Mesotheliona Symptoms and Diagnosis
Mesothelioma Symptoms
The most common symptoms of pleural
mesothelioma are difficulty
in breathing, chest pain, or both. Occasionally, a patient
may not have mesothelioma symptoms at diagnosis. Other less
common symptoms include weight loss, fever, night sweats,
cough, and a general feeling of not being well. Mesothelioma
symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include swelling,
pain due to accumulation of fluid in the abdomen cavity,
weight loss, and a mass in the abdomen. Other mesothelioma
symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction,
blood clotting abnormalities, anemia (a lowered red blood
cell count), and fever.
Mesothelioma Diagnosis
It can be difficult to diagnose mesothelioma because many of
the mesothelioma symptoms are similar to those of a number
of other conditions, including lung cancer and other types
of cancers. At the time of diagnosis, your doctor will first
do a physical examination and complete a medical history,
including asking about the possibility of prior exposure
to asbestos.
Although there is no early detection test
for mesothelioma, there are several tests that can be used
to help in making the diagnosis of mesothelioma, including
a chest x-ray, a CT scan, or an MRI scan. A chest x-ray yields
an image of the lungs that will show many types of abnormal
changes. A CT scan (computed tomography) is a type of x-ray,
but it uses a computer rather than film to create detailed
images.
An MRI scan (magnetic resonance imaging)
uses magnetism, radio waves, and a computer but does not utilize
radiation to create a clear image. These tests help your doctor
differentiate mesothelioma from other lung tumors as well as
determine where the tumor is and its size.
Your doctor may need to remove a tissue
sample from the tumor (a biopsy) or draw fluid (aspirate) from
it to confirm it to confirm the diagnosis. This can be done
in several ways.
The simplest way to obtain tissue samples
involving making a small incision and placing a flexible tube
in the area of the tumor. This is called a thoracoscopy if
it is done in the chest area. A laparoscopy is the same procedure,
but done in the abdominal cavity. A tube that is that is attached
to a video camera is placed so that the doctor can look inside
the body. A tissue sample may be taken at the same time. Sometimes,
however, a more extensive surgical procedure may be advisable.
A thoracotomy can be done to open the chest to take a tissue
sample and, if feasible, to remove most or all of the visible
tumor. If this procedure is done in the abdominal cavity, it
is called a laparotomy.
At other times, a mediastinoscopy may
be done in which a very small incision is made just above the
sternum (breast bone) and a tube inserted just behind the breast
bone. This lets the doctors look at lymph nodes. This are small,
bean-shaped structures that are an important part of the body's
immune system, and they contain cells that help your body fight
infection as well as cancer. This test will give the doctor
more information on the type of cancer and whether it has spread
to other areas. The tissue samples taken in these procedures
are analyzed by looking at them under a microscope in order
to determine whether the tumor is a mesothelioma or some other
type of cancer.
Find out more about... Mesothelioma Staging
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