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Mesothelioma has a few major symptoms. Pleural mesotheliomas main symptom is a lack of breath caused by pleural effusion ” fluid being built up in the pleura, or membrane, encompassing the lung. Another common symptomis chest pain because the tumor is attacking the chest wall. Additional symptoms include night sweats, weight loss and exhaustion.
The most common signof patients with peritoneal mesothelioma, which originates in the abdomen, is fluid buildup (known as ascites) in the abdomen causing abdominal swelling, bowel obstruction, and stomach pain.
Its vital to know that these symptoms could be caused by a myriad of diseases or conditions. However, if you have been exposed to asbestos and have these symptoms, you should visit a doctor.
Malignant mesothelioma cancer is difficult to diagnose, because many symptoms are also associated with less serious conditions. Typical symptoms:
One should not self-diagnose themselves. Sufferers of the above symptoms should not panic, and should consult their doctor. A biopsy is the primary way the condition is confirmed. A pathologist takes a small tissue sample from the suspected area and examines the biopsy which results in a very precise diagnosis. Biopsies are generally not painful.
CT scans (Computed Tomography) are an option to avoid a biopsy. This is an X-ray procedure where a scanner is moved around the body to snap cross-sectional pictures. A patient might have to ingest a dye to help define the pictures. CT scans might be advantageous because of their simplistic and non-invasive nature, and they are known to be an effective diagnostic tool. Opinions vary whether a CT scan or biopsy is cheaper. If there are irregularities, a biopsy may also be needed to know if the abnormality is a tumor, and if so, whether it is malignant or benign. Diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma is also possible by looking for cancer cells in a sample of fluid from the pleura.
Mesothelioma can also be screened and then diagnosed by any of these methods. Patients who may think they are at risk but do not display any symptoms are typically screened, to make sure they are not in danger or to catch the cancer as early as possible. People who need to be screened include those with a history of asbestos exposure..
