After
malignant mesothelioma has been diagnosed, tests are done to
find out if cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body.
The process used to find out
if cancer has spread outside the pleura or peritoneum is called
staging. The information gathered from the staging process
determines the stage of the disease. It is important to know the
spread of the cancer in order to plan treatment. The following
tests and procedures may be used in the staging process:
- Chest
x-ray: An x-ray of the organs and bones inside the chest. An
x-ray is a type of energy beam that can go through the body
and onto film, making a picture of areas inside the body.
- CT scan
(CAT scan): A procedure that makes a series of detailed
pictures of the chest and abdomen, taken from different
angles. The pictures are made by a computer linked to an
x-ray machine. A dye may be injected into a vein or
swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more
clearly. This procedure is also called computed tomography,
computerized tomography, or computerized axial tomography.
- MRI
(magnetic resonance imaging): A procedure that uses a
magnet, radio waves, and a computer to make a series of
detailed pictures of the chest or abdomen. This procedure is
also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI).
The
stages of malignant mesothelioma are divided into two groups.
Malignant mesothelioma
stages are grouped into localized and advanced.
Localized malignant mesothelioma (stage I)
In localized malignant
mesothelioma, cancer is found in the lining of the chest and may
also be found in the lung, the diaphragm, or the lining of the
sac that covers the heart on the same side of the chest.
Advanced
malignant mesothelioma (stage II, stage III, and stage IV)
Advanced malignant
mesothelioma includes stage II, stage III, and stage IV.
- In
stage II, cancer is found in the lining of the chest and the
lymph nodes on the same side of the chest. Cancer may also
be found in the lung, the diaphragm, or the lining of the
sac that covers the heart on the same side of the chest.
- In
stage III, cancer has spread to any of the following areas:
- The
chest wall.
- The
mediastinum.
- The
heart.
-
Beyond the diaphragm.
- The
lining of the peritoneum.
Cancer may have also spread to lymph
nodes on the other side of the chest or outside the chest.
- In
stage IV, cancer has spread to distant organs or tissues
source http://www.nci.nih.gov
