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Mesothelioma: Know the Symptoms and Diagnosis
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Sep 24, 2014 - 11:58:24 AM

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - Mesothelioma is a silent and distant health hazard, which sometimes does not infect victims until 70 years after exposure. Knowing the symptoms, and aligning proper diagnosis with possible solutions, helps relatives and concerned parties help loved ones.

Amount of Exposure

Victims could have been exposed to asbestos for as little as a few months, yet not show signs of mesothelioma until 15 or 60 years later. In rare cases, era of exposure was 70 years before the onset of mesothelioma.

Due to the latency of symptoms appearing, those who were exposed in the 1940s-70s, the height of asbestos production, are (just now being) diagnosed with mesothelioma.

Method of Diagnosis

Professionals assess potential victims and affirm diagnosis via a range of varying biopsy procedures.  A pathologist inspects patient tissue, which is removed and then placed under a microscope. To start, a doctor may suggest scans and X-rays to eliminate other diagnosis and further target the possibility of mesothelioma.

Symptoms (a build-up in the lungs, pain in the chest, and swelling in the abdomen) of mesothelioma, shared with other diagnoses, are initially hard to align with the a particular asbestos-related illness.

Types of Procedures

A thoracoscopy, for pleural mesothelioma, involves a small incision made in the chest wall, so doctors may place a device between the patient's ribs. If fluid is in the chest, it is removed with a needle or suction device.

A peritoneoscopy involves a doctor looking inside a patient's stomach, who then seeks to identify and rid the abdomen of collected fluid; the procedure is similar to a thoracoscopy.

A biopsy involves a small incision and piece of skin taken from the body and viewed under a microscope.  A negative result of the procedure is the possible inspiration of tumor cells, growing along the biopsy tract, minimized with the inclusion of radiation.

Prognosis for Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma prognosis depends on the speed of diagnosis and subsequent treatment. Due to its latent nature, mesothelioma is most often identified in later (and terminal) stages, when a cure is not an option. In many cases, victims die within the first year of diagnosis.

Options of Treatment

The stage of the illness dictates later treatment (as well as size and extent of grown tumors in the body).  The Butchart system analyzes the mass of developed tumors, identifying four stages, with the worst stage of disease spreading throughout the blood and into other organs of the body.

The TNM (tumor, lymph nodes, and metastasis) system considers a number of variables in addition to tumor growth and spreading throughout the body, with worth stages including mobilization (spreading to the opposite lung for example).

The Bringham system, most recent in medical development, rates states according to how likely doctors will successfully remove tumors (in addition to lymph node involvement).

Conduct more research, especially in place of loved ones who are older and need help remembering previous exposure to asbestos. Don't second guess in making assumptions to head to the doctor for a proper biopsy if you suspect you or a loved one has been exposed.

Katie Johnson has a diverse background in PR, journalism and digital marketing. She is focused on creating a unique community for family, friends or those who are diagnosed with mesothelioma or an asbestos-related disease.

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