Misdiagnosis of Mesothelioma More Common with Cytology Alone
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Misdiagnosis of Mesothelioma More Common with Cytology Alone

ByAlex Strauss

A new set of case reports illustrates how easily misdiagnosis of mesothelioma can happen when the diagnosis is based on cytology alone.  Cytology tests look at the cells in body fluids. For peritoneal mesothelioma patients, this is often the fluid that collects in their abdomen called ascites.  But doctors from India’s Dayanand Medical College and Hospital say using ascites samples alone to diagnose mesothelioma is a risky practice. Misdiagnosis of mesothelioma may delay proper treatment and negatively impact survival. The Difficulty of Diagnosing Peritoneal Mesothelioma Malignant mesothelioma only impacts about 2,500 people in the US every year. It is most common among people who have lived or worked around asbestos. Peritoneal mesothelioma is even rarer. About a fifth of patients…

Ascites in Mesothelioma: Shunt Improves Quality of Life
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Ascites in Mesothelioma: Shunt Improves Quality of Life

ByAlex Strauss

A shunt that drains excess fluid out of the abdomen is a safe and effective way to relieve the symptoms of ascites in mesothelioma patients. That’s according to a new report published in Cancer Research and Therapeutics.  Ascites is a buildup of fluid in the abdomen. It is a common side effect of peritoneal mesothelioma that can negatively impact quality of life.  But a team of Japanese researchers say an intervention called the Denver shunt can alleviate ascites in mesothelioma and other cancers. It can do so without some of the downsides of other methods. In the right people, the shunt does not tend to cause serious complications. The researchers say the key to success is careful patient selection.  What…