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Mesothelioma Mesothelioma happens when asbestos fibers cause irritation to the tissues that surround many of your organs. The cancerous cells grow. The lining of the lung (pleura) is the most common site of mesothelioma. Less common types affect the abdomen's lining and the surrounding lining of the testicles. Doctors diagnose mesothelioma following a thorough examination of the tissue or a sample of fluid for cancerous cells. They may also request blood tests and imaging tests. Signs and symptoms Mesothelioma affects the lining of organs in various parts of the body. Symptoms vary depending on where the tumor develops, such as the pleura (lung lining) for pleural mesothelioma and the peritoneum for mesothelioma of the peritoneal. Fever, fatigue and unexplained weight loss are common symptoms. Other signs of mesothelioma are difficulty breathing and pain. A physical exam is the first step to diagnosing mesothelioma. Your doctor will ask about your prior exposure to asbestos and any other factors that might increase your risk of developing mesothelioma. This includes a history of working in an industry where asbestos exposure was common, like manufacturing, shipbuilding, or construction. In most cases mesothelioma can be diagnosed with imaging scans of the abdomen or chest. These include X radiographs, CT scans (computer tomography), and MRIs (magnetic imaging). These tests allow doctors to view the inside of your body, and also check for mesothelioma, or other lumps in the lung or stomach. X-rays can reveal the presence of fluid or a thickening in the lung space and the chest wall. These are signs of pleural cancer. They can also reveal any fluid in the abdomen, which is more commonly associated with peritoneal mesothelioma. Your doctor will request a biopsied if a mesothelioma tumor is discovered. When you undergo a biopsy, your doctor will take the tissue from the tumor to check for mesothelioma tumor cells. A surgeon will use a needle to perform a surgical procedure to remove the specimen. For mesothelioma pleural, doctors will drain the fluid in the chest cavity with pleurodesis, a procedure. This involves cutting a small incision into the abdomen or chest and then using a tube to drain fluid. In the later stages of pleural mesothelioma patients may experience breathing difficulties because of the accumulation of fluid. Your doctor may use an indwelling needle aspirator or an indwelling catheter to try and control the fluid buildup in your pleura. In rare instances mesothelioma may spread to other parts of the body, causing symptoms like abdominal pain weight loss and trouble breathing. These are referred to as metastatic symptoms because they can occur in different places than the area of the tumor that you originally had. Diagnosis In most cases, doctors will first perform a physical examination to look for signs such as chest discomfort and coughing. Patients will be asked about asbestos exposure. Then, they will request imaging tests to look for tumors in the lungs and abdomen. These could include X-rays CT scans magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or Postron emission Tomography (PET) scans. It can be challenging for doctors to identify mesothelioma correctly because it is so rare. Mesothelioma is often misdiagnosed as more common diseases such as bronchitis or pneumonia. This could delay treatment and lead to the disease to spread before it is properly diagnosed. If doctors find a mesothelioma tumor, they will need a sample of fluid or tissue for testing. These samples will help determine the kind of cancer and if it has spread. Doctors can take mesothelioma samples via the procedure of a biopsy. This can be accomplished by removing a small amount of tissue by surgery or inserting a needle in the abdominal or chest area to drain the fluid. albany mesothelioma lawsuit will be analyzed for cancer cells. The type of mesothelioma the doctor discovers can aid in determining the best treatment options. Doctors may also recommend lab tests on an area of tumor to better understand how the tumor functions. These tests can help identify specific proteins, genes, or other factors that are specific to the tumor. Doctors will also need to know whether the tumor has spread and is referred to as staging. This allows them to determine the size of the tumor as well as whether it has expanded to other organs. The doctor will review the results with you when they are all in. You will also receive an estimate of your prognosis. This is based on the averages of mesothelioma patients who have similar symptoms and staging. They will then explain how the prognosis could alter as the tumor grows, shrinks, or other treatments are employed. Request a second doctor's opinion if you have any concerns. This is an excellent way to ensure that you receive the best treatment. Treatment Being diagnosed with mesothelioma can be just the beginning of a long and difficult road. The treatment options are based on many factors, including the type of mesothelioma and its grade (how fast it grows). Doctors will also consider the person's age as well as general health and other medical issues. It is often difficult to determine mesothelioma's diagnosis, since it is a very rare disease. A combination of tests is typically used to confirm a mesothelioma diagnosis including chest X-rays as well as CT scans. These imaging studies can show changes in the lung's lining or abdomen, such as pleural thickening and fluid build-up. Blood tests are also performed to check for elevated levels of certain proteins associated with mesothelioma. A biopsy is typically done when a mesothelioma diagnosis is suspected. 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 determine if it is contaminated with cancer cells. Doctors can drain excess fluid from a patient suffering from pleural mesothelioma by the procedure known as thoracentesis. It is also possible to use the procedure known as pleurodesis to help prevent fluid from building up in the future. Pleurodesis involves placing an incision into the chest to remove fluid. It is often combined with medications to lower the risk that fluid builds up again. Radiation can be used in combination with chemotherapy or surgery to treat mesothelioma. Doctors can use traditional photon radiation or a more advanced method known as intensity-modulated therapy, which delivers radiation at different angles in order to limit the damage to healthy tissues. It can be used to aid in surgery by using drugs that eliminate cancerous cells. It can also be heated and injected directly into the abdomen (intraperitoneal chemotherapy) for patients with mesothelioma of the peritoneal region. Certain patients are able to take part in clinical trials of new mesothelioma therapies. These are typically done at larger medical centers and may yield the most promising results. Even after treatment, mesothelioma can be recurrent. The treatment options vary depending on the area of the recurrence, as well as the treatment options previously used. Prognosis The prognosis for mesothelioma is based on a variety of variables that include the type and stage of cancer, overall health and age. It is also dependent on the size of mesothelioma as well as how well the treatment can control the symptoms. A doctor will perform several tests to determine the outlook of mesothelioma patients. These tests include imaging tests (a CT scan or X-ray) as well as blood tests, and the biopsy. A biopsy is when a doctor removes a small sample of mesothelioma tissue or tumor and examine it under a microscope to check for cancerous cells. Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that affects the lining of tissues around organs in the body like the chest lining, abdominal lining and tests. It is caused by asbestos exposure. A diagnosis of mesothelioma can be a shock and can trigger feelings of fear, anger, or anxiety. Discussing these feelings with a trusted family member, mesothelioma group or a lawyer is essential. The outlook for mesothelioma is likely to be improved if the disease is detected in its earliest stages. If doctors are able to remove the tumor, or at least a large portion of it, the patient will have greater chance of living longer. Another aspect is how fit a mesothelioma victim is. The level of fitness is linked to better survival rates for mesothelioma patients. A person's blood chemistry can also play a role in their mesothelioma prognosis. The better a person's outlook, the more normal their haemoglobin and white blood cell counts are. A mesothelioma that is not yet reached a critical point can be treated with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or surgery. These treatments can reduce the chance of cancer cells spreading and growing. However, these treatments do not treat cancer. Many mesothelioma patients have outlived their initial prognosis. Some have lived for years, or even a decade or more after their mesothelioma diagnosis. For example paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould survived his mesothelioma of the peritoneal for more than 20 years. However, he passed away from cancer that was not connected to his mesothelioma.