Early Diagnosis Mesothelioma Is Difficult

Early diagnosis is difficult and in most cases the first obvious sign is sudden breathlessness caused by an accumulation of fluid in the pleural space (a pleural effusion)and may be accompanied by other symptoms such as chest pain.

Scans and X-rays can provide strong evidence to support the diagnosis especially coupled with a history of asbestos exposure. However, other diseases can produce these symptoms and to be certain of a correct diagnosis more investigations often need to be carried out. Scans, Fluid taken for laboratory examination, possibly needle biopsy or keyhole surgery to take a biopsy (a small sample of tissue) are likely to be carried out to help with the confirmation of the diagnosis. These tests and results may take several weeks to complete.

If you have been are experiencing symptoms closely related to the ones described above please consult a doctor. If you or a family member have been affected by mesothelioma it is possible to receive compensation through legal channels by consulting a lawyer. Mesothelioma is a very aggressive form of cancer. Because it takes so long for symptoms to appear it can spread to the other organs in the chest, the chest wall and into the lymph nodes. The cancerous cells spread, or metastasize from the mesothelium into other parts of the body and damage internal tissues and organs. Treatment is more effective when the disease is detected early.

There are a few treatments for all types of mesothelioma but none of these have a high success rate. The effectiveness of the treatment depends on how early and how aggressively the cancer is treated.

If the cancerous cells are treated when they have fully matured and developed then it is unlikely that treatment methods will be successful. Treatment methods include chemotherapy which is the use of drugs to kill the cancer, radiation therapy which uses a radiation dosage to kill off cancerous cells and surgery which attempts to gain long term control over the cancer by removing a large portion of malignant cells. These treatment methods can be combined in the form of dual therapy.