Friday, 12 March 2010

Malignant Mesothelioma Diagnosis

Malignant Mesothelioma Diagnosis
Diagnosis of Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma can be classified into three types - pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma refers to a cancer of the lining of the lung (pleura), peritoneal mesothelioma refers to a cancer of the abdominal cavity (peritoneum) lining, and pericardial mesothelioma is a cancer that occurs in the lining that surrounds the heart (pericardium). Malignant mesothelioma can be diagnosed through several imaging techniques. These imaging techniques enable physicians to assess mesothelioma. The oft used and the oldest system for determining the stages of mesothelioma is the Butchart System. This system divides mesothelioma into four stages.
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Test And Diagnosis Of Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Test And Diagnosis Of Peritoneal Mesothelioma
Diagnosis of Mesothelioma
There are several tests that doctors can run to determine if a patient has a Peritoneal mesothelioma diagnosis. A time line for testing a person suspected of having Peritoneal mesothelioma is as follows:
The doctor can run tests on the mesothelial cells to determine the proper diagnosis for the patient. There are several ways in which the doctor can perform a tissue biopsy in order to run tests for mesothelioma. This test is known as an "open biopsy". If the doctor determines that the mesothelioma diagnosis is malignant, they will likely refer the patient to an oncologist (cancer doctor) for further tests and treatment.
If the doctor determines, after running tests, that the patient is not a candidate for chemotherapy, the oncologists may prescribe medication to help the patient with pain management.
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The Diagnosis Of Mesothelioma

The Diagnosis Of Mesothelioma
Diagnosis of Mesothelioma

The diagnosis of mesothelioma is not always an easy task for doctors and researchers. A diagnosis of mesothelioma is obtained firstly, through the assessment of the patient's medical file, a CT scan (computerized technology) or CAT (computerized axial tomography), MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and a biopsy. The scans are followed by a biopsy which is used to confirm the presence of mesothelioma.
The process is known as peritoneoscopy if the tissues are taken from the abdominal cavity. The early detection of mesothelioma depends on the patients' awareness of its presence.
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How a Diagnosis of Mesothelioma is Made

How a Diagnosis of Mesothelioma is Made
Diagnosis of Mesothelioma

Being diagnosed with any form of cancer is rough. Mesothelioma is very rough because the prospects of a successful recovery are low. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the mesothelium. The mesothelium is a two layer lining that surrounds all the internal organs in the chest and abdomen area. It acts as a lubricating wall that lets organs move about with a minimum of problems. How does cancer get into the mesothelium? Yes, it is "that" cancer you've read about in all the big class action cases and on 60 Minutes and other television shows.
One of the big hurdles with Mesothelioma is treating it. It is a devilish form of cancer because of two reasons. The first is the gestation time. The second reason it is hard to diagnose is the symptoms are the same as many other health problems that are less dire. Lung function tests are then undertaken. No blood is drawn as this form of cancer does not have any biomarkers, the items looked for in cancer blood tests. Depending on results, your doctor may then also order an MRI to isolate some area of the body. Mesothelioma is that hard to find.
If Mesothelioma is expected, a biopsy will be ordered. The mesothelium runs through the chest and abdomen, so it could be anywhere. Regardless, the biopsy will generally involve an oncologist making a small insertion into the body cavity and then running a scope into it. The samples will be sent to pathology where lab tests will determine if cancerous cells are present or not.
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Tips For Finding the Right Doctor After a Mesothelioma Diagnosis

Tips For Finding the Right Doctor After a Mesothelioma Diagnosis

Mesothelioma cancer is a relatively rare disease and not all doctors are knowledgeable regarding asbestos exposure, diagnosing mesothelioma, and the types of mesothelioma treatment. There are several ways that you can find mesothelioma doctors, including the following:
Ask your primary care physician to refer you to a mesothelioma specialist
Ask any friends, family members, or coworkers who have dealt with a mesothelioma diagnosis if they can recommend a doctor.
What kinds of mesothelioma treatment options can you provide.
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Diagnosis of Mesothelioma

Diagnosis of any disease is a very important step before doctors can proceed to treatment. The end result of asbestos exposure, this cancer poses huge trouble to the patient as the prognosis is almost always poor. How to diagnose mesothelioma?
This confirms the diagnosis. This and other imaging techniques help in staging of the disease too.
What steps are taken after diagnosing mesothelioma?
Depending upon the stage of the mesothelioma cancer, doctors plan the treatment strategy and also the auxiliary treatment is fixed for the treatment regime.
Apart from these conventional treatments, patient may be advised to go for clinical trials. Mesothelioma is by far a nasty cancer undoubtedly. This compensation if secured by mesothelioma lawyers will be very useful for the patient in an attempt to survive with apt treatments!


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