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Mesothelioma Symptoms and Treatment

When mesothelioma's first symptoms are identified, doctors order scans of the body to detect any cancerous growths on the chest or abdomen. Mesothelioma may mimic other diseases like lung cancer or pneumonia and can cause incorrect diagnosis.

A biopsy will be taken by a doctor in order to determine mesothelioma. There are three mesothelioma types: epithelial (epidermal), Sarcomatoid (sarcoma) and biphasic. Each type reacts differently to treatment and has an impact on life expectancy.

Diagnosis

If mesothelioma has been identified, doctors will run several tests to confirm the diagnosis. These include a chest X-ray, CT scans and biopsies. The X-ray reveals the presence of fluid on one side of the chest. This is known as pleural effusion and it is often the first indication of mesothelioma. X-rays may not be the most reliable method for diagnosis.

The next step is an chest CT scan, which will give you a an accurate picture of your lungs and other organs. A doctor will inject you with dye to identify any areas that may be cancerous. During the CT scanner, you'll be lying on a bed, and moved through a doughnut scanner. The procedure only takes a few minutes and isn't too uncomfortable, even for people who are claustrophobic.

In certain instances doctors may also conduct an MRI test. These tests make use of strong magnetic fields and radio waves to create high-quality images of soft tissues, like lung tissues. If you suffer from mesothelioma of the diaphragm, an MRI can help doctors locate the disease and determine how advanced it is. Some patients may also have an PET scan. In this test, you'll receive a shot of a radioactive dye. Cancer cells will absorb the dye significantly more than healthy ones, and consequently appear brighter in the images.

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A biopsy is the last test to confirm a mesothelioma diagnosis. A doctor will take tiny portions of the lining that is affected, which will then be tested under a microscope, to determine if cancer cells are present. This procedure is done under local anaesthetic and can be accomplished through surgery or by inserting the needle using the aid of a CT scan.

If the biopsy results show mesothelioma your doctor will use the results of other tests to determine its stage. The stage is the measure of how far mesothelioma spread and what types of treatment are best for you. Learn more about staging by reading the section in this guide titled Staging.

Treatment

There are many options for treatment for mesothelioma. Some treatments may improve the quality of life or prolong life for longer than others. Mesothelioma patients should discuss their goals with their medical team to determine the most effective method of treatment.

Surgery can be used to treat mesothelioma. In this procedure surgeons attempt to eliminate all cancerous tissues. If mesothelioma has reached an advanced stage doctors may not be able remove the tumor completely. However, surgeons can manage to reduce symptoms.

The most commonly encountered mesothelioma type is called mesothelioma pleural, which develops within the lining of the lung. In certain instances it is possible for a patient to develop mesothelioma that is located in the membrane around the heart (pericardial mesothelioma). In rare cases it is possible to have mesothelioma affecting the testicles (testicular mesothelioma).

Mesothelioma is treated with radiation and chemotherapy. The treatments are usually provided by experts in mesothelioma at specialist centers. Chemotherapy employs drugs to kill mesothelioma cancer cells and inhibit their growth. The combination of pemetrexed and Cisplatin is the first-line treatment option for pleural mesothelioma.

Radiation therapy uses high energy beams to kill cancerous cells. This treatment is most often used in combination with other mesothelioma treatments including surgery and chemotherapy.

This treatment may also be applied to any mesothelioma with a microscopic size left by surgeons following surgery. Mesothelioma patients can experience many different side effects as a result of these treatments. They may experience nausea, fatigue and loss.

A mesothelioma specialist can help a patient choose the right medication for their requirements. They can also recommend alternative ways to improve a patient's quality of life. These can include regular Pleural fluid drainage to help reduce breathing and strong painkillers. Patients should also make sure they inform their medical professional of any other medications they take such as supplements, herbs or prescription drugs. This will help avoid any potentially harmful interactions between these medications.

Prognosis

Mesothelioma, also known as mesothelioma in the pleural area, is a cancerous tumor that affects the membrane that forms the body's cavities like the chest cavity and abdomen. If someone develops mesothelioma malignant cells grow within this tissue. They can grow to other parts of the body and cause symptoms like breathing difficulties and pain.

It is vital to receive a mesothelioma diagnosis from a specialist doctor because this is the first step in receiving treatment. There are a variety of steps to identify mesothelioma including a physical exam as well as lab tests and biopsy. A biopsy will take a tiny sample of the tumor or mass to test for mesothelioma.

Getting a mesothelioma misdiagnosis is extremely risky as it could delay treatment and make it more difficult to predict. Mesothelioma is often difficult to identify because the symptoms are similar to those of lung cancer pneumonia, or bronchitis. Because of this, mesothelioma is often misdiagnosed as a respiratory condition.

The prognosis of mesothelioma varies on the type and stage, along with the age, general health and medical history. There is no cure for mesothelioma however, the cancer can be controlled with chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy. Palliative care may be provided for patients to manage symptoms like fatigue, pain and other signs and symptoms.

The mesothelioma stage of a person is related to how the disease has advanced and how much of it has already moved to other areas of the body. The doctor will apply his or her best judgment when determining the stage, taking into account the symptoms and the rate of growth of the cancer.

The survival rate for mesothelioma is contingent on the patient's stage, the type of cancer and location. The prognosis for those diagnosed with less common forms of mesothelioma are less favorable. Patients who have peritoneal mesothelioma have an increased chance of living longer because it grows more slowly in the abdomen than mesothelioma of the chest that is pleural. Patients who have an increased tolerance to treatment may also live longer than patients with less tolerance. For instance, some people with peritoneal mesothelioma have had positive results using a combination of chemotherapy, surgical removal and radiation.
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When asbestos fibers are swallowed or inhaled, they cling to the organ's lining and cause them to develop tumors. Mesothelioma is most common in the lungs. However, it can also manifest in the chest wall, abdomen, and testicles (in males). Mesothelioma symptoms are usually not evident until 40 to 50 years after exposure.

The first step to diagnose mesothelioma is taking a medical history of asbestos exposure. Your doctor will perform an examination of your body and examine your symptoms.

A chest X-ray can show abnormal thickening of the pleura or fluid in the space between the lungs and the chest wall. A lung CT scan may be utilized to check for mesothelioma, or other cancers of the lungs.

Blood tests can be conducted to check how your liver and kidneys are working. The doctor could require a chest MRI or a PET scan, to look for any other potential cancers or mesothelioma of the lungs, or chest wall.

If a biopsy is needed, doctors can take a sample of the tumor using surgery or with the use of a needle through the chest wall while under local anesthesia. The doctor will then examine the area under an magnifying glass to determine if it is malignant mesothelioma, or another type of cancer.

The results of these tests will allow doctors to determine the extent of the mesothelioma cancer following a mesothelioma. They will assign mesothelioma a staging number that is helpful in planning your treatment.

They are not cancerous, and they can't grow again after removal surgically. They typically form within the pleura and the abdominal lining. Because it affects the heart, mesothelioma that develops in the pericardium might be more difficult to treat. It is also possible to recur after surgery. Mesothelioma can also spread other parts of the body such as the bones or lymph nodes outside the chest and abdomen. It can be hard to determine if you have mesothelioma based on the similarity of symptoms with other less serious diseases. This can result in mistakes in diagnosis and delay treatment. A delay in treatment can cause complications and decrease your chances of surviving.