Pericardial Mesothelioma Diagnosis & Treatments

A fast and accurate diagnosis of pericardial mesothelioma is difficult, due to the non-specificity of the symptoms of this type of cancer.

X-Rays, CT Scans, and biopsies are often used to help diagnose pericardial mesothelioma.

To diagnose pericardial mesothelioma, a patient's symptoms, medical history, and current medical condition must all be assessed. The initial stages of diagnosis involve taking a medical history and undergoing a thorough physical examination. Following these initial steps, a variety of imaging tests may be required to determine exactly where cancer is located. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been found to be the most effective at assessing the disease and determining the extent of its development. The final stage of diagnosis typically involves a biopsy to confirm the point of origin of the cancer. A biopsy involves the removal of tissue or fluid from the pericardium, followed by laboratory tests of the tissue and fluid to confirm the presence of mesothelioma.
In sum, medical professional typically take a comprehensive approach to diagnosing this disease, recommending analysis of gross appearance, proteins of cancerous cells and electron microscopy.

Pericardial Mesothelioma Treatments

Most people diagnosed with this form of mesothelioma are not good candidates for cancer surgery . However, there are rare cases where the cancer is diagnosed early, and surgery can be carried out to remove small, localized pericardial tumors. This type of surgery carries great risk, simply due to the proximity of the heart.
Prognosis for those with pericardial mesothelioma is grim and palliative treatment is usually the only option for people diagnosed with pericardial mesothelioma. This type of treatment is performed to improve a patient's quality of life, and reduce the severity of symptoms caused by the build-up of fluid in the pericardium. Fine needle aspiration may be carried out to remove excess fluid as well. In some cases, radiation therapy may be an option. Unfortunately, the proximity of the heart and lungs make this a risky prospect.
Treatment for this type of mesothelioma is almost purely palliative. Roughly 50 to 60 percent of pericardial mesothelioma patients are claimed by the disease within six months of diagnosis. One patient survived five years following treatment of partial surgical resection and radiation. One other patient survived one year after a similar treatment approach.