Symptoms and Diagnosis
Did you know that by the time a mesotheioloma case is correctly diagnosed the cancer is often in an advanced stage? Did you also know that once a diagnosis is made the life expectancy is generally one year? Did you know that less than 3,000 new cases of Mesotheioloma are reported annually?
The reasons for misdiagnosis or a failure to visit a doctor is that many patients may feel that their condition is simply related to a respiratory infection that will go away if given enough time. In some cases patients have had to be persistent in trying to track down the cause for their respiratory ailments. The cases are rare enough that doctors do not generally gravitate immediately to a Mesotheioloma diagnosis. They may not even order tests on the first visit.
The good news is there have been advances in treatment that have seen modest gains in life expectancy. The better news is the previously mentioned rarity of cases.
Since Mesotheioloma can have symptoms that are similar to other respiratory ailments let’s take a look at the list of symptoms provided by MayoClinic.com
Pleural mesotheioloma signs and symptoms may include:
- Shortness of breath
- Painful breathing (pleurisy)
- Painful coughing
- Chest pain under the rib cage
- Unusual lumps of tissue under the skin on your chest
- Unexplained weight loss
- Dry (nonproductive) cough
Peritoneal mesotheioloma signs and symptoms may include:
- Abdominal pain
- Abdominal swelling
- A change in your bowel habits, such as more frequent diarrhea or constipation
- Lumps of tissue in the abdomen
- Unexplained weight loss
Seeking a Diagnosis
General symptoms are not enough to diagnose the primary three types of Mesotheioloma. If a doctor wishes to rule out the possibility of the disease he or she may request an X-Ray to look for any masses in the lungs. If a mass is found an MRI or CT scan may be ordered. If the doctor is still concerned a biopsy of the mass will be ordered. It is based on the findings of the mass that a proper diagnosis is made and treatment plan developed.
The primary reason a mass biopsy isn’t the first step is due to the relatively small number of cases reported annually. The primary care physician wants to be sure the ‘usual suspects’ are ruled out before an invasive procedure that involves conducting a video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) on the patient is conducted. While the process can take some time to complete it is wise that the doctor does not immediately view your situation as a worse case scenario. By allowing a health care team to complete the tests in a logical way the patient is better able to gain a clear understanding of what is happening and not be needlessly worried about something that may prove to be untrue.
The Importance of Immediate Care
Should you be diagnosed with Mesotheioloma it is important to take immediate steps to manage the care of the disease. This may include the need to remove the developed tumor, chemotherapy, radiation and enlisting a nutrition plan to aid in recovery.
Mesotheioloma will not get better on its own. This is not a case of the common cold that might respond well to vitamin C and some chicken noodle soup. Following doctor’s recommendations will likely be the best option for improved life expectancy.
In our next section we will take a look at the three primary types of Mesotheioloma and how they affect the human body. Other sections of this site will present an overview of asbestos and why it is the culprit behind this disease.
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