Mesothelioma Stages

Mesothelioma is a disease that contains tangible stages.  Once you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, chances are you are in an advanced stage of the disease.  In order to determine which of the mesothelioma stages you are in, your doctor will have to conduct several tests.  This is also the first step before establishing a treatment plan.  Part of this initial step is obtaining x-rays and or getting an MRI.  These tests will help your doctor greatly when deciding on what stage of mesothelioma you are approaching.

There are different systems that have been established to be able to determine mesothelioma stages.  The following is a description of each.

Butchart Staging System

This is the most common system used to categorize mesothelioma stages, and it contains four stages of its own.  Stage I occurs when the mesothelioma has established itself in the left or side of the lining of the lungs.  This could also include a presence in other membrane sacs like that of the heart or diaphragm.

Stage II has been reached when the mesothelioma has spread to other areas of the body such as the chest wall, esophagus, heart or pleura.

Stage III occurs when the mesothelioma is present in the abdomen and diaphragm wall lining.

In the last stage, the mesothelioma has entered the bloodstream which provides the opportunity to spread the cancer throughout the rest of the body.

TNM Staging System

Another staging system is the TNM Staging System, and this system also has four stages.  This system considers the size of the tumor, the advancing of the mesothelioma to the lymph nodes, and metastasis, which is when the mesothelioma has spread to organs further away in the body. 

After you are diagnosed with mesothelioma, the doctor will need to determine which of the mesothelioma stages you have already passed through, if any.  Unfortunately, there is a good chance that you are in the advanced stages, since it is most common to be diagnosed with mesothelioma after the cancer has made advances within your body. 

It doesn’t matter which stage you are in, being diagnosed is very devastating.  You will want to work closely with your doctor to determine your action plan.  What is also important is to know what rights you have as someone suffering from malignant mesothelioma.  Mesothelioma was caused by being exposed to asbestos, which may not have been your fault.  Contact an attorney that has experience with mesothelioma cases today.  Your attorney will help you to understand what your best legal action plan is.  Make the call today for a free consultation.