MESOTHELIOMA DIAGNOSIS |
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Mesothelioma symptoms may not occur for
30 to 50 years after an individual is exposed to asbestos.
Unfortunately, the early symptoms of mesothelioma are often non-specific
and can sometimes be confused with other illnesses such as pneumonia.
Part of the reason that Mesothelioma is often misdiagnosed is that
many of the symptoms are similar to pneumonia, including shortness
of breath, persistent cough and chest pain. These similarities can
sometimes lead to a delay in a mesothelioma diagnosis. Making
matters more difficult is the fact that some patients show no
symptoms of their mesothelioma.
When symptoms of mesothelioma do appear, they often manifest
themselves as shortness of breath and chest pains. The exact
symptoms will often depend on which area the mesothelioma is
affecting. For instance, some symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma
include weight loss, abdominal pain, bowel obstruction, anemia and
fever.
A diagnosis of mesothelioma starts with a review of the patients
medical history and history of exposure to asbestos. As noted above,
a diagnosis of mesothelioma is often difficult because it shares
symptoms with other more common illnesses. A patient will often
undergo a series of tests including an MRI or CAT scan. While these
tests may lead to a preliminary diagnosis, a biopsy is necessary to
confirm the presence of mesothelioma. The location of the cancer
will ultimately determine how the doctor performs the biopsy.
If the biopsy confirms that mesothelioma is present, the doctor will
next want to determine what stage the cancer is in. This involves a
series of tests that determine to what extent the cancer has spread.
If the cancer has not spread beyond the membrane, it is considered
localized. |
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| MESOTHELIOMA RELATED ITEMS |
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