Mesothelioma

How do I know if Ive got mesothelioma?

Public Comments

1. you go to the doctor.
2. This can be a very difficult Disease, there is a lot of infomation concerning this topic. I would recommend you do alot of research and see a specialist to confirm this. Heres a website that gives some information. http://mesothelioma-411.info/
3. Dear Trevor, Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer. In mesothelioma, malignant cells are found in the sac lining of the chest (the pleura) or the abdomen (the peritoneum). The majority of people with mesothelioma have a history of jobs that exposed them to asbestos, an insulation material. There are three primary types of malignant mesotheliomas: * Epithelioid. About 50% to 70% of mesotheliomas are of this type and have the best outlook for survival. * Sarcomatoid. Approximately 7% to 20% of cases are of this type. * Mixed/biphasic. From 20% to 35% of mesothelioma cases fall into this category. The early symptoms of mesothelioma are often ignored, because they may be caused by a variety of ailments. These symptoms include: * pain in the lower back or at the side of the chest * shortness of breath * difficulty swallowing * cough * fever * fatigue * abdominal pain, weight loss, and nausea and vomiting (symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma) If these symptoms are present, the doctor may order an x ray of the abdomen or chest. The doctor will do a complete physical examination and take a thorough medical history. Then, one or more of the following methods may be used to ascertain whether mesothelioma is present. * Imaging tests. These tests may include x rays, computed tomography (CT scans), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to allow the doctor to visualize the area in question. These studies will help determine the location, size, and extent of the cancer. * Pleural biopsy. Diagnosing mesothelioma requires an adequate biopsy specimen. However, because mesothelioma usually arises from the lower part of the diaphragmatic and/or parietal pleura, obtaining enough tissue may be difficult. A simple, or closed, pleural biopsy involves the insertion of a needle into the chest cavity to obtain tissue from the pleural membrane for analysis. This technique is minimally invasive and normally requires only local anesthesia. This technique, however, may not provide adequate material for the necessary stains of the tissue to make a diagnosis of mesothelioma. Moreover, since the biopsy is not done under direct vision, the sample may not be exactly in the area of the tumor. If the diagnosis cannot be made with this relatively noninvasive technique, an adequate tissue sample usually can be obtained via an open pleural biopsy. In this approach, a surgeon makes an incision on the patient's side and goes into the pleural space. This method allows maximum exploration of the pleural membranes as well. However, the technique requires general anesthesia. * Thoracoscopy. A thoracoscopy, which is a relatively new technique, allows the doctor to look directly into the chest (pleural) cavity at the tumor and during the same operation to also take a tissue sample for laboratory analysis. The thoracoscopy is performed by making a small incision into the chest and using a tiny video camera to inspect the region. The doctor can then use forceps to obtain a tissue biopsy. A laparoscopy, a similar operation, is used to obtain a biopsy of a peritoneal tumor. * Bronchoscopy. A bronchoscopy, which examines the airways, or a mediastinoscopy, which looks at the lymph nodes in the chest, allows the doctor to look at the area using a lighted tube. Samples may be taken with a needle and sent to the lab to find out if cancer cells are present. However, bronchoscopy and mediastinoscopy are not that effective for diagnosing mesothelioma, as the disease is seldom found within the airways or the lymph nodes. * Surgery. This lets the doctor obtain a larger tumor sample or, on occasion, the entire tumor. Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, even with tissue biopsies. Microscopically, mesothelioma is often difficult to distinguish from several other forms of cancer. For this reason, certain laboratory tests are performed to help correctly diagnose mesothelioma. Some of these tests involve using antibodies to distinguish lung cancer from mesothelioma. Sometimes the tissue samples must be viewed under an electron microscope in order to get the correct diagnosis. OK. I hope you will glad with my answer. And please see your doctor for check up. Sincerely, Anasthasia Pride fine_world123@yahoo.com
4. Symptoms: * Chronic cough * Shortness of breath * Chest pain During a physical examination, the health care provider may notice a clubbed appearance of the fingers. Tests that may show mesothelioma include the following: * Chest x-ray * CT scan of the chest * Open lung biopsy
5. Mesothelioma is an incredibly rare type of cancer -- about 99.9% of people who have it had work related exposure - working in construction, factories that made asbestos, etc... Do you have any risk factors for it? I.e have you had exposure to asbestos in the air (not when the asbestos is stable like in floors or house shingles). If not, you probably don't have it. Plus, do you even have symptoms? If so, go to your doctor and be evaluated.
6. You get the diagnosis from a doctor...
7. I think a doctor can only make definitive diagnosis, but as a reference for the symptoms of mesothelioma . Check it here: http://health.fnets.net/?p=54
8. Being a rare form of cancer, Mesothelioma cannot be easily diagnosed. Because of its symptoms which resemble those of common ailments and diseases, mesothelioma is not readily recognized and most of the time, doctors are also not familiar with the disease. Another reason for difficulty in diagnosis of this cancer is its long latency period. The symptoms take around 20-50 years to appear. By the time they appear and the patient goes to the doctor for problems s/he is having, they forget to mention they have had exposure to asbestos in the past. In most of the cases, by the time proper tests were run and the patient was diagnosed with mesothelioma, it was too late to do anything worthwhile and save the patients’ life. Read this article: http://www.mesoblog.org/mesothelioma/diagnosing_mesothelioma.php Hope this helps.