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Mesothelioma Symptoms and Treatment When mesothelioma is first diagnosed doctors order imaging scans to check for any cancerous growths on the chest or abdomen Mesothelioma may mimic other diseases like pneumonia or lung cancer and can cause misdiagnosis Doctors can also take the biopsy to diagnose mesothelioma There are three main types of mesothelioma cells that are epithelial epidermal and sarcomatoid sarcoma and biphasic Each type responds differently to treatment and has an impact on life expectancy Diagnosis If mesothelioma is suspected doctors will run a variety of tests to confirm the diagnosis These include chest Xrays CT scans and biopsies The Xray reveals a buildup of fluid to one side of the chest This is known as the pleural effusion and is usually the first manifestation of mesothelioma However Xrays arent the most reliable way to diagnose the condition The next step is an chest CT scan which creates an exact picture of your lungs and other organs A doctor might inject you with a color which will highlight regions of potential cancer During the CT scanner you will be lying on a bed and passing through a doughnutshaped scanner The procedure will take only less than a minute and is not particularly uncomfortable even for people who are claustrophobic In certain situations the doctor may perform an MRI test These tests make use of strong radio waves and magnetic fields to produce highquality images of soft tissues like the lungs If you suffer from mesothelioma of the diaphragm and the diaphragm an MRI can aid doctors in locating it and determine the extent to which it is Some patients may also have a PET scan In this test youll be given a shot of an irradiated dye Cancer cells absorb dye more than healthy cells which means they will show up more clearly on the pictures A biopsy is the last test to confirm mesothelioma A doctor will take tiny portions of the affected lining which will be examined under a microscope to see if cancer cells are present This can be done under local anaesthesia or by using the CT scan or a needle The doctor will rely on the results of the other tests to confirm that mesothelioma has been diagnosed The stage is the measurement of the size of the mesothelioma and which treatment is best for you This guide contains an article titled Staging which will teach you more about staging Treatment There are several treatment options for mesothelioma Certain treatments can improve quality of life or extend the duration of life more than others Mesothelioma patients should discuss their goals with their medical team to determine the most effective approach Surgery is one method to treat mesothelioma Surgeons strive to remove all cancerous tissues during this procedure However the mesothelioma that is in an advanced stage its unlikely doctors will be able to completely remove the tumor The surgeons can nevertheless reduce the symptoms The most common mesothelioma type is mesothelioma pleural which develops within the lining of the lung Mesothelioma can form around the lungs in a few cases pericardial mesothelioma In rare instances there is also the possibility that a person could have mesothelioma affecting the testicles testicular mesothelioma Mesothelioma can be treated with chemotherapy and radiation therapy These treatments are usually delivered by mesothelioma specialists at specific centers Chemotherapy utilizes drugs to kill mesothelioma cells and prevent their growth The combination of pemetrexed with Cisplatin is a standard firstline treatment for pleural mesothelioma Radiation therapy employs highenergy beams to kill cancerous cells peoria mesothelioma law firm of treatment is typically employed in conjunction with other mesothelioma treatment such as surgery and chemotherapy This treatment may also be applied to any mesothelioma with a microscopic size left by surgeons after surgery Mesothelioma patients can suffer from many different adverse effects resulting from these treatments These include nausea fatigue and hair loss A mesothelioma specialist can assist patients select the right treatment for their specific needs They can also suggest additional methods to improve the patients quality of life This can include regular pleural drainage to ease breathing or strong painkillers Patients should ensure they inform their medical professional of any other medications they take such as supplements herbs or overthecounter drugs This helps to avoid any dangerous interactions with these drugs Prognosis Mesothelioma a form of cancer affects the mesothelium a membrane that lines our bodys cavities such as the abdominal cavity and chest If a person is diagnosed with mesothelioma malignant cells may develop within the tissue which can expand to other parts of the body and cause symptoms such as pain or difficulty breathing A specialist doctors diagnosis of mesotheliomas importance as it is the first step towards receiving treatment There may be multiple steps to identify mesothelioma including a physical exam along with lab tests and the biopsy A biopsy is a tiny sample taken from the mass or tumor to determine if mesothelioma is present A misdiagnosis of mesothelioma can be extremely dangerous because it can delay treatment and deteriorate the prognosis Mesothelioma is often difficult to recognize because the symptoms are similar to those of lung cancer bronchitis or pneumonia Due to this mesothelioma is often misdiagnosed for respiratory conditions The prognosis for mesothelioma can vary depending on the type and severity of mesothelioma It also depends on factors such as the patients age general health and medical history The cancer can be controlled through surgery chemotherapy and radiation therapy Patients may also receive palliative care to ease fatigue pain and other symptoms The mesothelioma level of a patient is a reference to how far the disease has progressed and how much of it has already been spread to other parts of the body A doctor will use their best judgment to determine the staging considering the symptoms and how quickly the cancer is growing The rate of survival for mesothelioma depends on the stage and type as well as the location of the cancer Patients who are diagnosed with lesscommon mesothelioma forms have a worse prognosis Patients with peritoneal mesothelioma for instance has a higher probability of living longer because it tends to shrink slower in the abdomen than mesothelioma that is pleural in the chest Additionally those who have a high tolerance for treatment can live longer than patients with less tolerance For instance some individuals with peritoneal mesotheliomas have had good results after a combination of surgical removal chemotherapy and radiation Signs and symptoms Asbestos fibers can cause cancer in organs when inhaled or swallowed Mesothelioma is most common in the lungs however it can also be found in the chest wall abdomen and testicles in men The symptoms of mesothelioma are usually not likely to manifest until 4050 years after exposure The first step to diagnosing mesothelioma involves taking a background on asbestos exposure The doctor will then conduct an examination of your body and review your symptoms A chest Xray can detect abnormal thickening or fluid in the space that divides the lungs from the chest wall A lung CT scan could be utilized to check for mesothelioma or other cancers of the lungs A blood test can be ordered to check how your liver and kidneys are working The doctor could recommend a chest MRI or an PET scan to look for any other potential cancers or mesothelioma in the lungs or chest wall If a biopsy is necessary doctors can remove a small sample of the tumor with surgical procedures or using the use of a needle through the chest wall while under local anesthesia The doctor will then examine the tissue with microscopes to determine if it is malignant mesothelioma cancer After a diagnosis of mesothelioma doctors will use the results of all tests to help them assess how advanced the cancer is They will assign a mesothelioma staging number which is helpful in making plans for your treatment Benign mesotheliomas do not cause cancer and cant be regrown after theyve been completely removed surgically They usually develop within the pleura and the abdominal lining Because it affects the heart mesothelioma which occurs in the pericardium could be more difficult to treat It is also possible to recur after surgery Mesothelioma may also spread to other parts of the body like the lymph nodes and bones located outside the chest and abdomen The symptoms of mesothelioma resemble the symptoms of other less severe conditions This can make it difficult to recognize This can lead to a incorrect diagnosis which may delay treatment The delay can cause more complications and lower the chances of survival