Once symptoms have begun to materialize, the patient who is potentially stricken with mesothelioma will want to begin the process of a diagnosis.
Quite often, patients do not readily recognize the symptoms of mesothelioma and sometimes mistaken them for something else, perhaps a more common disease like bronchitis or pneumonia. However, the symptoms should not be ignored, especially if they worsen.
See Your Doctor
Once a patient has determined that their symptoms are something more than a common cold or the flu, they will most likely schedule an appointment with their general practitioner. This is the logical first step towards diagnosis.
A good doctor will gather as much information as possible about the patient before jumping to any conclusions as to the reasons for the symptoms. If the doctor is familiar with the patient’s history, he/she may look for clues that might connect themselves to the current symptoms. If the doctor is unfamiliar with the patient, he/she should compile a complete medical history in order to narrow down the possibilities.
If you are seeing a doctor about symptoms that resemble those associated with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, be sure to mention any incidence of asbestos exposure, even if it occurred several decades ago. Remember, mesothelioma and its symptoms often lay dormant in the body for up to 50 years. For many, exposure to the toxic mineral ended many years ago; unfortunately, the risk is still present.
Follow-Up
After your doctor assembles a medical history and performs a rudimentary check-up, he/she will most likely determine if further visits or more testing is necessary. In many cases, if a physician suspects cancer, he will order more sophisticated imaging scans that can provide a clearer picture of the lungs, heart, abdomen, and other internal organs. These scans include the CT scan or MRI. Both are painless procedures and should lead to an accurate diagnosis.
If necessary, the doctor will order another test after the imaging is complete. This test is a surgical procedure known as a biopsy. The biopsy extracts tissue from the affected area in hopes of confirming or denying the presence of cancer cells.
After Diagnosis
If a diagnosis of mesothelioma is indeed confirmed, you – the patient – will no doubt have many questions. Your general practitioner can probably answer some of them, but will refer you to an oncologist, or cancer specialist, for more detailed discussion, including a prognosis as well as information on treatments available to combat the disease.