Diagnosis of Malignant Mesothelioma
Diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma is often difficult for doctors. Some have never seen a case of malignant mesothelioma before. Further, the symptoms are often ones that could be caused by a number of other, more common conditions which need to be ruled out first. Malignant mesothelioma of the pleura and abdominal mesothelioma frequently do not present symptoms until the tumor has become large enough to create pressure upon another area of the body.
Symptoms of pleural malignant mesothelioma can include shortness of breath and chest pain. It is not uncommon for one of the first symptoms to be upper back and shoulder pain that is not alleviated with treatment for sore muscles. These symptoms occur as a result of a build-up of fluid in the pleura, which causes pressure on the rest of the chest area. A cough may also be present.
Symptoms of abdominal mesothelioma can include weight loss and abdominal pain and swelling. There may also be bowel obstructions, fever, and blood problems, include difficulty clotting and anemia. An abdominal mesothelioma could be misdiagnosed as a hernia.
One of the important factors in diagnosing malignant mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. If the ill person has worked with asbestos, or lived with someone who has, that information should also be conveyed to the doctor, even if it was decades past. A physician who thinks some other disease is the cause may still decide that it is important to “rule out” mesothelioma as a diagnosis.
The initial diagnosis will usually be made by means of an X-ray or a CT exam. This will show that a tumor exists. It will not, however, confirm absolutely that the tumor is malignant mesothelioma instead of some other form of tumor. While a high probability of mesothelioma can be obtained by the X-ray or CT, only a microscopic examination of the tumor cells can identify it.
Tissue is obtained surgically. There are different levels of surgery done. A fine needle aspiration biopsy is the least invasive method, but also obtains the fewest cells. In a fine needle aspiration biopsy, a needle is inserted into the affected area and cells are extracted. If a fine needle aspiration biopsy does not yield enough material for a pathological examination, an additional biopsy may be needed. This could be done by means of a small incision into the body and the removal of a small portions of the tumor, or by a much more extensive surgery which removes the entire tumor. Doctors or patients sometimes decide against having a biopsy if the patient’s health is very poor at the time. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, additional tests will probably be done to determine the extent of the disease and recommend treatment options.
back to Malignant Mesothelioma