Mesothelioma Mesothelioma occurs when asbestos fibers irritate tissues that surround many of your organs The cancerous cells then grow The most well-known type of mesothelioma affects the lung lining pleura Other types are less common and affect the lining around the abdomen or around the testicles Doctors diagnose mesothelioma by examining a sample of fluid or tissue to detect cancerous cells They may also order blood tests or imaging tests Signs and symptoms Mesothelioma can affect the linings of different organs The symptoms vary depending on the site of the tumor, for example, in the pleura or peritoneum lung lining for the peritoneal and pleural cancers Fever, fatigue and unexplained weight loss are typical symptoms Other symptoms of mesothelioma include breathing difficulties and pain A physical examination is the first step in diagnosing mesothelioma Your doctor will ask about your past exposure to asbestos and any other factors that might increase the risk of mesothelioma This includes the history of working in an industry where asbestos usage was prevalent, such as construction, shipbuilding or manufacturing In most cases, mesothelioma is diagnosed through images of the abdomen or chest These include X-rays, CT computer tomography scans, and MRI magnetic resonance imaging These tests allow doctors to see the inside of your body, and detect mesothelioma as well as other masses in the lungs or stomach X-rays can reveal an increase in the pleura or a buildup of fluid in the space between your lungs and chest wall, which are common symptoms of pleural mesothelioma They will also identify any fluid in the abdomen which is usually associated with mesothelioma of the peritoneal region Your doctor will order biopsy if mesothelioma tumor is detected When you undergo a biopsy, your doctor will extract a small amount of tissue in order to check for mesothelioma A surgeon will use a needle to perform a surgical operation to extract the specimen For mesothelioma pleural, doctors will drain the mesothelioma in the chest cavity with pleurodesis, a procedure This involves making a small cut into the abdomen or chest and then using tubes to drain the fluid Fluid buildup can cause difficulty breathing in patients with mesothelioma pleural Your doctor may attempt to stop the buildup of fluid in your pleura through the use of an indwelling catheter or with ultrasound-guided needle aspiration In rare cases, mesothelioma spreads to other areas of the body, causing symptoms like abdominal pain weight loss and trouble breathing These symptoms are called metastatic symptoms, because they are not associated with the tumor that caused them Diagnosis In most instances, doctors will conduct a physical exam to evaluate symptoms such as coughing and chest discomfort They also ask patients about any history of asbestos exposure They will then order imaging tests in order to look for lung cancer and abdomen These could include X-rays CT scans magnetic resonance imaging MRI or positron emission tomography PET scans It is often difficult for doctors to recognize mesothelioma correctly because it is so rare People with mesothelioma often get wrongly diagnosed with common illnesses like pneumonia and bronchitis This can delay treatment and cause the disease to spread before it is properly diagnosed If doctors discover a mesothelioma-related tumor, they will have to collect an in-person sample of the fluid or tissue for testing These samples will determine the kind of cancer and if it has spread The biopsy is one way doctors can take samples of mesothelioma They can be done by removing a tiny amount of tissue through surgery or inserting a needle into the chest or abdominal area to remove fluid The samples will be examined to determine if they contain cancer cells The type of mesothelioma the doctor detects will help determine the best treatment options Doctors may recommend laboratory tests to help understand the tumor These tests can identify specific proteins, genes, or other factors that are unique to the tumor The doctors also need to know if the tumor has been able to spread This is known as staging This allows them to determine the size of the tumor and if it has been able to spread to other organs The doctor will review the results with you after they are all in They will also provide you with a prognosis It is based on averages of mesothelioma patients who have similar symptoms and staging They will then explain how the prognosis is likely to change as the tumor grows or shrinks and other treatments are used Request a second doctor's opinion if you have any concerns This is an excellent way to ensure that you get the best possible care Treatment Being diagnosed with mesothelioma is only the beginning of a long road The treatment options depend on a variety of aspects, including the type of mesothelioma and its grade how fast it grows Doctors will also consider the person's age, general health and other medical ailments Mesothelioma is a rare cancer, and it can be difficult for healthcare providers to diagnose A combination of tests are often used to confirm the diagnosis of mesothelioma like chest X-rays as well as CT scans These imaging studies can reveal changes in the linings of the lungs and abdomen, including thickening of the pleura or accumulation of fluid Tests of blood are also performed to determine the presence of specific proteins that are associated with mesothelioma A biopsy is typically performed when mesothelioma is suspected A biopsy is done by inserting a needle in the affected area and removing the tissue to be examined A lab will examine the sample to see if it contains cancerous cells Doctors can remove excess fluid from patients with pleural mesothelioma using the procedure known as thoracentesis They can also perform pleurodesis, a procedure that can help prevent fluid from building up in the future Pleurodesis involves placing a tube in the chest to assist in draining the fluid It can be combined with medications to decrease the chance of fluid accumulating again Radiation therapy is a different treatment for mesothelioma it can be used by itself or in conjunction with chemotherapy or surgery Doctors can choose to use traditional photon radiation or an advanced method known as intensity-modulated radiation therapy, which delivers radiation at different angles to decrease the damage to healthy tissues Chemotherapy makes use of drugs to kill cancer cells, and it can be used prior to or after surgery to make the procedure easier Patients with peritoneal msothelioma can also receive intraperitoneal chemotherapy, which is injected with heat into the abdomen Clinical trials of new mesothelioma treatments are open to a few people These are usually done in larger medical centers, and can yield the most promising results Even after treatment, mesothelioma can occur again The treatment options vary depending on the area of the recurrence, as well as the previous treatments Prognosis In general the mesothelioma prognosis of a patient is based on the kind of cancer they suffer, the stage at the time they were diagnosed, their overall health and age It is also dependent on the extent to which the mesothelioma has spread and how much the treatment will help them control symptoms A doctor will use several tests to determine the outlook of a mesothelioma patient, including imaging tests a CT scan or X-ray as well as blood tests, and a biopsy A biopsy is the process of removing a small sample of mesothelioma tissue or tumor and study it under a microscope to check for cancer cells Mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer, affects organs' tissues, such as the lining that surrounds the chest, abdomen, and the testes https//vimeocom/705055593 is caused by asbestos exposure A mesothelioma diagnose can be shocking and can trigger feelings of anger, fear or anxiety Talking about these feelings with an experienced family member, mesothelioma organization or a lawyer is essential The outlook for mesothelioma is likely to be improved if the disease 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 a longer life Another factor is how fit a mesothelioma victim is The level of fitness is linked to higher survival rates for mesothelioma patients The blood chemical makeup of a person may also influence the outcome of their mesothelioma The more normal one's haemoglobin levels as well as platelet and white blood cell counts are the better their chances of survival A mesothelioma that is 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 These treatments are not able to treat cancer Many mesothelioma survivors have surpassed their initial prognoses Some mesothelioma patients have lived for years or even a decade after their diagnosis For example paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould survived his mesothelioma peritoneal for over 20 years He died from cancer unrelated to his mesothelioma