Since symptoms of abdominal mesothelioma are similar to many other diseases, a diagnosis cannot be made purely by observing symptoms. On average, it takes about 4 months of tests to reach a diagnosis of peritoneal mesothelioma. Diagnosis also allows doctors to stage the disease, which means they determine how advanced the cancer has progressed. It is easier to treat mesothelioma abdominal cancer if it is caught in an early stage, so any suspicious symptoms should be brought to your doctor immediately.
Diagnosis involves:
- Physical exam & patient history
- Imaging of the abdomen through use of an x-ray, CT (or CAT) scan, or MRI
- Paracentesis (needle inserted into the peritoneal cavity to drain excess fluid) will be performed and the fluid will be tested
- Fine-needle aspiration biopsy is performed and examined microscopically to locate cancer cells
- If further testing is needed, a peritoneoscopy (doctor views inside the abdomen with a peritoneoscope) is performed
- Another biopsy sample may be taken during the peritoneoscopy
- If more tissue is required for complete diagnosis, a diagnostic surgery or “open” biopsy may be performed
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