Cracking the Code: Revolutionizing Mesothelioma Staging
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Cracking the Code: Revolutionizing Mesothelioma Staging

ByHolly Zink

A group of researchers from the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) teamed up to help us understand this disease better. The IASLC developed a mesothelioma database to improve disease staging. Staging is important because it helps doctors plan the best treatment The Power of Data and International Collaboration Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a complex disease. Mesothelioma diagnosis and accurate staging are often difficult to pin down. And the diagnosis is further complicated by different disease subtypes. When doctors talk about mesothelioma, they often mention staging. Doctors use staging to give an idea of how big the cancer is and if it has spread to other parts. They might use numbers like 1, 2, 3, or 4 to…

High-Resolution Imaging for Mesothelioma Staging and Diagnosis
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High-Resolution Imaging for Mesothelioma Staging and Diagnosis

ByHolly Zink

High-resolution imaging is one of the most important tools for a clinician. A new report in the AME Surgical Journal shows the importance of better clinical imaging. It is key for accurate diagnosis and staging of malignant mesothelioma. Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a complex disease. Mesothelioma diagnosis and accurate staging are often difficult to pin down. And the diagnosis is further complicated by different disease subtypes. Higher resolution diagnostic imaging plays an important role in diagnosis and staging. It shows tumor thickness or volumetric data. Future updates to the cancer staging system may use clinical imaging benchmarks. Importance and Use of Clinical Imaging Mesothelioma causes significant morbidity and mortality. And it remains a challenging disease to diagnose and stage accurately….

Mesothelioma Staging: Laparoscopy May Find Tumors PET-CT Misses
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Mesothelioma Staging: Laparoscopy May Find Tumors PET-CT Misses

ByAlex Strauss

Cancer researchers at Baylor College of Medicine say diagnostic laparoscopy (DL) improves the accuracy of pleural mesothelioma staging prior to surgery. It is especially valuable for patients with cancer in both the chest and abdomen. Staging is a way for doctors to determine how widespread cancer is. Accurate staging is critical for the best surgical outcomes. For the right patients, mesothelioma surgery can be a life saver.  Many mesothelioma patients undergo PET/CT as part of the staging process. But the Baylor study suggests that adding a tool called a laparoscope to the process may find tumors that PET-CT misses. What is Mesothelioma Staging? Malignant mesothelioma is a type of cancer that grows on internal membranes. It usually occurs on the…

Pleural Mesothelioma Staging: These Overlooked Lymph Nodes Might Help
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Pleural Mesothelioma Staging: These Overlooked Lymph Nodes Might Help

ByAlex Strauss

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…

Minimally Invasive Lymph Node Staging May Prevent Unnecessary Mesothelioma Surgery
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Minimally Invasive Lymph Node Staging May Prevent Unnecessary Mesothelioma Surgery

ByAlex Strauss

A minimally invasive procedure for lymph node staging may help some pleural mesothelioma patients avoid the pain and risk of surgery. That is the conclusion of a recent study on endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA).  EBUS-TBNA is a minimally invasive method for testing the lymph nodes deep in the chest (mediastinal lymph nodes). If lymph node staging shows evidence of pleural mesothelioma, surgery is less likely to be effective.  Mediastinal Lymph Node Staging and Mesothelioma Pleural mesothelioma is a rare cancer that starts on the membrane around the lungs. It can spread to the lungs and other organs and is usually fatal.  The mediastinal lymph nodes are located in the area between the lungs. When the body is fighting…

New Tool Could Replace TNM for Predicting Pleural Mesothelioma Survival
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New Tool Could Replace TNM for Predicting Pleural Mesothelioma Survival

ByAlex Strauss

A new visual tool could offer a better way to predict pleural mesothelioma survival after surgery than the current TNM staging system. That is the message from cancer researchers at China’s Peking University. The group conducted a study using a large US government database of information on pleural mesothelioma survival and treatment. They used the data to create a visual representation of pleural mesothelioma survival called a nomogram. Testing of the nomogram showed it was more accurate at predicting survival in patients who have mesothelioma surgery than the tool doctors normally use. Pleural Mesothelioma Survival and TNM The most popular method for “staging” cancer is called the TNM staging system. TNM stands for tumor node metastasis. With TNM, the further…

Staging of Mesothelioma Could Change with Discovery of New Lymph Nodes
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Staging of Mesothelioma Could Change with Discovery of New Lymph Nodes

ByAlex Strauss

A recent discovery at the University of Maryland could dramatically change how doctors handle the staging of malignant pleural mesothelioma. More accurate staging could lead to better mesothelioma treatment outcomes and longer survival. More than three quarters of people diagnosed with mesothelioma have the pleural variety. Pleural mesothelioma is the deadliest form of asbestos cancer. Most patients do not live longer than 18 months, even with aggressive treatment. Cancer staging is the process doctors use to determine how advanced the cancer is. Staging of mesothelioma is important because it directly impacts treatment decisions. But staging of mesothelioma – just like diagnosis and treatment – can be difficult. Lymph Nodes May Help in Staging of Mesothelioma The discovery was made by…

Mesothelioma Staging May be Easier with New Approach
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Mesothelioma Staging May be Easier with New Approach

ByAlex Strauss

Japanese researchers have introduced a new approach to mesothelioma staging. The new system may make it easier to plan treatment and predict mesothelioma prognosis. Tumor staging is a system for measuring how far cancer has spread in the body. It is based on what doctors know about how cancer develops and grows. The more places mesothelioma cells are, the more difficult the case is to treat. The TNM Staging System is the most widely used system for mesothelioma staging. The American Joint Committee on Cancer established the system. In the TNM system, T stands for the size of the primary mesothelioma tumor. N stands for the spread of cancer to the lymph nodes. M is about cancer spread to other…