hayward mesothelioma attorneys and Treatment
When mesothelioma is diagnosed for the first time doctors request imaging scans to determine if there are any cancerous growths on the abdomen or chest. Mesothelioma symptoms can be mistaken for other diseases like pneumonia or lung cancer.
Doctors may also conduct a biopsy to diagnose mesothelioma. There are three main mesothelioma types which include epithelial, Sarcomatoid and biphasic. Each type responds to treatment differently and has a different impact on the length of life.
Diagnosis
Doctors will run several tests if mesothelioma is suspected. This may include chest X-ray, CT scans, and biopsies. The X-ray shows a build-up of fluid on one side of the chest. This is referred to as pleural effusion, and is often the first indication of mesothelioma. However, X-rays are not the most reliable method to diagnose the condition.
The next step is an chest CT scan, which will give you a a detailed picture of your lungs as well as other organs. A doctor might inject you with a dye, which will highlight areas of potential cancer. During the CT scanner, you'll be lying on a bed and traversed through a doughnut-shaped scanner. The procedure is only less than a minute and isn't terribly uncomfortable, even for those who feel claustrophobic.
In certain situations, a physician will also conduct an MRI. The scans produce high-quality images made of radio waves and powerful magnetic fields. An MRI can be used to locate mesothelioma of the diaphragm as well as determine its stage. Certain patients may also undergo a PET scan. You will be given a radioactive dye in this test. Cancer cells absorb the dye much more than healthy cells and therefore appear brighter in the images.
A biopsy is the final test to confirm a mesothelioma diagnosis. A doctor will remove a small amount of the affected lining. The lining will then be examined under a microscope to detect cancer cells. This can be done under local or general anaesthesia and by using a CT scan or a needle.
The doctor will rely on the results of the other tests if the biopsy proves that mesothelioma is present. The stage is the measure of how far mesothelioma has spread and what kinds of treatment are the most appropriate for you. You can learn more about staging by reading the section on this guide titled Staging.
Treatment
There are many options for treatment for mesothelioma. Some treatments may improve the quality of life, or extend the duration of life more than others. Patients with mesothelioma should discuss their goals and figure out the most effective treatment plan.
Surgery is one of the ways to treat mesothelioma. The surgeons attempt to eliminate all cancerous tissue during the operation. If mesothelioma reaches an advanced stage doctors may not be able to eliminate the cancer completely. Surgery can reduce symptoms.
The most common mesothelioma type is mesothelioma that is found in the lining around the lung. In some instances it is possible for a patient to develop mesothelioma within the membrane that surrounds the heart (pericardial mesothelioma). Rarely, mesothelioma can affect the testicles.
Mesothelioma can be treated with radiation therapy and chemotherapy. These treatments are typically administered by mesothelioma experts at specific centers. Chemotherapy is a method of killing mesothelioma cancer cells and inhibit their growth. The drug combination of pemetrexed with Cisplatin is the first-line treatment for pleural mesothelioma.
Radiation therapy makes use of high energy beams to kill cancerous cell. This treatment is often used with other mesothelioma therapies, like chemotherapy and surgery.
It can also be used to kill any residual microscopic mesothelioma that surgeons did not remove during surgery. Mesothelioma patients are susceptible to different side effects from these treatments. These symptoms include nausea, fatigue and loss.
A mesothelioma expert can help a patient find the right medication that meets their specific needs. They can also recommend different ways to enhance the quality of life of a patient. This might include regular drainage of the pleura to ease breathing, or strong painkillers. Patients should also ensure that they inform their medical professional of any other medications they take for example, supplements, herbs or prescription medications. This will ensure that there aren't any potentially dangerous interactions between these drugs.
Prognosis
Mesothelioma is an illness that affects the mesothelium membrane that lines our body's cavities such as the abdominal and chest cavity. If someone develops mesothelioma, malignant cells develop in this tissue and can grow to other parts of the body that can cause symptoms such difficulty breathing and pain.
It is very important to get a mesothelioma diagnose from a specialist physician because this is the first step to receiving treatment. It could take a number of steps to determine mesothelioma which may include a physical examination as well as lab tests and biopsy. A biopsy collects a small sample of the tumor or mass to check for mesothelioma.
A misdiagnosis of mesothelioma could be dangerous, as it could delay treatment or worsen the prognosis. Mesothelioma is difficult to identify, as the symptoms can mimic lung cancer or common ailments like pneumonia or bronchitis. Because of this, mesothelioma may be incorrectly identified as respiratory illnesses.
The prognosis of mesothelioma differs depending on the type and stage of mesothelioma, as well depending on the patient's age and general health, as well as medical history. There is no cure for mesothelioma, however, the cancer can be controlled by chemotherapy, surgery and radiation therapy. Palliative care is available to patients to treat symptoms such as fatigue, pain, and other signs and symptoms.
The mesothelioma staging stage of a patient refers to how the disease has progressed and how much has already moved to other areas of the body. A doctor will make use of their best judgment to determine the stage taking into consideration the symptoms and how fast the cancer is growing.
The rate of survival for mesothelioma is dependent on the stage and type as well the location of the cancer. Patients diagnosed with less well-known mesothelioma types have a worse prognosis. Patients suffering from peritoneal mesothelioma for example have a greater chance of living a longer life because it tends to grow slower in the abdomen than pleural mesothelioma does in the chest. Additionally, those who are tolerant for treatment might live longer than those with a low tolerance. For instance, some individuals with peritoneal mesothelioma's have had success with a combination of chemotherapy, surgical removal and radiation.
Signs and symptoms
Asbestos fibers can create tumors in organs if they are swallowed or inhaled. Mesothelioma usually occurs in the lung. However it can also manifest in the chest, abdomen and testicles in men. The symptoms of mesothelioma typically don't develop until around 40-50 years after exposure.
The first step in determining mesothelioma involves taking a medical background of exposure to asbestos. Your doctor will conduct physical examination and then review your symptoms.
A chest X-ray can show abnormal thickening or fluid in the space that separates the lungs and the chest wall. A lung CT scan can also be used to identify mesothelioma as well as other lung cancers.
You could have blood tests to determine the health of your kidneys and liver. The doctor could also suggest an abdominal MRI or a PET scan to check for other mesothelioma and cancers of the lungs, chest wall or abdomen.
If a biopsy is necessary, doctors can take a sample of the tumor through surgery or a needle that is inserted through the chest wall under local anesthesia. The doctor will then study the tissue under microscope to determine whether it is malignant mesothelioma or another cancer.
The results from the tests will help doctors determine the extent of the mesothelioma cancer following a mesothelioma. They will assign mesothelioma a staging number, which can be useful in the planning of your treatment.
They are not cancerous and they won't recur if surgically removed. They typically occur in the pleura, and also in the abdominal lining. Mesothelioma in the pericardium is more difficult to treat since it affects the heart. It can also recur following surgery. Mesothelioma can also grow to other parts of the body like the lymph nodes or the bones located outside the chest and abdomen. The symptoms of mesothelioma resemble the symptoms of other less serious diseases. This can make it difficult to diagnose. This can result in misdiagnosis and delay your treatment. Delay in treatment could cause complications and decrease your chance of survival.