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Mesothelioma Symptoms and Treatment When mesothelioma is first diagnosed doctors request imaging scans to determine if there are any cancerous growths on the chest or abdomen Mesothelioma can mimic other illnesses like lung cancer or pneumonia that can lead to the wrong diagnosis Doctors may also conduct the biopsy to diagnose mesothelioma There are three mesothelioma types epithelial epidermal and sarcomatoid sarcoma and biphasic Each type responds differently to treatment and impacts the length of life Diagnosis If mesothelioma is suspected doctors will run a variety of tests to confirm the diagnosis This could include a chest Xray CT scans and biopsies The Xray can reveal an accumulation of fluid on one side of the chest This is referred to as pleural effusion and it is often the first sign of mesothelioma However Xrays arent the most reliable method to determine the severity of the disease A chest CT scan is the next step It creates a clear image of your lungs and organs A doctor will inject you with dye to identify the areas that are cancerous During the CT scan youll be taken through a doughnutshaped scanner while lying on a bed The procedure takes just several minutes and isnt too uncomfortable for those who feel claustrophobic In certain situations a physician will also conduct an MRI These scans use strong magnetic fields and radio waves to produce highquality images soft tissues such as the lungs If you have mesothelioma that is affecting the diaphragm and the diaphragm an MRI can help doctors locate it and determine how advanced it is Certain patients may also undergo an PET scan In this test you will be given a shot of radioactive dye Cancer cells will absorb the dye more than healthy cells which is why they appear brighter in the images A biopsy is the most definitive test to confirm a mesothelioma diagnosis A doctor will take a small amount of the affected lining The sample will be examined under a microscope for cancerous cells This is done with a local anaesthetic It may be performed using surgery or by inserting an instrument that guides the needle through an CT scan Your doctor will consider the results of the other tests to determine that mesothelioma is present The stage is the measurement of the size of mesothelioma as well as which treatment is best for you You can find out more about staging by reading the section on the guide titled Staging Treatment There are many options for treatment for mesothelioma Some treatments may improve the quality of life or extend the duration of life more than others Patients with mesothelioma should discuss their goals and determine the best treatment plan Surgery can be used to treat mesothelioma Surgeons try to remove all cancerous tissue during this operation If mesothelioma reaches an advanced stage it is possible that doctors will not be able to remove the tumor completely However surgeons can manage to reduce symptoms The most frequent mesothelioma type is called mesothelioma that is found in the lining surrounding the lung In some instances there is a possibility that a person develops mesothelioma in the membrane surrounding the heart pericardial mesothelioma In rare cases one may also suffer from mesothelioma that affects the testicles testicular mesothelioma Mesothelioma can be treated with chemotherapy and radiation therapy These treatments are usually administered by mesothelioma experts at specialist centers Chemotherapy is a treatment that employs drugs to kill mesothelioma cancer cells and stop their growth Cisplatin and pemetrexed are the most commonly used firstline drugs for pleural mesothelioma Radiation therapy employs highenergy beams to kill cancerous cells This procedure is typically used in conjunction with other mesothelioma treatments like chemotherapy and surgery gilbert mesothelioma lawyer is also a method to kill any residual microscopic mesothelioma that surgeons did not remove during surgery Mesothelioma patients may experience many different adverse effects resulting from these treatments These symptoms include nausea fatigue and even hair loss A mesothelioma expert can assist patients select the appropriate medication for their requirements They can also recommend other methods to improve the quality of life for patients These could include regular pleural fluid drainage to ease breathing or powerful painkillers Patients should inform their physicians know about any other medications such as supplements herbal remedies or overthe counter drugs This will allow them to avoid any potentially harmful interactions between these drugs Prognosis Mesothelioma is also known as mesothelioma of the pleural region is a cancerous tumor that affects the membrane that line the cavities of our bodies like the chest cavity and abdomen When a person has mesothelioma malignant cells may develop within the tissue which can spread to other areas of the body and cause symptoms like breathing difficulties or pain A specialist doctors diagnosis of mesothelioma is vital since it is the initial step towards receiving treatment There are a variety of steps to identify mesothelioma which may include a physical examination as well as lab tests and a biopsy A biopsy is a tiny sample taken from the mass or tumor to check for mesothelioma A misdiagnosis of mesothelioma could be dangerous as it could delay treatment or worsen the likelihood of a positive outcome Mesothelioma can be difficult to detect because the symptoms are similar to those of lung cancer bronchitis or pneumonia Due to this mesothelioma is often mistakenly diagnosed as respiratory diseases The prognosis of mesothelioma varies on the type and stage along with the patients age general health and medical history The cancer can be controlled by chemotherapy surgery and radiation therapy Palliative care may be provided to patients to treat symptoms such as fatigue pain and other symptoms The stage of mesothelioma is an indication of how far a persons disease has spread and how far it has already advanced A doctor will use their best judgment to determine the staging taking into consideration the symptoms and how fast the cancer is growing The survival rate of mesothelioma depends on the stage and type as well as the location of the cancer The prognosis of patients diagnosed with less common types of mesothelioma are less favorable Patients with peritoneal msothelioma have a higher chance of living longer due to the fact that it is less invasive in the abdomen than mesothelioma of the chest that is pleural Additionally patients who have a good tolerance for treatment can be more successful than those with an intolerant For instance some individuals with peritoneal mesothelioma have had successful results with the combination of surgical removal chemotherapy and radiation Symptoms When asbestos fibers are inhaled or swallowed they cling to the lining of organs and cause them to grow into tumors Mesothelioma is most common in the lungs but it can also develop in the chest wall abdomen and testicles in males Mesothelioma symptoms usually dont manifest until 4050 years after exposure The first step in determining mesothelioma begins with a thorough background of exposure to asbestos Your doctor will then do an examination and review your symptoms A chest Xray can reveal abnormal thickening of the pleura and fluid that is located between the lungs and the chest wall A lung CT scan can be utilized to check for mesothelioma or other cancers of the lungs Blood tests can be conducted to assess how your liver and kidneys are functioning The doctor may also order a chest MRI or a PET scan to detect any other mesothelioma or cancers of the chest wall lungs or abdomen If a biopsy is required doctors can remove a portion of the tumor through surgical procedures or using the use of a needle through the chest wall under local anesthesia The doctor will then look at the tissue under a microscope to determine if it is malignant mesothelioma cancer If you are diagnosed with mesothelioma doctors will use the information gathered from all tests to determine how advanced the cancer is They will assign an appropriate staging number to mesothelioma This will help you plan your treatment Benign mesotheliomas arent cancerous and cant grow back if they are completely removed surgically They typically develop within the pleura and the abdominal lining Because it affects the heart mesothelioma which develops in the pericardium might be more difficult to treat It may also recur after surgery Mesothelioma can also spread other areas of the body such as lymph nodes or bones that are located outside the chest and abdomen The symptoms of mesothelioma are similar to those of other less serious conditions This can make it difficult to diagnose This can lead misdiagnosis that could delay your treatment In the event of delay treatment may lead to complications and reduce your chance of survival
