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Mesothelioma Diagnosis

Since the early symptoms of mesothelioma are similar to those found in many other ailments, diagnosing mesothelioma is often a challenge for clinicians. This is compounded by the fact that patients often ignore the symptoms or attribute them to less serious conditions.

Recognizing the symptoms of mesothelioma is the first step in diagnosing this asbestos-related disease. If you have been exposed to asbestos, your physician may look for one or more of the following symptoms while exploring a diagnosis of mesothelioma:

• Pain in the lower back or side of the chest
• Shortness of breath, hoarseness
• Trouble swallowing, sensory loss
• Cough, coughing up blood
• Fever, sweating
• Fatigue, muscle weakness
• Weight loss
• Abdominal pain
• Weight loss
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fluid or a mass in the abdomen

Is It a Mesothelioma Diagnosis?

Before seeing your doctor, it helps to understand that ruling out or diagnosing mesothelioma can be a lengthy process, requiring extensive examination and testing. Your doctor may try to rule out other, more common disorders before considering a diagnosis of mesothelioma.

Your physician may begin by taking your complete medical history, including symptoms and risk factors, such as any known exposure to asbestos. He or she may then conduct a physical examination, with special attention to any areas of pain. The physical exam may reveal signs of mesothelioma or other health problems.

Based on the information gathered in the history and physical, your doctor may order testing to assist in a mesothelioma diagnosis. These tests may include any or all of the following.

• Chest X-ray. X-rays may show abnormalities if you have pleural mesothelioma.
  
  
• Computed tomography (CT) scan, positron emission tomography (PET) scan, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These highly sophisticated imaging techniques use different technologies to provide detailed views of the internal body.
  
  
• Biopsy. In a biopsy, a surgeon removes a sample of tissue to be examined under a microscope by a pathologist. A biopsy may be performed in different ways, depending on the location of the abnormality. In some cases, tissue samples may be obtained by relatively simple procedures using a scope, while other cases may require more extensive surgical procedures that open the chest (thoracotomy) or abdomen (laparotomy). The pathologist's examination will determine if the tissue sample is indeed mesothelioma, as well as the type of cells involved.
  
  

Staging To Determine a Mesothelioma Diagnosis

If the doctor concludes that mesothelioma is present, staging the disease will complete the diagnosis. Along with the type of mesothelioma cells found in the biopsy, staging information helps the doctor to determine a treatment plan.

In brief, the stages of mesothelioma are:

• Stage I mesothelioma is considered localized, or limited to one small, defined area of the chest or abdomen.
  
  
• Stage II mesothelioma is considered advanced cancer. At Stage II, mesothelioma has spread to other areas directly adjacent to the tumor, such as the lungs or the diaphragm.
  
  
• Stage III mesothelioma is also considered advanced cancer. At Stage III, mesothelioma has spread not only to adjacent areas, but also to the lymph nodes in the region.
  
  
• Stage IV mesothelioma is an even more advanced cancer. At Stage IV, mesothelioma has spread to distant areas of the body (metastasized). Malignant mesothelioma most commonly spreads to the brain and areas of the lung removed from the tumor location.
  
  

As in all cancers, early diagnosis of mesothelioma is a significant factor in the success of treatment.