Cancer does not always appear life threatening, in a few cases, resembling mastocytosis, people may live without it cured. Mastocytosis maintains as a form of cancer because cancer means mass growing of cells at an uncontrolled rate. Many cancers essentially lung cancer, may develop deadly. But few in the same manner with mastocytosis people, can live with it the rest of their lives without having any trouble or cause of death living with mastocytosis. A disease that affects few people, mastocytosis is an unforgiving infection that changes their lives forever; typically does not have another painless day.
Mastocytosis consists of many different forms of other kinds of cells. In mastocytosis, mast cells first gather, cells can form in any part of the body, such as skin, bone marrow, liver, and many other places. (Yung 1) Mast cells gather up the same way bees do when spring rolls around. Mastocytosis symptoms get worse when more cells gather in clusters. Skin cells turn into spots on the skin causing them to turn red from clusters of mast cells. When spots are scratched they turn into cutaneous blisters; organs of the body differ from skin cells.
Mast cells can be noticeable if they exist on the skin, but they will not appear to the human eye. In the disease mastocytosis, cells will live more compact and more conglomerated in the area mastocytosis first started to form. (Yung 1) Cells that make up the mastocytosis disease persist of mast cells. A person that suffers with mastocytosis has too many mast cells. (Theoharides 2:17-3:00) Upon the skin, every person has mast cells, but few people have more than others (Yung 1). Mast cells heal the skin for everyone. When a person has mastocytosis, they heal much faster than the normal person.
The mast cells have many natural chemicals inside of them; they consist of bodies rubbing peroxide and neosporin (Yung 1). Mast cells “help the immune system defend itself” (Mastocytosis 1). The way mast cells heal resemble an ambulance, they go to the cuts and heals them. A person with mastocytosis will additionally seem to get itchy on theirs spots often. The Cleveland Clinic revealed that “typical itching may have developed by histamine released by them. Researchers think that mast cells help blood vessels grow making there a lower chance of a clot. (Mastocytosis 1)
The author stated, “rubbing the affected area of the skin can activate mast cells and the chemicals leak into the skin” causing the skin to itch (Yung 1). The author stated “cutaneous mastocytosis occurs in two-thirds of children and this form turns out the most common of the two. ” When adults get it, the disease does not go away and will just develop on getting worse. (Yung 2-3) In cutaneous form mast cells develop in the skin. The cutaneous form takes over 90 percent of mastocytosis diseases. (Mastocytosis 1) Doctors can tell if patients have it by just the look of their skin.
Many doctors have a biopsy test done to make sure that they stand correctly and do not diagnose patients wrong. (Mastocytosis 1) Cutaneous consists of headaches, redness in the face, the heart rate may beat faster than normal, and spots on infected areas (Masto 3). The Australasian Mastocytosis Society mentioned that “systemic mastocytosis typical normally forms after a person had cutaneous before everything else happens. Systemic comes along later when patients of mastocytosis gets older. ” (Masto 2) Systemic patients get tested to see if they have too many mast cells.
Doctors take marrow from patients and they examine it with specialist of mast cells. (Mastocytosis 1) Mastocytosis normally features little bumps that stay on the skin and do not disappear. The disease usually looks brownish, and it will not itch right away. (Theoharides 5:02-5:39) The author mentioned that the diagnosis of mastocytosis consists of “a skin biopsy and can help the doctors to confirm it. ” Many doctors have “special stains to identify the diagnosis as well. ” (Yung 1-2) Mast cells lie in the blood when they always typically test to diagnose a person.
When specialists or doctors do a skin biopsy, it stands as the most accurate for results. In the diagnosis, bone marrow will become removed, typically from the hip bone. (Masto 4-5) Dr. Cem Akin from University of Michigan stated, the doctors usually decide if patients have the disease if “15 or more mast cells in the bone marrow” are found. Mast cells do not look the same as a normal human mast cell. (Theoharides 6:36-7:12) Many of people get diagnosed and can not remember what it resembled before they live with the disease. Pat from Huntingburg, Indiana, became diagnosed with the disease when he reached 17 years of age.
Freedom of not having to worry about his disease has come about the only unforgettable moment that Pat can remember before he became diagnosed. (Neukam 6) A normal workday for Pat always bothers him, he never feels normal. Mastocytosis drives him up the wall. Pat says that skin irritation happens seldomly; he also states that it feels like knives continue to be stabbed in his guts. (1-3) Basic symptoms of mastocytosis relate to having hives and breathing problems. At times, it turns out tough to breath for a mastocytosis patient. Patients may not have the capability to concentrate. Masto 3)
Many other symptoms include having too many chemicals give off pain. These chemicals cause puking because the stomach can not handle all of the chemicals. The uncontrolled acid in the stomach leads to patients having diarrhea. Normal patients have to normally scratch themselves because of the disease and can also pass out. (Mastocytosis 1) Caused by many of different substances, the main triggers pertain to: temperature, exercising, stress, types of food, friction, and perfumes. (Theoharides 4:34-5:00) Scratching the spots of the patient’s body and large amounts of sunlight act as other triggers. (Yung 5).
Seasons will trigger a reaction of the disease, the change from extreme temperatures. The change from hot to cold or cold to hot will trigger a reaction. Pat can not decide which one corresponds to more pain, winter or summer, both have the extreme changes in temperature. The main problem for Pat’s disease relates to the change in temperature and different types of food. (Neukam 4) In general, emotions and stress worsen the disease. Not having enough sleep, having anxiety, and being overwhelmed with school or work. Doctors do not recommend alcohol or types of medications because they make your disease worse.
Snake bites, types of dental procedures, and types of surgeries have effects on patients too. (Yung 5) Major symptoms that patients can have of mastocytosis can pertain to stomach pain, vomiting, difficult to breathe, bone pain hives, and light headed (Theoharides 4:10-4:30). Not being stressed out and taking medicine can help with symptoms (Neukam 7). Allergic reactions consist of having burning skin and can cause abdominal pain, the patient may start breathing heavy (8). The worst situation about reactions cling to not having any clue when they will happen.
A reaction always remains painful, but the body learns to deal with the pain over time. (9) Pat has to always carry an EpiPen with him. In a few cases the EpiPen will save his life if he gets stung by a certain wasp or bee. He also doubles up on his medication once his reactions occurs, then he has to wait for the reaction to pass by. (10) Medications can help with skin lesions, diarrhea, and stomach pain. Antihistamines help the skin, and “steroids help with the size of the skin lesions. ” Every person needs epinephrine if they have a reaction, it will help stop reactions until the patient gets to a hospital. Masto 6) In case medication does not help, treatments will always another option.
Mariana Castells, Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medicine School mentioned treatments can depend on how bad the patient has mastocytosis. No one has found how to fully get rid of the disease, but they can reduce symptoms. (Masto 5) Doctors try to give their patients medication that will “block the release of mast cell mediators” and try to block what has already been released. (Theoharides 13:04-14:25) The Cleveland Clinic stated that “antihistamines prevent histamine build up and have too much and anticholinergics helps relieve cramps” (Mastocytosis 2).
After Pat’s treatments he visits a doctor on a regular basis about every two weeks. Mastocytosis is a rare disease caused by having too many mast cells and that become irritating. This disease can lead to people not going outside and enjoying the weather because of temperatures messing with their skin. A disease that affects a few people has actually changed someone’s life in Huntingburg, Indiana. He has to always worry about his reactions and try to focus on his better days.
