Three Steps To Diagnoses Mesothelioma
Thursday, June 30, 2016
There are three steps to the mesothelioma diagnosis:
1. Symptoms Begin to Show
Patient detects symptoms, which generally start to appear 20-50 years after exposure. These symptoms often mimic those of other diseases.
2. Patient Consults Primary Care Physician
The primary care physician discusses symptoms with the patient. These doctors perform preliminary tests. If cancer is suspected, they refer patient to an oncologist.
3. Oncologist Makes Final Diagnosis
The oncologist conducts a variety of tests based on the patient's health. Tests may include imaging scans, blood tests, and biopsies to confirm a mesothelioma diagnosis.
If you find yourself in this situation, doctors will start the diagnostic process by asking about your medical history and by performing some standard physical exams. They should ask if you recall any personal past exposure to asbestos.
Providing your doctor with a comprehensive work history can hasten the diagnostic process. Because mesothelioma is rare cancer with nonspecific symptoms, doctors are unlikely to suspect the disease unless a patient describes a former job where asbestos exposure may have occurred.
By explaining to their doctor that they worked in a high-risk industry, such as asbestos mining, construction or shipbuilding, patients can backup concerns that their symptoms may be asbestos-related.
Next, doctors will order imaging tests to identify any abnormal growths. If those show a suspicious mass that looks like mesothelioma, doctors will request a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. They will take fluid and tissue samples during the biopsy.
During this process, you'll see several doctors. Patients usually visit a general practitioner, pulmonologist, radiologist, surgeon, pathologist and an oncologist. If any of these doctors suspect mesothelioma or another asbestos disease, that's a sign for any patient to get a second opinion from a mesothelioma specialist, an expert who has experience staging cancer and treating people who have it.
The doctors who specialize in mesothelioma have dedicated the time it takes to understand the intricacies of diagnosing and treating this disease. They’ve studied under other mesothelioma experts, conducted clinical research, overseen clinical trials and worked with more mesothelioma patients than the average cancer doctor.
The cancer centers that specialize in mesothelioma staff a team of doctors who are experts in subspecialties of mesothelioma diagnosis and treatment, from pathological and surgical to radiological oncology. The pathologists at these centers have more experience diagnosing mesothelioma than most pathologists throughout the U.S. These doctors learn from each other and work together to provide each patient with individualized treatment.