Mesothelioma Law

Mesothelioma symptoms to be aware of are not unlike symptoms of a respiratory illness, such as pneumonia, and mesothelioma symptoms have been known to surface years, even decades after asbestos exposure. The primary symptoms include shortness of breath and chest pain for pleural mesothelioma and weight loss and abdominal pain for peritoneal mesothelioma.

The first thing that a doctor will do is run a medical history which is much like an interview aimed at finding if the patient meets any of the risk factors or symptoms of mesothelioma. Questions include inquiries about any possible contact the patient may have had with asbestos. The medical history will be followed by a physical exam that checks for the effects of mesothelioma’s presence. If mesothelioma is suspected or if further tests are needed, there are a number of mesothelioma testing procedures that can be used during the diagnostic process.

There are a series of imaging tests that can be administered by a physician to determine mesothelioma’s presence. Certain imaging tests can be used to get a good look at the cancer and determine the location, size, and extent of the cancer’s spread.

If there is fluid is the chest cavity, then there is good reason to suspect pleural mesothelioma. Fluid collection is the key sign for mesothelioma’s presence in the abdomen and pericardium as well. Tissue and fluid sampling tests are diagnostic tests that involve the observation, collection, and analysis of these fluids and tissues.

These tests are very important because the sooner mesothelioma is diagnosed, the better prepared you are to fight it. With several different types of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, there are several forms of treatment for mesothelioma. As most cases of mesothelioma are too advanced to be cured, most treatment options are merely palliative attempts to prolong life and ease pain. But doctors and scientists alike continue to work on different treatments and preventative measures that can be employed to bring about a cure to this and other types of cancer.