Thomas J. Lamb Asbestos Litigation Law Blog on Lawyers.com

The Stages Of Mesothelioma (Part 2 of 3)

Monday, December 7, 2009 by Thomas J. Lamb

(Posted by Tom Lamb at www.AsbestosHUB.com on December 5, 2009; see http://bit.ly/8js3h2)

Last time we briefly outlined the Butchart System of mesothelioma staging. As a reminder, the Butchart System categorizes the stages of mesothelioma by the size and extent of the tumor. It is the most widely used system of staging.

Today, we will discuss the TNM System.

TNM System

The TNM System is based on the extent of the tumor, metastasis, and lymph node involvement. TNM stands for T: tumor, N: lymph nodes, M: metastasis. The TNM System divides malignant mesothelioma into four stages:

Stage 1 Malignant mesothelioma is present in the left or right chest cavity (pleura) and may have metastasized to the lung, the sac around the heart (pericardium) or the diaphragm on the same side. Lymph nodes at Stage 1 are not involved.

Stage 2 Malignant mesothelioma has reached from one side of the chest cavity to a lymph node near the lung area on the same side as the cancer. The cancer has metastasized to the diaphragm, pericardium (sac around the heart) or the lung on the same side as the original cancer.

Stage 3 Malignant mesothelioma has penetrated the chest lining, heart, esophagus, muscle, ribs and vital organs within the chest cavity on the same side as the cancer. Lymph nodes may or may not be involved during this stage.

Stage 4 Malignant mesothelioma has metastasized to the pleural area and the lymph nodes on the opposite side of where the cancerous tumor is located. It may also have reached the chest cavities or lungs on both sides, or may have spread to the abdomen.

For more information visit Asbestos-Mesothelioma.com and MedicineNet.com.

Next time, the Brigham System.

Attorney Tom Lamb represents people in personal injury and wrongful death cases involving mesothelioma or other asbestos cancers. The above article was posted originally on his blog, Asbestos HUB – with active links and readers’ comments.http://AsbestosHUB.com

Posted at 08:46 AM

Topic: Asbestos Litigation