Stage 1 mesothelioma is the most advanced stage of the disease, affecting the pleura or lining of one lung or a small portion of the abdomen. It is the easiest stage to treat because it has not spread to other parts of the body. Treatment options include surgical treatments, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, Pneumonectomy with extrapleural incision, Decortication of the Pleurectomy, Cytoreduction, and Peritoneum Removal. Stage 1 peritoneal mesothelioma is typically diagnosed using imaging tests and surgical biopsies. Symptoms range from barely noticeable to chest pain, fever, and coughing; cancer localized to a specific area of the body; no metastasis or lymph node spread; and the most hopeful outlook for both palliative and curative surgery.
Stage 1 mesothelioma patients have several treatment options, such as paracentesis and pleurodesis surgeries to reduce fluid buildup and relieve pain, and radiation and chemotherapy to eradicate any remaining cancer cells. A study conducted at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center found that stage 1 patients have a 60% chance of surviving thirty months or longer with surgical treatments. Another study, conducted by Dr. David Sugarbaker, showed that patients who underwent extrapleural pneumonectomy have a better chance of surviving two years after the initial surgery date.
Stage 1 mesothelioma is generally favorable, with a prognosis of more than a year or twelve months longer than the average patient. However, stage 1 diagnoses are uncommon due to the latency period, which can last up to 40 years. Patients in stage 1 have the best chance of a better prognosis, but no one can predict how long they will live due to a variety of factors.
The pleura or lining of one lung or a relatively small portion of the abdomen is affected in the early stages of mesothelioma. It is the easiest stage to treat because it has not spread to other parts of the body.
The Earliest Stage Stage 1 mesothelioma is the disease's most advanced stage. On one side of the body, it includes the pleura. The lymph nodes have not yet been involved. Patients with stage 1 mesothelioma have the best prognosis because many different treatment options are available to them.
Mesothelioma Treatment Options at Stage 1
Because the tumor is still localized and easier to remove, surgical treatments are widely available. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are also used at this stage to improve the success of the surgery and to prevent complications. Pneumonectomy with extrapleural incision. An EPP is a procedure used on patients with stage 1 mesothelioma that involves the complete removal of the affected pleura, lung, and part of the diaphragm. Other treatments are, of course, available.
Decortication of the Pleurectomy
This is the removal of the pleura, or lining of the lung. Patients with stage 1 pleural mesothelioma usually have a pleurectomy to remove cancerous tumors.
Cytoreduction
A cytoreduction is the removal of the peritoneum, or lining of the abdomen. Patients with stage 1 peritoneal mesothelioma typically undergo this surgical treatment to halt the growth of mesothelioma tumors in the future.
Mesothelioma Diagnosis at Stage 1
Patients who are diagnosed with mesothelioma at an early stage have a better prognosis than those who are diagnosed at a later stage. Patients with stage 1 mesothelioma are typically diagnosed using imaging tests like CT scans or X-rays. Biopsies can help physicians make a more accurate diagnosis. Surgical biopsy is the most common type of biopsy. This procedure involves the removal and examination of tissues and fluid from the tumor site. To diagnose stage 1 mesothelioma, a laparotomy or thoracotomy may be performed.
Some basic characteristics of stage 1 mesothelioma include symptoms ranging from barely noticeable to chest pain, fever, and coughing; cancer localized to a specific area of the body; no metastasis or lymph node spread; and the most hopeful outlook for both palliative and curative surgery.
What You Can Expect
Because of the similarities in symptoms, patients may confuse stage 1 mesothelioma with pneumonia. These symptoms include chest pain, coughing, muscle aches, and fever. Second, patients can anticipate curative surgeries such as pleurectomies or cytoreduction surgeries. Chemotherapy can be used as a preventative measure before undergoing surgery. Patients may be advised to undergo radiation or chemotherapy after surgery.
These treatments may be used to prevent further cell growth or to reach areas that surgery may have missed. Patients can also expect surgical treatment aimed at improving their comfort, such as paracentesis and pleurodesis surgeries.
These surgeries will reduce fluid buildup and thus relieve pain. If the patients are in good health, they can expect their doctor or physician to take a more aggressive approach to treating their mesothelioma.
Treatment Alternatives
Patients with stage 1 mesothelioma have several treatment options. They have a better chance of survival and are better candidates for surgical interventions. Following the surgeries, radiation and chemotherapy are administered to ensure that any remaining cancer cells are eradicated. According to one study conducted at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, stage 1 patients have a 60% chance of surviving thirty months or longer with surgical treatments.
These findings were reached in patients who underwent pleurectomy with decoration. This study was conducted in 1995, and thanks to recent scientific advances, the survival rates of patients who had pleurectomy with decoration have increased significantly.
Another study, conducted by Dr. David Sugarbaker, shows that patients who underwent extrapleural pneumonectomy have a 60% chance of surviving two years after the initial surgery date. Some believe that because pleurectomy spares the lung, stage 1 patients have a better chance of living longer after pleurectomy than after extrapleural pneumonectomy. After an EPP, the patient loses one lung and no longer works as well as they did before the surgery.
In this regard, pleurectomy is more common in stage 1 patients than EPP, but pleurectomy may be impossible if the mesothelioma has spread to other areas of the lung other than the pleura.
The Prognosis of Mesothelioma in Stage 1
The prognosis for patients diagnosed with stage 1 mesothelioma is generally favorable. The earlier cancer is detected, the more treatment options are available. The chances of remission are also better than in patients with advanced mesothelioma. Patients with stage 1 mesothelioma typically have a prognosis that is more than a year or twelve months longer than the average mesothelioma patient.
Unfortunately, stage 1 mesothelioma diagnoses are uncommon. The latency period associated with mesothelioma can last up to 40 years from the time of asbestos exposure. When the symptoms appear, many patients associate them with illnesses caused by asbestos, such as indigestion or a common cold. Detecting mesothelioma in its early stages can add years to a patient's life expectancy, but this does not mean that patients in later stages cannot improve their chances.
Second opinions in this case may reveal an earlier stage ailment than the original diagnosis. This was the case for Alexis Kidd, a mesothelioma survivor. Patients in stage 1 have the best chance of a better prognosis.
You can use some guides to recognize the stages of mesothelioma. Regardless of the diagnosis or treatment, Alexis stated that no one can predict how long a patient with mesothelioma will live because it is dependent on a variety of factors.