| Doctors don't always come up with the right | | | | Normally a biopsy is the best way to diagnose |
| diagnosis. If they make up their mind that a | | | | mesothelioma, but malignant mesothelioma cells |
| condition is X, it's hard for them to think about | | | | can look like other kinds of cancer. Tumor tissue |
| other explanations--sometimes even in the face | | | | that's removed during biopsy must be submitted |
| of evidence that contradicts their initial idea. | | | | to special laboratory tests and, if necessary, |
| Diseases of the chest and the lining of the chest | | | | examined with an electron microscope to confirm |
| cavity (the peritoneum) can be very hard to | | | | a diagnosis of mesothelioma. The important part is |
| diagnose. In one study a woman was found to | | | | to have a physician who considers all the |
| have an artery blocked. Doctors assumed a heart | | | | possibilities when you describe your symptoms. |
| condition, even though 3 months earlier she'd had | | | | If you know someone who has ever been |
| fluid drained from her chest--one very important | | | | exposed to asbestos fibers at work or |
| sign of mesothelioma. Doctors then performed a | | | | elsewhere, and they suspect they may be having |
| surgical procedure that removed the membrane | | | | a heart problem, do them a favor. Help them find |
| surrounding the woman's heart, hoping this would | | | | a physician who knows about all of the various |
| give her some relief. At that point, when they | | | | symptoms that asbestos-related diseases can |
| examined the cells they'd removed, they finally | | | | cause. Mesothelioma is a terrible disease, but with |
| reached a correct diagnosis that she was | | | | proper treatment some patients are able to gain |
| suffering from mesothelioma in the lining of her | | | | extra time with loved ones. |
| heart (pericardial). | | | | |