A ‘Breath of Hope’ for Mesothelioma Diagnosis
A new report that analyzes the available data on breath testing for mesothelioma says the technique has great promise for detecting the disease earlier. The study, entitled “Breath analysis in asbestos-related disorders: a review of the literature and potential future applications”, says many of the current invasive methods for diagnosing mesothelioma carry a high risk of complications, especially in the elderly, who are most likely to contract the disease. Mesothelioma is the most deadly of a group of asbestos-related disorders which also include asbestosis, pleural plaques, and lung cancer. Because the disease can take from 20 to 50 years to develop, most mesothelioma patients are over 65. Mesothelioma surgery carries many risks, a fact that has prompted researchers around the world to…