Malignant mesothelioma can be life threatening and is difficult to treat at a later stage. Owing to the long latency period of this form of lung cancer, its symptoms are not visible till later stages. Therefore, various tests are needed to diagnose it at the earliest. Though symptoms give an indication of its presence, appropriate tests need to be carried out to be sure of the diagnosis. For this reason you must be aware of the tests conducted for malignant mesothelioma diagnosis.

FAQs about Malignant Mesothelioma Diagnosis

1. What are the various imaging tests for malignant mesothelioma diagnosis?

The most important tests in mesothelioma diagnosis are imaging tests, like x-ray, which use radioactive particles to develop images inside the body to find out the presence of cancerous tumors and the extent to which it has spread to other parts of the body.

2. When should you go for an imaging test for malignant mesothelioma?

If you have symptoms like cough, shortness of breath, fatigue and you have a history of asbestos exposure, you should immediately consult a doctor and opt for diagnosis of the cancer.

3. Which scan is most beneficial for diagnosis of this form of mesothelioma cancer?

You can consider computed tomography (CT) scan, positron emission tomography (PET) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan to check the presence of this cancer. While a CT scan gives cross-sectional images of body through many pictures, a PET scan involves injecting radioactive material (FDG) into the blood stream which is absorbed faster by the cancerous cells and an MRI scan gives many in-depth and detailed images of the tissues of the body. However, MRI uses radio waves and strong magnets. Therefore, MRI scans are more effective in diagnosing this cancer.

4. Is it important to take blood tests for diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma?

People with mesothelioma have higher presence of Osteopontin and soluble mesothelin-related peptides (SMRPs) which can be detected with the MesoMark® test, though they do not help you ensure the diagnosis. If this form of lung cancer is confirmed, other blood tests are also needed, like blood cell counts and presence of chemicals in the body.

5. How can biopsy help in mesothelioma diagnosis?

The most effective form of diagnosis of this cancer is biopsy which removes affected cells and analyzes them carefully.

6. What tests should be conducted on the accumulated fluid or tissue samples?

Fluid accumulation is a primary symptom of mesothelioma and can help in its early diagnosis. While thoracentesis involves removal of fluid from the chest cavity, paracentesis removes fluid from the abdomen and pericardiocentesis from the sac around the heart.

7. What is open surgical biopsy and how can it help in diagnosis?

When at later stages, diagnosis becomes quite difficult, more invasive procedures like open surgical biopsy can help as it involves analysis of a bigger tissue. It can be done either through a thoracotomy which involves opening of the chest cavity or a laparotomy which opens up the abdominal cavity.