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Mesothelioma Symptoms and Treatment When mesothelioma is first diagnosed doctors order imaging scans to determine if there are any cancerous growths on the abdomen or chest Mesothelioma symptoms may be misinterpreted as other illnesses such as lung cancer or pneumonia A biopsy will be performed by the doctor to identify mesothelioma There are three main mesothelioma types which include epithelial Sarcomatoid and biphasic Each one responds differently to treatment and affects life expectancy Diagnosis Doctors may perform a variety of tests when mesothelioma is suspected This includes chest Xrays CT scans and biopsies The Xray shows a buildup of fluid on one side of the chest This is known as pleural effusion and is often the first manifestation of mesothelioma Xrays arent the most reliable method of diagnosis The next step is the chest CT scan which will give you a a detailed picture of your lungs as well as other organs A doctor might inject you with a color that will reveal areas of cancer that may be present During the CT scanner you will be lying on a mattress and moved through a doughnut scanner The procedure takes only several minutes and is not uncomfortable for people who are claustrophobic In some instances doctors may also perform an MRI test These scans produce highquality images using radio waves and strong magnetic fields If you suffer from mesothelioma of the diaphragm or the diaphragm then an MRI can assist doctors in locating it and determine how advanced it is Some patients will also undergo an PET scan In this test youll be given a shot of an irradiated dye Cancer cells absorb the dye much more than healthy cells and therefore appear brighter in the images A biopsy is the most definitive test to confirm mesothelioma A doctor will remove a small sample of the affected lining that will then be examined under a microscope to determine whether cancerous cells are present This procedure is performed under local anaesthetic and can be performed using surgery or by inserting a needle guided by the aid of a CT scan If richardson mesothelioma attorney show mesothelioma the doctor will then consider the results of the other tests to determine the stage This stage describes the extent of the mesothelioma and what treatment is best for you You can learn more about staging by reading the section on this guide titled Staging Treatment Many treatment options are available for mesothelioma Certain treatments can improve quality of life or extend life longer than others Patients with mesothelioma need to discuss their goals and figure out the most effective treatment plan Surgery can be used to treat mesothelioma Surgery is a method of removing all cancerous tissue during this procedure If mesothelioma is at an advanced stage it is possible that doctors will not be able to eliminate the cancer completely Surgeons can still reduce the symptoms The most common mesothelioma is found within the lining that surrounds the lungs In some instances people they may develop mesothelioma within the membrane that surrounds the heart pericardial mesothelioma Rarely mesothelioma can affect the testicles Mesothelioma is treated using chemotherapy and radiation These treatments are typically delivered at specialized mesothelioma centers by mesothelioma specialists with years of experience Chemotherapy is a treatment that employs drugs to kill mesothelioma cancerous cells and stop their growth The drug combination of pemetrexed and Cisplatin is the most common firstline treatment option for pleural mesothelioma Radiation therapy employs highenergy beams to kill cancerous cell This procedure is typically used alongside other mesothelioma therapies such as chemotherapy and surgery This treatment is also used to treat any mesothelioma left behind by the surgeons following surgery Mesothelioma patients can experience many different side effects from these treatments They may experience nausea fatigue and loss A mesothelioma expert can help patients choose the best medication to meet their individual requirements They can also suggest other ways to improve a patients living quality This could include regular pleural drainage to ease breathing or powerful painkillers Patients should also ensure their medical team knows about any other medications they are taking such as supplements herbs or overthecounter drugs This will help avoid any potentially dangerous interactions between these medications Prognosis Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects the mesothelium which is a membrane that line our bodys cavities like the chest and abdominal cavity When a person gets mesothelioma cells that are malignant form in this tissue and can spread to other parts of the body that can cause symptoms such discomfort and breathing problems A specialist doctors diagnosis of mesothelioma is vital since it is the initial step towards receiving treatment Mesothelioma is diagnosed in various ways including a physical examination lab tests and a biopsy A biopsy is a small sample taken from the tumor or mass to determine if mesothelioma is present If you are misdiagnosed with mesothelioma it can be very risky because it could delay treatment and worsen the prognosis Mesothelioma is difficult to identify due to the fact that its symptoms could be similar to lung cancer or other common ailments like pneumonia or bronchitis Due to this mesothelioma is often mistakenly diagnosed as respiratory diseases The prognosis for mesothelioma is determined depending on the type and stage of mesothelioma as well depending on the patients age and general health history The cancer can be controlled through chemotherapy surgery and radiation therapy Patients can also receive palliative care to alleviate fatigue pain and other symptoms The stage of mesothelioma is an indication of the extent to which the disease of a patient has spread and how fast it has already advanced A doctor will make use of their best judgement to determine the staging taking into consideration the symptoms and how quickly the cancer is growing The rate of survival for mesothelioma is dependent on the stage and type as well the location of the cancer Those diagnosed with the lesscommon mesothelioma types have a less favorable prognosis Patients who suffer from peritoneal mesothelioma for example have a greater chance of living a longer life because it tends to grow slower in the abdomen than pleural mesothelioma can do in the chest Additionally those who have a good tolerance for treatment might live longer than patients with an intolerant Certain patients with peritoneal msothelioma had good results when they combined surgery chemotherapy and radiation Signs and symptoms When asbestos fibers are swallowed or inhaled they cling to the organs lining and cause them to grow into tumors Mesothelioma most commonly occurs in the lung However it can also manifest in the abdomen chest and testicles of males The symptoms of mesothelioma are usually not likely to appear until 4050 year after exposure The first step in determining mesothelioma is taking a history of exposure to asbestos Your doctor will then do an examination of your body and review your symptoms A chest Xray may reveal abnormal growth of the pleura or fluid in the space between the lungs and the chest wall A lung CT scan can also be used to check for mesothelioma or other types of cancer of the lungs You can have blood tests done to assess the health of your kidneys and liver The doctor could also suggest a chest MRI or an PET scan to detect any other mesothelioma or cancers of the lungs chest wall or abdomen If an examination of the tumor is required doctors will remove it surgically or by inserting a needle through the chest wall while under local anesthesia The doctor will examine the area under magnifying glasses to determine if the tumor is malignant mesothelioma or a different type of cancer The information from the tests will assist doctors in determining the extent of mesothelioma cancer following a mesothelioma They will assign mesothelioma a staging number which can be beneficial in planning your treatment Benign mesotheliomas arent cancerous and cant be regrown in the event that they are removed completely surgically They typically form in the pleura and also in the abdominal lining Because it affects the heart mesothelioma that develops in the pericardium might be more difficult to treat It can also recur following surgery Mesothelioma may also spread to other body parts such as the lymph nodes that are in the abdomen and chest It can be hard to diagnose mesothelioma because of the similarity of symptoms to other less serious conditions This could lead to incorrect diagnosis and delay treatment Delay can cause more complications and reduce the chance of surviving