacco smoke (most common cause), radon gas, genetic factors, air pollution (including second had tobacco smoke) and asbestos. Asbestos exposure leads to a rarer kind of cancer called mesothelioma cancer. Mesothelioma symptoms can be general such as chest pain, shortness of breath and a persistent cough. There are two types namely, malignant mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma.

So, stage 4 lung cancer is a serious disease however, advances in treatments and new clinical trials are aiming to reduce the symptoms and help to improve survival.

With advancement in research there are many breast cancer treatment options to choose from and the one you are offered depends on certain factors.  Scientists have recently claimed that they have discovered a new route to a potential breast cancer cure.  Currently there are combinations of treatments available.  The main treatments are surgery, hormone therapy, biological (Herceptin), radiotherapy and chemotherapy.  These may be given individually or in combination depending on several factors such as:

the type of breast cancer present
whether menopause has occurred or not
the size of the tumor
the grade of the cancer cells
the stage of the cancer
whether particular receptors are present
the general health of the patient

All these factors will be taken into account by the doctor. 

Cancers are given stages and grades to help doctors categorize and assess the tumor and to decide the appropriate treatments to give.  Breast cancer stages consider whether the cancer has spread and how much it has grown.  The grade means how the cancer cells appear  when viewed through a microscope.  There are three grades namely, low (grade 1 slow growing), intermediate grade (grade 2) and high grade (grade 3) which is a rapidly growing tumor.  These have a higher risk of returning after initial treatment and if surgery has taken place to excise the tumor, a course of chemotherapy will likely be administered to destroy any lingering cancer cells and therefore reduce the risk of it returning.   The grades and stages of breast cancer give a general rule of thumb as it is impossible to generalize about how a tumor will behave.

If the cancer has spread beyond the localized breast area and lymph nodes in the armpit then treatment my not include surgery but a course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in conjunction with other treatments. The majority of people however start their treatment with surgery and there are different types of surgery that maybe offered depending on the position and size of the tumor.  A mastectomy is where the whole breast is removed with a reconstruction possible later on.  A lumpectomy is where the tumor itself is removed along with a small amount of surrounding breast tissue.  Then course of radiotherapy focused on the breast will likely be offered. 

There are many factors to consider when choosing treatment and mostly is is about how the patient feels about their options once a selection of appropriate treatments is offered.  There are no correct or incorrect answers to these decisions and each woman feels differently.  It can feel overwhelming to have a whole breast removed, so, if possible, a lumpectomy with radiotherapy is preferable for some women. Some feel they do not want radiotherapy but others will choose this if it leads to retaining their breast. 

There are different types of breast cancer and different types of cancers altogether.  Mesothelioma cancer is a completely different type of cancer and caused by exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma symptoms can be general like chest pain, shortness of breath and a persistent cough.   Symptoms of breast cancer however, are more specific and things to look out for include a dimpling of the skin, change in breast shape or size, a thickening or lump in one area of the breast, irregular nipple shape especially if it turns inward like it’s being pulled from the inside, a rash on the nipple or area surrounding, nipple discharge (blood-stained), a lump or swelling in the armpit.

There are many breast cancer facts, features, symptoms and breast cancer treatment options to be aware of, but advancing knowledge and research means there are many options available to those suffering from this disease.