Pleural Mesothelioma Staging: These Overlooked Lymph Nodes Might Help
An often-ignored set of lymph nodes behind the ribs could help make pleural mesothelioma staging more accurate and valuable. Staging is the process of determining how advanced a patient’s cancer is. It involves looking at various different factors and assigning a rating between 0 and 4. A higher stage indicates more extensive cancer. A new report suggests that the posterior intercostal lymph nodes behind the ribs play a more important role in pleural mesothelioma staging than previously thought. Mesothelioma patients with cancer in these nodes lived half as long as other mesothelioma patients. Researchers in Maryland and Pennsylvania say removing and examining these nodes may lead to more accurate staging, more informed treatment decisions, and better outcomes. How Lymph Nodes…