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Mesothelioma Mesothelioma happens when asbestos fibers irritate tissue that surrounds many of your organs. The cancerous cells grow. The lung's lining (pleura) is the most frequently affected site for mesothelioma. Other types are less common and affect the lining in the abdomen or around the testicles. Doctors diagnose mesothelioma by examining the fluid or tissue for cancerous cells. They may also request blood tests and imaging tests. Signs and symptoms Mesothelioma can affect the linings of various organs. The symptoms differ based on the location the tumor forms, such as the pleura (lung liner) for pleural mesothelioma, or the peritoneum in the case of peritoneal mesotheliom. Fever, fatigue and unexplained weight loss are common symptoms. Mesothelioma symptoms may also include pain and difficulty breathing. The first step to diagnose mesothelioma is to conduct a physical exam. Your doctor will ask you about any past asbestos exposure and other factors that may increase your risk of developing mesothelioma. This includes any past exposure to asbestos, like in the construction, shipbuilding, or manufacturing industries. The majority of mesothelioma cases can be diagnosed by imaging scans of the chest or abdomen. These include X radiations, CT scans (computer tomography), and MRIs (magnetic imaging). These tests give doctors the opportunity to see the inside of your body, and look for mesothelioma or other lung tumors or stomach. X-rays can show an increase in fluid or thickening in the space between the lungs and the chest wall. These are signs of pleural cancer. They will also identify any fluid in the abdomen that is typically associated with mesothelioma peritoneal. Your doctor will order a biopsied if a mesothelioma tumor is discovered. During the procedure, your physician will remove some of the tissue from the tumor to test for mesothelioma cells. A surgeon will inject a needle or perform a surgical procedure to remove the specimen. For mesothelioma pleural, doctors will drain the mesothelioma in the chest cavity using pleurodesis, a procedure. This involves cutting a small incision into the abdomen or chest and then using a tube to drain fluid. Fluid buildup can lead to difficulty breathing in patients suffering from mesothelioma of the pleura. Your doctor may try to control the buildup of fluid in your pleura by insertion of an indwelling catheter or ultrasound-guided needle aspiration. In rare cases, cancer may spread to other parts of the body and cause symptoms like abdominal discomfort, weight loss, and breathing difficulties. These are referred to as metastatic symptoms because they are present in locations other than the site of the tumor that you originally had. Diagnosis In the majority of instances, doctors will perform a physical examination to determine the cause of symptoms like coughing and chest discomfort. Patients are asked about asbestos exposure. They will then order imaging tests in order to detect lung tumors and abdomen. This could include X-rays CT scans magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or positron emission tomography (PET) scans. aurora mesothelioma attorneys can be challenging for doctors to recognize mesothelioma correctly due to its rarity. Patients with mesothelioma are often wrongly diagnosed with common illnesses like bronchitis or pneumonia. This can delay treatment and cause the disease to progress before it is properly diagnosed. Once doctors find a possible mesothelioma cancer, they'll require a sample of tissue or fluid for testing. These samples will confirm the nature of the cancer and if it has spread. The biopsy is one method doctors can take samples of mesothelioma. This can be accomplished by removing a small amount of tissue through surgery or inserting an needle into the chest or abdominal area to drain the fluid. These samples will be evaluated for cancer cells. The type of mesothelioma the doctor discovers will help determine the most effective treatment options. Doctors may recommend laboratory tests to help understand the tumor. These tests can help identify genes, proteins and other specific factors to a tumor. Doctors will also want to know if the tumor has spread by staging. This allows them to determine the size of the tumor as well as whether it has been able to spread to other organs. After all tests are completed, the doctor will discuss the results with you. They will also provide you with a prognosis. This is based upon the averages for other mesothelioma sufferers with similar symptoms and stages. They will explain how the prognosis could change as the tumor expands and shrinks or when other treatments are employed. Get a second physician's opinion in case you have concerns. This is a great way to ensure you get the best treatment. Treatment Being diagnosed with mesothelioma can be just the beginning of a long road. Treatment options are based on many factors, including the type and severity of mesothelioma (how quickly it develops). Doctors will also take into account the health of the person's overall as well as age and other medical conditions. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer, and it can be difficult for healthcare providers to diagnose. A combination of tests are often used to confirm a mesothelioma diagnosis including chest X-rays and CT scans. These imaging studies could reveal changes in the linings of the lungs and abdomen, including pleural thickening or fluid buildup. Tests of blood are also performed to look for high levels of certain proteins linked to mesothelioma. A biopsy is usually performed after a mesothelioma is suspected. This involves inserting a needle into the affected area and removing a small sample of tissue for testing. A laboratory will analyze the tissue to see if it contains cancer cells. If a patient has mesothelioma pleural, doctors can eliminate the excess fluid through a procedure called Thorcentesis. They can also use pleurodesis which helps prevent fluid buildup in the future. Pleurodesis is performed by placing a tube inside the chest to aid in draining the fluid, and it can also be combined with medication to lower the chance of fluid accumulating again. Radiation therapy is another popular treatment for mesothelioma, and it can be used as a stand-alone treatment or in conjunction with chemotherapy or surgery. Doctors can use traditional photon radiation or an advanced method known as intensity-modulated therapy, which focuses the radiation at different angles to reduce healthy tissue damage. It can be utilized to facilitate surgery by using drugs to eliminate cancerous cells. Patients with peritoneal msothelioma can also receive intraperitoneal chemotherapy, which is heated and injected into the abdomen. Clinical trials of new mesothelioma treatments are available to a select group of individuals. They are usually conducted at larger medical centers and may yield the most promising outcomes. Even after treatment, mesothelioma can be recurrent. If it does, the treatment options will differ based on the area where mesothelioma recurred and the prior treatments received. Prognosis The prognosis of mesothelioma varies on a number of factors that include the stage and type of cancer, overall health and age. It is also dependent on the extent to which the mesothelioma spreads and how much treatment will help in controlling symptoms. A doctor will use several tests to determine the outlook of a mesothelioma patient, including imaging tests (a CT scan or X-ray), blood tests and a biopsy. A biopsy is when doctors take small portions of the mesothelioma tissue or tumor and examine it with a magnifying glass to detect cancerous cells. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that affects the lining of tissues surrounding organs in the body such as the abdominal lining, the chest lining, and testes. It is caused by exposure to asbestos. A mesothelioma diagnosis can be shocking and trigger feelings of shock, anger, fear or anxiety. Discussing these emotions with a trusted family member, mesothelioma association or a lawyer is essential. The outlook for mesothelioma patients can be improved if it is discovered in its earliest stages. If doctors are able to remove the tumor or a large portion of it, patients have greater chance of having being able to live for longer. Fitness is another factor. Fitness levels are linked to higher survival rates for mesothelioma patients. A person's blood chemistry may also play a role in their mesothelioma prognosis. The better a person's prognosis, the more normal their haemoglobin as well as white blood cell counts are. A mesothelioma that has not yet reached a critical point can be treated by radiation therapy, chemotherapy or surgery. These treatments can make cancer cells less likely to spread and grow. The treatments don't cure cancer. Many patients with mesothelioma have outlived their initial prognosis. Some mesothelioma victims have lived for years, or even a decade, after their diagnosis. Stephen Jay Gould, a paleontologist, was able to survive peritoneal msothelio 20 years ago. He eventually died of cancer unrelated to his mesothelioma.