Mesothelioma Diagnosis

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.

Source: Mesothelioma Laws