Individuals who have worked around asbestos might think that they’re doing just fine and ended up not developing mesothelioma. Unfortunately, this might be a misconception. Some mesothelioma cases take decades to be diagnosed.
Anyone who’s been exposed to asbestos should seek out medical care if they’re showing any of the signs of mesothelioma. There are many different types of mesothelioma, but the symptoms of the disease are similar between them all. If you’re showing any of these symptoms, be sure to contact your doctor for an evaluation and let them know that you’ve been exposed to asbestos in your lifetime.
- A persistent cough that gets progressively worse
- Hoarseness or wheezing that may be consistent or intermittent
- Shortness of breath, sometimes even when you’re not doing physical activity
- Chest pain or tightening
- Loss of appetite
- Coughing up blood, even in smaller amounts
- Swelling of the face and neck
- Unexplained weight loss
- Difficulty swallowing
- Anemia
- Fatigue
What Happens if the Doctor Suspects Mesothelioma?
If your doctor thinks that you have mesothelioma, you’ll undergo some diagnostic testing to determine the actual diagnosis. X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, and similar testing is common. You’ll likely also have a biopsy done, and there might be a biomarker test done.
The biopsy helps the doctors to determine the specific type of mesothelioma you have. This is done according to the location of the mesothelioma and the type of cells that are present. There are three types of cells:
- Biphasic mesothelioma
- Sarcomatoid mesothelioma
- Epithelioid mesothelioma
Of those three, epithelioid mesothelioma is the most common. It accounts for approximately 60 to 70% of cases. Around 90% of these cases are diagnosed in patients who are older than 50 years old. Fortunately, epithelioid mesothelioma is the most treatable form of this disease. It typically responds well to drug therapies.
Epithelioid mesothelioma can occur in various locations; however, the lungs are the most common location. Approximately 80% of this form of mesothelioma begins in the lungs. The second most common location is the abdomen.
What Challenges Exist for the Treatment of Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a fast-spreading form of cancer once it develops. This makes it difficult to diagnose the disease at an early stage. The vast majority of patients who are diagnosed with mesothelioma have advance stage cancer, which means that it has spread to other locations in the body.
The most prevalent risk factor for mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. This is a factor in approximately 80% of epithelioid mesothelioma cases in this country. Unfortunately, individuals with this diagnosis are facing a rough road. They may choose to look into the possibility of seeking compensation for the damages they’re suffering.
