Mesothelioma
Asbestos fibers can cause mesothelioma when they cause irritation to the tissue around many of your internal organs. The cancerous cells then grow.
The most common type of mesothelioma affects the lung lining (pleura). Other types are less prevalent and affect the lining around the abdomen or around the testicles.
Doctors diagnose mesothelioma after examining a tissue or fluid sample for cancerous cells. They may also request blood tests or imaging tests.
Signs and symptoms
Mesothelioma can affect the linings of various organs. Symptoms vary depending on where the tumor forms and the location, like the pleura (lung liner) for pleural mesothelioma, or the peritoneum in the case of peritoneal mesotheliom. Fatigue, fever, and an unproven weight loss are typical symptoms. Other symptoms of
mesothelioma claim include breathing difficulties and pain.
The first step in determining mesothelioma is to conduct a physical exam. Your doctor will inquire about your prior exposure to asbestos as well as any other factors that might increase your risk of developing mesothelioma. This includes the experience in an industry where asbestos exposure was prevalent, such as construction, shipbuilding or manufacturing.
The majority of the time mesothelioma can be diagnosed with images of the abdomen or chest. These include X-rays, CT (computer tomography) scans, and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). These tests offer doctors to see inside your body, and check for
mesothelioma and other lung-related tumors or stomach.
X-rays may show the presence of fluid or a thickening in the lung space and the chest wall. These are symptoms of Pleural cancer. They will also detect any fluid in the abdominal cavity, which is often linked to peritoneal msothelioma.
Your doctor will order an examination for mesothelioma if a tumor is detected. A biopsy is when your doctor will remove small amounts of tissue to determine if it is mesothelioma. A surgeon can either insert an instrument into the tumor, or perform a surgical procedure to extract the specimen.
In the case of pleural asbestosis doctors drain the the chest cavity with the procedure known as pleurodesis. This involves making a small cut in the chest or abdomen and then using tubes to drain the fluid. Fluid buildup can cause difficulty breathing in patients with
mesothelioma Legal Specialist of the pleura. Your doctor may try to control the buildup of fluid in your pleura by insertion of an indwelling catheter, or using ultrasound-guided needle aspiration.
In rare instances, mesothelioma spreads to other parts of the body and causes symptoms like abdominal pain weight loss and trouble breathing. These symptoms are called metastatic symptoms because they occur outside of the original tumor.
Diagnosis
In the majority of cases, doctors will first conduct a physical examination to determine the cause of symptoms like chest pain and coughing. They will also ask patients about any previous asbestos exposure. They will then order imaging tests to look for tumors in the lungs and abdomen. These tests may include X rays, CT scans or MRIs.
Since mesothelioma is a rare cancer it can be difficult for doctors to diagnose it accurately. Mesothelioma is often misdiagnosed as more common diseases like bronchitis or pneumonia. This can delay treatment and spread the disease before it is detected.
If doctors discover a potential mesothelioma cancer, they'll require a sample of the tissue or fluid for testing. These samples will determine the type of cancer and whether it has spread. Doctors can collect mesothelioma specimens through biopsy. They can do this by the removal of a small portion of tissue using surgery or by inserting a needle into the abdomen or chest to draw out fluid.
These samples will then be examined to determine if they contain cancer cells. The type of mesothelioma the doctor finds can aid in determining the best treatment options.
Doctors may recommend lab tests to help understand the tumor. These tests can identify proteins, genes and other specific factors to a tumor.
Finally, doctors will be looking to determine if the tumor has spread by staging. This allows them to describe the size of the tumor and whether it has spread.
The doctor will discuss the results with you once they are all in. They will also give you a prognosis. This is based on averages of mesothelioma sufferers with similar symptoms and staging. They will then explain how the prognosis could change as the tumor expands and shrinks or when other treatments are employed. If you have any questions then seek an additional opinion from a different doctor. This is an excellent way to make sure that you receive the best treatment.
Treatment
The path to a mesothelioma diagnosis is not finished once you've been diagnosed. The treatment options are based on many factors, including the type of mesothelioma and its grade (how fast it grows). Doctors also take into consideration the patient's age, general health and other medical ailments.
Mesothelioma is a rare disease that can be difficult for healthcare providers to identify. A combination of tests is typically used to confirm a mesothelioma diagnosis like chest X-rays and CT scans. These imaging studies may reveal changes in the lining of the lungs or abdomen, for instance pleural thickening and fluid build-up. Blood tests can also be conducted to look for high levels of specific proteins that are associated with
mesothelioma case.
A biopsy is usually performed when a mesothelioma diagnosis is made. A biopsy is done by inserting a needle in the area affected and then removing the tissue to be examined. A lab will analyze the sample to see if it contains cancerous cells.
If a patient is diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma, doctors can drain the excess fluid with the procedure known as Thorcentesis. It is also possible to use pleurodesis, a procedure that can help prevent fluid from building up in the future. Pleurodesis involves inserting a tube into the chest to assist in draining the fluid, and it can be combined with medications to decrease the chance of fluid building up again.
Radiation therapy is a different treatment for mesothelioma. it can be used as a stand-alone treatment or in conjunction with chemotherapy or surgery. Doctors can choose to use traditional photon radiation, or a more sophisticated method known as intensity-modulated radiotherapy. This sends the radiation in different angles to reduce healthy tissue damage.
Chemotherapy is a method of killing cancerous cells. It can be used before or after surgery to make the operation easier. It can also be heated and injecting directly into the abdomen (intraperitoneal chemotherapy) for patients suffering from peritoneal mesothelioma. Certain patients are able to participate in clinical trials for new mesothelioma treatments. These are usually conducted in larger medical centers and could yield the most promising results. Mesothelioma can recur or come back, even after receiving treatment. When it does, the treatment options will vary depending on the location where mesothelioma developed and the prior treatments received.
Prognosis
In general the mesothelioma prognosis of a patient is based on the type of cancer they have the stage at when they were diagnosed, as well as their overall health and their age. It is also dependent on the severity of the mesothelioma and how well treatment will control the symptoms.
A doctor will conduct several tests to determine the outlook of a mesothelioma patient, including imaging tests (a CT scan or X-ray) as well as blood tests and a biopsy. A biopsy is when doctors take a small sample from the
mesothelioma tumor or mesothelioma and examine it under magnifying glasses to search for cancerous cells.
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that affects the lining of tissues around organs of the body, such as the abdominal lining, the chest lining, and the tests. It is caused by exposure to asbestos.
A mesothelioma diagnosis can be shocking and cause feelings of anger, shock, fear or anxiety. It is essential to discuss these feelings with a trusted loved one mesothelioma group support group or mesothelioma lawyer.
Early detection of
mesothelioma case will increase the likelihood of a successful outcome. If doctors can remove the tumor, or a significant portion of it, patients stand a better chance of being able to live for longer.
Fitness is another aspect. The ones who are more fit level are able to withstand more intense mesothelioma treatments and have higher survival rates. The blood chemistry of a person can also play a role in their mesothelioma prognosis. The better a person's prognosis is, the better their haemoglobin and white blood cell counts are.
A mesothelioma that is not yet reached a critical point can be treated with radiation therapy, chemotherapy or surgery. These treatments can lower the chance of cancer cells spreading and growing. However, these treatments can not cure cancer. Many mesothelioma sufferers have outlived their initial prognoses. Some have lived years or even a decade or more after being diagnosed with mesothelioma. For example paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould survived his mesothelioma of the peritoneal for more than 20 years. He later died of cancer that was not related to mesothelioma.
