Interviews with people who have the disease.
Showing posts with label Diagnoses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Diagnoses. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
What is Pericardial Mesothelioma?
Pericardial mesothelioma is the rarest type of the three forms of mesothelioma. It makes up less than 10% of all mesothelioma patients. Approximately 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed each year, but fewer than 200 of them are pericardial. As with the other mesotheliomas, it is caused by exposure to asbestos. This type affects the pericardium, the protective sac that covers the heart and provides lubrication so that it can beat properly. Because it is so rare, there is little specific research on this disease, and it is still not clearly understood how the asbestos fibers become lodged in the pericardium.
Symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma are similar to other forms of mesothelioma, although its rarity has made it difficult for specialists to determine a specific set of common symptoms. Heart palpitations are more common with this form of mesothelioma than with the others. Additionally, patients may experience difficulty breathing, fever, and cough.
Diagnosis of pericardial mesothelioma is problematic, as the nature of its symptoms is relatively non-specific, in that they can appear as a result of several other cardiac conditions. Unfortunately for most patients, by the time symptoms of the disease appear, the cancer has progressed to a stage where conventional treatments are largely ineffective for anything other than providing temporary relief of symptoms.
As a direct consequence of the difficulties in definitively diagnosing pericardial mesothelioma, and the fact that it is usually only minimally symptomatic until its advanced stages, the prognosis for patients is very poor, with a mean survival time of only six months following diagnosis.
Article source here.
Symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma are similar to other forms of mesothelioma, although its rarity has made it difficult for specialists to determine a specific set of common symptoms. Heart palpitations are more common with this form of mesothelioma than with the others. Additionally, patients may experience difficulty breathing, fever, and cough.
Diagnosis of pericardial mesothelioma is problematic, as the nature of its symptoms is relatively non-specific, in that they can appear as a result of several other cardiac conditions. Unfortunately for most patients, by the time symptoms of the disease appear, the cancer has progressed to a stage where conventional treatments are largely ineffective for anything other than providing temporary relief of symptoms.
As a direct consequence of the difficulties in definitively diagnosing pericardial mesothelioma, and the fact that it is usually only minimally symptomatic until its advanced stages, the prognosis for patients is very poor, with a mean survival time of only six months following diagnosis.
Article source here.
How to Diagnose Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma diagnosis is very important as far as an early treatment is considered. It helps with better pain management. Mesothelioma diagnosis is confusing as the symptoms mimic many lung infections
Don't sit there and keep guessing. Consult your physician.
Get Mesothelioma tests done.
An early initiation of treatment will help reduce the cancer pain considerably.
Valuable Imaging techniques used in Mesothelioma tests are X Ray, CT (Computerized tomography), MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and PET (Positive Electron Tomography)
Invasive procedures for Tissue and fluid samples are also done. Usually invasive procedures {which invade the body} are required to make a final confirmed Mesothelioma Diagnosis (Thoracoscopy, Peritoneoscopy and Biopsy)
Recently the first ever Blood test for Mesothelioma have been devised as reported by Pacific North-West Research Institute. This is based on the fact that Mesothelioma cells release tumor markers called SMR (Soluble mesothelin-related) proteins.
Two important questions you should answer before you go ahead with the Mesothelioma diagnosis are:
Have you been exposed to asbestos? (Although not all the Mesothelioma cases are direct results of asbestos exposure there is a strong association between the two.)
Do you experience Mesothelioma symptoms?
Tips
If you suspect that you have been exposed to asbestos then get Mesothelioma tests done at the earliest.
Warnings
Mis-Diagnosis and late diagnosis is a grave error in Mesothelioma as the treatment becomes difficult with late diagnosis.
| Dr. Mateen M.D. shares his expert opinions and Information on the Deadly Cancer Mesothelioma on his site Mesothelioma Cancer Guide. Also visit our Lawyers section and Mesothelioma FAQs. |
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