Mesothelioma Screening Test

Mesothelioma is a very rare form of cancer and very lethal that affects the membranes that protect our inner organ, which is has three main membranes, pleural (coverings of the lungs), the peritoneal membranes (coverings of the abdominal organs) or the pericardium (covering of the heart). Mesothelioma is mainly caused by a long exposure of asbestos. The other thing that makes mesothelioma dangerous is the time it took to become cancerous, it needs decades to cancerous. To prevent the mesothelioma danger, screening for those who exposed to asbestos is the only option to prevent malignant mesothelioma. Those who endanger with this cancer are people who works in the manufacturing industry, shipbuilding and construction need to be screened routinely.

These screening tests are useful to diagnose mesothelioma cancer;

Imaging Tests

Imaging tests like chest X-Ray, CT Scans, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) can provide strong evidence to support the diagnosis especially coupled with a history of asbestos exposure and often very useful and they may show thick, nodular masses on the pleural surface. However, other diseases can produce these symptoms and to be certain of a correct diagnosis more investigations often need to be carried out.

Needle Biopsies:

Needle biopsy is needed in order to take the fluid in the pleura for laboratory examination. Under a local anaesthetic, the doctor will make a hole to insert needle biopsy to take tissue sample. This tissue sample then examined in the laboratory for malignant mesothelioma cells. The needle biopsy is only about 40% accurate and these tests and results may take several weeks to complete.

A biopsy may be done in different ways, depending on where the abnormal area is located. If the cancer is in the chest, the doctor may perform a thoracoscopy. In this procedure, the doctor makes a small cut through the chest wall and puts a thin, lighted tube called a thoracoscope into the chest between two ribs. Thoracoscopy allows the doctor to look inside the chest and obtain tissue samples.

Open Biopsy

Open biopsy is the most accurate among mesothelioma diagnosis, but it is also more invasive. In open biopsy a large number of tissue samples are needed. When undergo this biopsy, patient is under general anaesthetic.

Cytology

Cytology is the less accurate in mesothelioma diagnosis and not performed often. About 80% of cytology result is negative despite the presence of mesothelioma.

However, even using the best mesothelioma diagnosis technique that available today, the detection of mesothelioma still may miss. Mesothelioma victims should take necessary action against their former employers and should get in touch with lawyers who have experience handling these kind or issues

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