Generally, early symptoms stem from pressure caused by the tumor or mass pressing on the organs and from the cancer causing a build up of fluid that can also cause swelling and pressure.
Devastatingly, epithelial mesothelioma is most often diagnosed only when it has reached an advanced stage. This is because of the disease's long latency period coupled with its low incidence (only 2000 – 3000 cases a year are diagnosed in the United States).
Diagnostic procedures and tests are typically conducted after a patient's symptoms do not subside. To accurately diagnose epithelial mesothelioma, a tumor, mass or build up of fluid must be spotted during an examination, x-ray, CT scan or MRI, and then a biopsy of the tissue or fluid must be examined by a pathologist. When the pathologist finds cancer in the epithelial cells of the mesothelium, a diagnosis of epithelial mesothelioma is given.
It is important to note that epithelial mesothelioma cells in the lungs can very closely resemble those of another type of cancer called adenocarcinoma. If you have a history of asbestos exposure and are diagnosed with adenocarcinoma rather than epithelial mesothelioma, it is highly recommended you seek a second opinion.
Curative treatments - this term is misleading because there is no cure for epithelial mesothelioma. The reason these kinds of therapies are called “curative” is because they attempt to eradicate cancer from the body, but as of yet, these treatments have at best only slowed the growth or spread of mesothelioma. Curative treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or a combination of any or all of these.
Devastatingly, epithelial mesothelioma is most often diagnosed only when it has reached an advanced stage. This is because of the disease's long latency period coupled with its low incidence (only 2000 – 3000 cases a year are diagnosed in the United States).
Diagnostic procedures and tests are typically conducted after a patient's symptoms do not subside. To accurately diagnose epithelial mesothelioma, a tumor, mass or build up of fluid must be spotted during an examination, x-ray, CT scan or MRI, and then a biopsy of the tissue or fluid must be examined by a pathologist. When the pathologist finds cancer in the epithelial cells of the mesothelium, a diagnosis of epithelial mesothelioma is given.
It is important to note that epithelial mesothelioma cells in the lungs can very closely resemble those of another type of cancer called adenocarcinoma. If you have a history of asbestos exposure and are diagnosed with adenocarcinoma rather than epithelial mesothelioma, it is highly recommended you seek a second opinion.
Curative treatments - this term is misleading because there is no cure for epithelial mesothelioma. The reason these kinds of therapies are called “curative” is because they attempt to eradicate cancer from the body, but as of yet, these treatments have at best only slowed the growth or spread of mesothelioma. Curative treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or a combination of any or all of these.
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