Diagnosed with Mesothelioma
An estimated 2,000 to 3,000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year in the United States. The fact that mesothelioma may take 25 to 40 years to develop after asbestos exposure can make diagnosis difficult.
Another challenge in diagnosing mesothelioma is the fact that many early mesothelioma symptoms can be quite similar to symptoms of other diseases and conditions. People often attribute these symptoms to some common, minor illness and do not seek medical attention right away. For that reason, most individuals are not diagnosed with mesothelioma until the disease is in an advanced stage.
Common Methods of Mesothelioma Diagnosis
Below are some of the methods medical professionals use to diagnose mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses:
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A complete medical history. In addition to performing a thorough medical examination, your doctor may take a complete medical history to assess your risk factors, such as previous exposure to asbestos.
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Imaging studies. Your doctor may schedule chest x-rays, CT scans, and MRIs to detect if cancer is present in your body. If mesothelioma is found, these tests can help determine the size, location, and extent of the cancer. For more information, click here.
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Blood tests. Your mesothelioma doctor may also conduct blood tests to look for a certain protein called osteopontin in your blood. Osteopontin is elevated in people who have mesothelioma. For more information, click here.
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Fluid testing. If fluid has built up in your chest or abdomen, the doctor may take a sample of the fluid and test it for the presence of cancer cells. If cancer cells are found, he or she will need to conduct further tests to determine whether the cancer is mesothelioma, lung cancer, or another type of cancer.
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Biopsy. In diagnosing mesothelioma, your doctor may also conduct a biopsy in which samples of tissue are taken from inside your chest or abdomen and checked for cancer growth. Surgery may allow the doctor to take a larger sample of the tumor or the entire tumor. For more information, click here.
If you’ve already been diagnosed with mesothelioma, your doctor may conduct tests to determine if the cancer has spread to other parts of your body. This process is called staging. Learn more about this on the Mesothelioma Stages page.