How Mesothelioma is Diagnosed

The most common form of mesothelioma occurs in the lungs. People suffering from pleural mesothelioma, which makes up three-quarters of all mesothelioma cases[1], will often experience difficulty breathing. Another common symptom is reoccurring fluid in the lungs, which makes breathing difficult and painful.

Less common kinds of mesothelioma and their symptoms are:

• peritoneal (abdominal) mesothelioma: Weight loss, swelling and pain in the abdomen, blood clotting abnormalities, bowel obstruction, anemia, and fever[2]
• pericardial (heart lining) mesothelioma: Shortness of breath, chest pain, fluid in the pericardial space, persistent coughing, and heart palpitations[3]
• testicular mesothelioma: Swelling or a mass on the testicle[4]

How is mesothelioma diagnosed?

It is important to note that mesothelioma is a rare cancer and the symptoms listed above are similar to those presented by other diseases and medical conditions. Most people diagnosed with mesothelioma have had heavy occupational exposure to asbestos. It can take up to 50 years for symptoms to progress enough for mesothelioma to be diagnosed. People experiencing these symptoms should contact their physician and be sure to relate any previous asbestos exposure.

In most instances, the doctor will first order an image of the area of concern, most often a CT scan. If a mass is located, surgeons will perform a biopsy of the tumor to determine the type of cancer. There is no way to diagnose mesothelioma without a biopsy of the tumor.

What should I do if I am diagnosed with mesothelioma?

In the event that you are diagnosed with mesothelioma, you should contact an attorney who focuses on asbestos lawsuits as you may be entitled to compensation by the companies that manufactured the asbestos products you were exposed to. A good asbestos attorney will be able to walk you through the process to determine what products you were exposed to. You and your family deserve compensation for the pain, medical costs and the very real possibility that your life will be cut short due to this terrible disease.

RPWB attorneys have been helping people diagnosed with mesothelioma since the 1970s. We were among the first to hold asbestos manufacturers liable at trial in 1976.[5] Since then, we have worked on behalf of thousands of mesothelioma victims in almost every state and U.S. territory. We stand ready to help. Call us for a free, no-obligation case review and you will see why we are a trusted law firm for mesothelioma lawsuits.

We are a nationally recognized asbestos and mesothelioma law firm. US News & World Report lists us a 2020 Best Law Firm.[6] Twelve of our attorneys were named to the 2020 Best Lawyers in America list, making us the top-rated mass tort law firm in the country as well as the top-ranked product liability firm South Carolina a.[7] For the past five years, The Legal 500 has named RPWB as one of the top six law firms in the United States for asbestos litigation and other toxic torts.[8] Many of our attorneys have been recognized by Super Lawyers as being among the best in their practice areas. Our experience is so well established that we serve as national trial counsel for other law firms’ asbestos and mesothelioma cases.

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