Mesothelioma Biopsy
While not the first step in the process of diagnosing a mesothelioma case, a biopsy may be one of the most conclusive steps in establishing a diagnosis following x-rays, lung function tests, fluid removal, and blood testing.
A biopsy is a minor surgical process in which a doctor removes a sample of the tissue from a tumor that has been found so it can be examined under a microscope by a pathologist in order to determine if it is cancerous. If the growth is found to be cancerous, a biopsy can also determine whether it is mesothelioma cancer or another type of
lung cancer that may require different treatments.
There are different methods that a surgeon can use when performing a biopsy. A fine needle aspiration biopsy is performed when a doctor uses a syringe and fine needle to remove a small piece of a tumor. In many cases, the fine needle method is used to make a general distinction as to whether a mass is a benign tumor or cyst, or related to another medical problem or infection that may not be related to cancer.
A core needle biopsy, or a Tru-Cut biopsy, is an outpatient procedure in which a 1.5 millimeter cylindrical tissue sample is removed from a tumor for study. The process requires the patient to go under using general anesthesia, and is considered to be less invasive than a more traditional incisional biopsy. In many cases, a patient is able to go home immediately following the procedure.
An incisional biopsy usually requires a one-day admission into a hospital and is used less than it was years ago before the invention of less invasive methods. For this method, surgeons must cut through the skin to remove a section of the tumor that is then studied under a microscope.
For patients who are diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, there may be
asbestos laws in place that entitle you or your loved ones to a
mesothelioma settlement from companies or former employers that knowingly exposed them to the dangerous substance. In order to learn more about your legal rights contact a
mesothelioma attorney for a legal consultation and see if a lawsuit could be a possibility.