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If you're having symptoms of malignant mesothelioma, your doctor will ask you about these things.
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Computed tomography (CT) is a test that combines x-rays and computer scans. The result is a detailed picture that can show problems with soft tissues (such as the lining of your sinuses), organs (such as your kidneys or lungs), and bones.
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Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a test that lets your doctor see detailed pictures of the inside of your body. MRI combines the use of strong magnets and radio waves to form an MRI image.
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An x-ray uses a small amount of radiation to create images of your bones and internal organs. X-rays are most often used to detect bone or joint problems, or to check the heart and lungs (chest x-ray).
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You may have tests on your fluid and tissue to help confirm your diagnosis. The tests you have depend on the location and size of the cancer. Each of these tests allows the doctor to remove a small sample of tissue called a biopsy. The doctor sends the tissue to a lab, where a specialized doctor, called a pathologist, looks at it under a microscope and checks for cancer cells. Your doctor may do one or more of the following tests.
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Call your doctor if you have shortness of breath, a temperature above 101.0° F for more than 24 hours, or bleeding from your nose or throat. If you have chest pain or severe shortness of breath, call right away.
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Thoracoscopy is often used to repair a collapsed lung; to examine, biopsy, and stage a mass in the lung; or to drain fluid from around the lungs. During thoracoscopy, your surgeon can look into your chest and perform procedures through small incisions in the chest wall. If a thoracoscopy can't be continued, a thoracotomy (open procedure) may be necessary.
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Call your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms after your procedure:
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Risks of general anesthesia Wound infection Bleeding Inflammation of the lungs (pneumonia)
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The hospital stay after a thoracotomy varies from patient to patient, but it's often a week or longer.
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For the first several weeks after your surgery, you'll be gaining a little more energy and strength each day. Breathing may be uncomfortable at first, and you may be short of breath. Take things slowly, and rest when you get tired. Your doctor or nurse can talk to you about what you can and can't do as you recover.
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Malignant mesothelioma is a type of cancer. And there are very few things scarier than being told you have cancer. You may feel like you're in shock. You may not even want to believe what the doctor has told you. And there are probably so many questions you want to ask but think you can't because you don't know where to start.
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Before deciding on treatment options, your doctor will need to know the extent of the malignant mesothelioma. This is called the stage. Your doctor will look at the results of the tests you had in order to determine the stage of the cancer.
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Malignant mesothelioma is a serious cancer. Most people with it have an advanced form, meaning the cancer has spread. The average survival time is about 1 to 2 years. However, your outlook depends on the stage of the tumor. It also depends on whether removing the tumor with surgery is an option. Finding the cancer in its early stages usually means a better outlook.
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