tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71566898575377492402024-02-08T07:10:00.344-08:00mesotheliomaBloggerboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17584139654176554462noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7156689857537749240.post-60682818521108959492009-06-20T07:23:00.000-07:002009-06-20T07:24:02.340-07:00Mesothelioma Diagnosis<p>Mesothelioma is not always diagnosed because the cancer is still unrecognizable. A mesothelioma diagnosis may often be classified as another condition because the symptoms are similar to those of other illnesses. Even today, a mesothelioma diagnosis can be classified as lung cancer, which is an entirely different disease. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the chest, lung, and abdominal cavity and has been linked to high levels of <a href="http://www.asbestosnews.com/workplace.html">workplace</a> and <a href="http://www.asbestosnews.com/html/non-occupational.html">non-occupational exposure</a> to asbestos. <em>(See </em><a href="http://www.asbestosnews.com/mesothelioma/prognosis.html" target="_self"><em>Mesothelioma Prognosis</em></a><em>)</em></p> <p>A mesothelioma diagnosis most commonly begins with a complete medical history review and physical examination of a patient who suffers from <a href="http://www.asbestosnews.com/mesothelioma/symptoms.html"><strong>mesothelioma </strong></a><strong><a title="Symptoms" href="http://www.asbestosnews.com/mesothelioma/symptoms.html">symptoms</a></strong><strong> and signs including shortness of breath, chest pains, swollen abdomen, </strong>and more. The physical exam should involve a number of imaging tests to search for suspicious cell formation. These tests may include: </p> <p><strong>X-rays </strong>Chest or abdomen x-rays can reveal fluid build-up, masses, or signs of non-cancerous <a href="http://www.asbestosnews.com/html/pleural-disease.html">pleural disease</a>. </p> <p><strong>Computed Tomography (CT) Scan </strong>A series of detailed images of the body. CT scans can locate pleural disease, chest wall invasions, and can guide fine needle aspiration tests. However, CT scans cannot differentiate between benign or <a title="Malignant Mesothelioma" href="http://www.asbestosnews.com/mesothelioma/malignant.html">malignant mesothelioma</a>. </p> <p><strong>Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) </strong>MRI scans use a computer-linked magnet to photograph details of the inside of the body and can determine the severity of a tumor. </p> <p><strong>Positron Emission Tomography (PET) </strong>PET imaging tests have become one of the most efficient ways of diagnosing mesothelioma tumors as well as determining the <a href="http://www.asbestosnews.com/html/staging.html">staging</a> of the cancer. </p> <p><strong>Biopsy </strong>A needle biopsy is almost always necessary to confirm a mesothelioma diagnosis. In a biopsy, a sample of tissue is removed and examined under a microscope to test for cancer cells. Depending on the location of the abnormal area, a biopsy can be done in different ways including: </p> <p><strong>Thoracoscopy </strong>- If the cancer is located in the pleura, a small incision will be made through the chest wall and a thoracoscope will be inserted to obtain a tissue sample. </p> <p><strong>Peritoneoscopy </strong>If the cancer is in the abdominal cavity, a doctor will use a peritoneoscope to obtain sample tissue for further examination. </p>Bloggerboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17584139654176554462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7156689857537749240.post-61563216023114367652009-06-20T07:10:00.000-07:002009-06-20T07:15:21.854-07:00Defintion<b>Mesothelioma </b> is a form of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer" title="Cancer">cancer</a> that is almost always caused by exposure to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asbestos" title="Asbestos">asbestos</a>. In this disease, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malignant" title="Malignant" class="mw-redirect">malignant</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_%28biology%29" title="Cell (biology)">cells</a> develop in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesothelium" title="Mesothelium">mesothelium</a>, a protective lining that covers most of the body's internal organs. Its most common site is the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleura" title="Pleura" class="mw-redirect">pleura</a> (outer lining of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lung" title="Lung">lungs</a> and internal chest wall), but it may also occur in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peritoneum" title="Peritoneum">peritoneum</a> (the lining of the abdominal cavity), the heart,<sup id="cite_ref-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesothelioma#cite_note-0"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup> the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pericardium" title="Pericardium">pericardium</a> (a sac that surrounds the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart" title="Heart">heart</a>) or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunica_vaginalis" title="Tunica vaginalis">tunica vaginalis</a>. <p>Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or they have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in other ways. Washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos can also put a person at risk for developing mesothelioma.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesothelioma#cite_note-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup> Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoking" title="Smoking">smoking</a>, but smoking greatly increases risk of other asbestos-induced cancer.<sup id="cite_ref-muscat_2-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesothelioma#cite_note-muscat-2"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a></sup> Compensation via asbestos funds or lawsuits is an important issue in mesothelioma (see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asbestos_and_the_law" title="Asbestos and the law">asbestos and the law</a>).</p> <p>The symptoms of mesothelioma include <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shortness_of_breath" title="Shortness of breath" class="mw-redirect">shortness of breath</a> due to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleural_effusion" title="Pleural effusion">pleural effusion</a> (fluid between the lung and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chest_wall" title="Chest wall" class="mw-redirect">chest wall</a>) or chest wall <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pain" title="Pain">pain</a>, and general symptoms such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weight_loss" title="Weight loss">weight loss</a>. The diagnosis may be suspected with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chest_X-ray" title="Chest X-ray" class="mw-redirect">chest X-ray</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CT_scan" title="CT scan" class="mw-redirect">CT scan</a>, and is confirmed with a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biopsy" title="Biopsy">biopsy</a> (tissue sample) and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histopathology" title="Histopathology">microscopic</a> examination. A <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thoracoscopy" title="Thoracoscopy">thoracoscopy</a> (inserting a tube with a camera into the chest) can be used to take biopsies. It allows the introduction of substances such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talc" title="Talc">talc</a> to obliterate the pleural space (called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleurodesis" title="Pleurodesis">pleurodesis</a>), which prevents more fluid from accumulating and pressing on the lung. Despite treatment with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemotherapy" title="Chemotherapy">chemotherapy</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiation_therapy" title="Radiation therapy">radiation therapy</a> or sometimes <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surgery" title="Surgery">surgery</a>, the disease carries a poor <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prognosis" title="Prognosis">prognosis</a>. Research about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screening_test" title="Screening test" class="mw-redirect">screening tests</a> for the early detection of mesothelioma is ongoing.</p><br /><p><br /></p><p>WIKIPEDIA<br /></p>Bloggerboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17584139654176554462noreply@blogger.com0