Mesothelioma - What Tests Are Used to Diagnose It?

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is closely associated with asbestos exposure. It can take up to 40 years from the time of exposure for the cancer to manifest. Given this long period, what tests are used to diagnose it?

A common test used in cancer situations is a blood test. Blood is examined for something known as biomarkers. Certain biomarkers are indicative of certain types of cancer. For instance, CA 15-3 is a biomarker that indicates breast cancer in women. Unfortunately, there is no known biomarker at this point in time for Mesothelioma. In fact, blood tests do not provide any information to a physician regarding whether a patient has this form of cancer.

A chest x-ray is really the first line of attack against Mesothelioma when it comes to diagnostic tests. These x-rays are not particularly sensitive, but they present a global look at the chest area. This means the radiologist and physician can identify tumors, scaring and areas of fluid buildup. All are potentially problematic, particularly tumors which can be benign or can metastasize and spread.

Assuming the doctor sees something of interest or concern, he or she may next order a CAT scan. CAT stands for computerized axial tomography and essentially means a three dimensional view of the area in question. A CAT scan can better define the shape, size and characteristics of a mass. That being said, such a scan cannot tell the doctor if the mass is Mesothelioma or not. They can, however, be very helpful in determining if the problem is in an early or late stage.

MRIs are used in many medical practices as diagnostic tools. The trend in Mesothelioma cases is to forgo MRIs for PET scans. A PET scan is a test that shows the usage of glucose. Cancerous tumors, particularly Mesothelioma, tend to use much more glucose than health material. A PET scan can reveal this and helps get to the heart of the problem, to wit, do you have cancer or not.

It is important to understand that none of these diagnostic tools will absolutely tell you and your doctor if Mesothelioma exists. They will simply narrow down the possibilities. Ultimately, any mass is going to have to be biopsied. This involves the actual removal of some of the cells of the mass so that they can be looked at under a microscope. Only then will you know one way or another.

Thomas Ajava writes about asbestos health issues for AsbestosHealthIssues.com.

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