Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma Treatment, Diagnosis Survival and Sub types
Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma- Do you know why Sarcomatoid
mesothelioma happens to be one of the most dreaded forms of mesothelioma? Well,
there are a number of reasons to explain this. But first, we would like to
update you something more about this kind of mesothelioma cancer that you
should know about it.
We would also let you know about the line of treatment
and other diagnosis options that you
have after your doctor confirms about it.Telling you in terms of numbers.
Please note that Sarcomatoid
mesothelioma is a lesser known mesothelioma as it has the least known cell
structure. Not only that, most patients have poor prognosis just because of the
fact that this type of mesothelioma cancer progresses very fast and therefore
becomes quite difficult to treat.
Telling you in the percentage of
cases, please know that sarcomatoid mesothelioma is quite a rare type of
mesothelioma that generally comprises only 10-20% of all mesothelioma cases.
Furthermore, this kind of mesothelioma cancer has a limited number of treatment
options and also quite a poor prognosis.
How Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma Cells are identified
After physicians’ receive a case of
Sarcomatoid mesothelioma, they start using histology to first examine and
confirm the cell type. In case, you are not aware what the term histology is
all about, let's update you with that. Please note that histology happens to be
the study of cells. The technique is used to examine the tumor cells and also
to differentiate between healthy cells.
The biggest problem that comes forth
in the line of diagnosis of sarcomatoid mesothelioma is that the cells look
quite similar to the normal cell types and therefore most of the times; doctors
are unable to recognize the cells.
And this often affects the line of treatment
as well. In spite of all these obstacles, there are a number of characteristics
that made them different from their normal counterparts. Please take a look how
sarcomatoid mesothelioma cells are different as compared to the normal cells:
- · Spindle shape cells
- · Large and elongated nucleus
- · Occasionally have multiple nuclei
- · Tendency to metastasize
As you can see above, most of the
times, sarcomatoid mesothelioma cells not only look but also behave quite
differently as compared to the normal cells.
As we have updated you above, most
of the time, you can see Sarcomatoid mesothelioma cells are mostly found to be separated
from one another and behave just like spindle. That's the reason they can
spread quickly across a number of distant locations in the body that is also
termed as distant metastasis.
After a detailed examination of
sarcomatoid cell types, it has been analyzed that they are categorized into its
sub-types that includes transitional, lymphohistiocytoid and desmoplastic.
Well,
as the name suggests, all these sarcomatoid mesothelioma resides at different
locations. And that is why they are called by these different names. Please
take a look at each of the sarcomatoid mesothelioma cell type as per their
names:
Transitional Mesothelioma
Please note that transitional
mesothelioma generally resides at multiple locations including pleura (lining
of lungs), pericardium (rare), peritoneum.
The cell patterns of such type of
mesothelkioma become like spindle shape. Lastly, the metastasis type is defined
as both local and distant.
Lymphohistiocytoid Mesothelioma
Now, take a look at yet another form
of Sarcomatoid mesothelioma which is none other than Lymphohistiocytoid
Mesothelioma. The location of this type of mesothelioma is around pleura and peritoneum.
Now, the cell pattern of this type of
tumor largely varies from either being spindle shaped and polygonal. They can
also be in the form of dense bundles of inflammatory immune cells as well.
The metastasis type of the above cell
type is generally local. At the same time, it can also be distant and having
the potential to reappear.
Desmoplastic Mesothelioma
Well, this happens to be this type of sarcomatoid mesothelioma that has been categorized as over the different
cell type, metastasis and other crucial factors.
Please note that the location
of this kind of mesothelioma is pleura, peritoneum, tunica vaginalis and some
other areas entirely made up of reproductive system.
The cells of this kind of
mesothelioma do not follow a distinct pattern. Finally, the metastasis type is
both local and distant along with its resemblance to none other than benign
fibrous tissues.
Well, as you have enlisted as many as
three sarcomatoid mesothelioma sub types, there is yet another sub-type that is
known as heterologous mesothelioma. The basic feature of this sub-type is that
it is loaded with sarcomatoid cells all over.
Now let's take you through some of
the other characteristics of heterologous tumors that are very rarely found.
And this pose a great challenge in the prognosis of this sub-type.
One of the main characteristics that
sidelines heterologous tumor to other tumors happens to be the presence of
cells from other body tissues that sometimes related to bone, soft tissue and
cartilage.
These days, this has been quite a
well known diagnostic criterion to check if any of the mesothelioma tumors has
the presence of chondrosarcomatous or osteosarcomatous elements within the
mass. This helps the physicians to determine the further line of treatment.
Pleural Mesothelioma- The Most Common Type of Mesothelioma
Do you know that pleural mesothelioma happens to be the most common type of lung cancer? Well, there are so many sub types of this type of disease that you would gradually know about, especially after you study them as per their cell shape and location.
Please take a look at both types of elements below:
Chondrosarcomatous elements: Largely have the presence of cartilage cells within the
tumor.
Osteosarcomatous elements: Largely have the presence of bone cells within the tumor.
As Sarcomatoid mesothelioma is quite
rare, the cells types are lesser known. And due to this, all its sub-types are
often misdiagnosed. In case, if such a rare case is received, then physicians
have no option but to undergo multiple biopsies, especially to make a confirmed
diagnosis between mesothelioma and other tumors.
Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma Diagnosis
Please know that it is very important
that proper diagnosis should be done for any type of mesothelioma tumor. But
even before that, early detection is quite crucial before the progress of the
treatment.
If you get the early detection, then
almost half the battle is won. But it is not always possible to detect any such
mesothelioma cancer so early. It's due to the fact that they grow very rapidly
and before anything can be done, it becomes even harder to reach to the stage
of treatment.
Now, as far as Sarcomatoid
mesothelioma diagnosis is concerned, it is not easy to diagnose the tumor at an
early stage mainly due to its long latency period. This causes the symptoms to
emerge very late than expected.
How Malignant Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma is caused?
Most of the times, it has come to the
notice that most patients who come with the symptoms of any type of
mesothelioma, are affected with the long time exposure of asbestos. And this is
where doctors get the signal of the main cause of the ailment.
Please note that airborne asbestos
fibers can be easily inhaled or ingested that later get embedded in some other
body organs. This is where the normal cells change into abnormal cells by
undergoing sudden mutation of normal body cells into cancerous cells.
After the asbestos fibers are
constantly inhaled for a period of time, they become the reason of organ inflammation
and scarring of normal body cells.
Please note that long time asbestos
exposure is known to be a well proven and tested reason that causes mesothelioma.
Other than that, there are some other factors that can also become the rare
cause of sarcomatoid mesothelioma to a certain extent.
Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma Symptoms
In this section, we are going to
discuss about Sarcomatoid mesothelioma symptoms that can be many including
fatigue, chest pain, abdominal pain, and nausea, difficulty in breathing,
weight loss, fever and cough.
Common Diagnostic Tests for Mesothelioma
After the physicians manage to gather
some of the vital information about mesothelioma patients, they start conducting
a series of tests to get a confirmation that it is developing into a cancerous
mass. The various tests that are involved include CT scan, PET Scan.
Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma Treatment
There are so many treatment options for
the patients of mesothelioma that are the following:
- Surgery
- Chemotherepy
- Radiation
Surgery- In
general, it is a difficult task to remove tumor cells surgically.
Chemotherepy-
Srcomatoid mesothelioma cells do not generally respond to the chemotherapy.
Also, the above procedure is not so effective for the median survival of such
patients.
Radiation- It
sometimes used to make tumor cells shrink but is not overall as effective as it
should be. Still, the radiation can help to surpass a few symptoms including pain
and difficult breathing.
Please note that sarcomatoid
mesothelioma generally does not respond well to the most conventional treatment
as compared to epithelioid and biphasic mesothelioma. Here, the cells are busy
to grow rapidly and reach to distant location or organ.
Further, there are a number of side
effects that are attached with each line of treatment that only get worsen the
symptoms with time.
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