Mesothelioma has 4 stages of development, each stage coming with its treatment issues and symptoms getting worse with every new stage. If left untreated, or if treatment methods performed on the patient are not positive, mesothelioma is free to reach the fourth stage of development.
Symptoms and changes of stage 4 mesothelioma cancer
The following is a list of symptoms and changes that a patient with stage IV mesothelioma cancer may encounter:
- a patient with stage 4 mesothelioma will experience extreme levels of pain in the areas affected by cancer, and will require large doses of painkillers and symptomatic relievers
- the cancer has advanced and reached the blood stream, being able to spread throughout the body
- mesothelioma has spread to the chest wall lining, the pleura, lymph nodes on both sides and is covering one entire lung, and starting to spread to other one
- mesothelioma will start spreading to the brain, liver and even the heart of the patient
The prognosis for a patient in stage IV of mesothelioma is not positive at all. At this point mesothelioma doctors will try any kind of drug to stop the cancer from reaching other parts of the body. Drugs used include ALIMTA, one of the newest and most effective drugs available, and Platinol, a platinum based drug that works well in stopping or at least slowing the cancers development throughout the body. If the patient doesn't react to that kind of treatment it usually means that the cancer will allow the person to live no longer than a month.
Doctors advise people that live in high asbestos exposure areas to have tests taken at least once each year, and if they notice symptoms close to the ones that are associated with mesothelioma have a doctor see them as soon as possible because discovering cancer in its early stages means that the patient has a chance of being cured
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