Mesothelioma Guide: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment Options
1 min readJan 3, 2024
Mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive cancer, affects the thin membranes lining your body’s organs. Often linked to asbestos exposure, it’s crucial to recognize its symptoms, diagnosis methods, and available treatment options. Early detection is key, so let’s delve into this crucial information.
Symptoms:
- Pleural mesothelioma (lungs): Shortness of breath, chest pain, dry cough, fatigue, unintentional weight loss, fluid buildup in the chest (pleural effusion).
- Peritoneal mesothelioma (abdomen): Abdominal pain and swelling, bloating, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.
- Pericardial mesothelioma (heart): Heart palpitations, chest pain, difficulty breathing, fluid buildup around the heart.
Diagnosis:
- Medical history: Discussing potential asbestos exposure with your doctor.
- Physical examination: Examining for symptoms and signs.
- Imaging tests: X-rays, CT scans, MRIs to reveal tumors and fluid buildup.
- Biopsy: Tissue sample analysis to confirm mesothelioma diagnosis.
Treatment Options:
- Surgery: Removing part of the tumor or surrounding tissue (pleurectomy/decortication) for early-stage cases.
- Radiation therapy: Using targeted radiation to kill cancer cells and relieve symptoms.
- Chemotherapy: Medication to shrink tumors and control cancer spread.
- Pleurodesis: Injecting a medication into the chest cavity to prevent fluid buildup (for pleural mesothelioma).
- Palliative care: Managing pain, fatigue, and other symptoms to improve quality of life.
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