Diagnosis Of Mesothelioma: A Long But Helpful Process

By Heidi Wingrain

Mesothelioma diagnosis can be done wrongly if the physician is not an expert and experienced in the field. There are main three factor that may hinder an exact and speedy diagnosis mesothelioma. The first thing is that the cancer is found rarely and as a consequence, the number of doctors and well equipped cancer centers are very less. The second factor is that the symptoms like shortness of breath and unceasing cough are found in other diseases also. For example, influenza and pneumonia. The third factor is that the three different types of mesothelioma cancers have almost similar symptoms confusing the doctors. A misdiagnosis may put the life of the patient in danger. Also mesothelioma symptoms appear very late making the diagnosis and subsequent treatment less useful.

In the case of mesothelioma, mostly the disease is detected only when the patient goes to the doctor for some other check ups. If there is any scope of doubt, the physician may start diagnosis mesothelioma with a thorough investigation of the patient's work and medical history. The work history itself can testify cancer in many cases and a thorough diagnosis confirms the doubt.

As a primary step in mesothelioma detection, imaging tests like MRI and CT scan and X-ray of the chest and abdomen are conducted. But these tests cannot confirm cancerous growths without doubt. Additional lung tests are conducted in many cases.

Thoracoscopy is a typical test employed by the doctors with the help of an instrument called thoracoscope. With the help of the instrument doctors look into the chest cavity through a cut made between two ribs, giving a local anesthetic to the patient. Another method used by the doctors is called petneoscopy, with the involvement of a tool named peritoneoscope. This is done to check the abdomen for any cancerous growth. Biopsy is a reliable modern test which is used to confirm cancer. Here microscopic analysis of a small piece of removed suspicious tissue is done to see whether any malicious cells exist.

The dismal situation of a late detection can be avoided if the persons who have come into contact with asbestos go for regular check ups. In such cases, if a doubt comes up, the doctors will immediately conduct diagnosis mesothelioma thus curing or prolonging the life of the victim considerably. - 31397

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