Mesothelioma Lawyers

The four stages of mesothelioma

Staging describes the extent of a cancer in the body.

Staging gauges:

• The size of the tumor
• Whether cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are masses of tissue that filter lymphatic fluid and store white blood cells. The lymph nodes are key to the immune system's ability to fight infection by removing bacteria and other foreign particles.
• Whether the cancer has metastasized; that is, whether it has spread from the original site to other parts of the body.

Since it is such a rare disease, the staging system for malignant mesothelioma is not as standardized as in some other forms of cancer. There are three staging systems:

• The Butchart System
• The Brigham System, developed at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston
• The TNM System, where T stands for tumor, N for lymph nodes and M for metastasis, developed by the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (IMIG)

Despite some minor differences, all of these systems break the disease down into four major stages, described by the National Cancer Institute as follows:

• Stage I: Cancer may be found in the lining of the chest wall and possibly the lung, the diaphragm, or the pericardium.
• Stage II: Cancer is discovered in the lining of the chest wall and the lymph nodes on the same side of the chest. Cancer may also be found in the lining of the lung, the lining of the diaphragm, or the lining of the sac that covers the heart on the same side of the chest.
• Stage III: Cancer has spread to any of the following areas:
  • The chest wall
  • The mediastinum, the area between the lungs. The organs in this area include the heart and its large blood vessels, the trachea, the esophagus, the bronchi, and lymph nodes
  • The heart
  • Beyond the diaphragm
  • The peritoneum, the lining that covers most of the organs in the abdomen
  • Lymph nodes on the other side of the chest or outside the chest
• Stage IV: Cancer has metastasized, that is, it has spread to distant organs or tissues

Stage I disease is also referred to as localized malignant mesothelioma. While most cases of malignant mesothelioma are fatal, those with Stage I disease are considered to have the best prognosis, or chance of living the longest - or even, with new treatments, someday beating the disease. Those with Stage I or II, depending upon their overall health, are generally the best candidates for surgery.

Stages II, III, and IV are referred to as advanced malignant mesothelioma. Stage IV is the most advanced stage.