Though individuals with a known history of exposure to asbestos are at high risk for malignant mesothelioma, symptoms do not necessarily mean that they have the rare form of cancer. Accurate diagnosis is essential to getting the right treatment but can be time consuming and invasive. A new study conducted by researchers in the United Kingdom has found that thoracoscopy, a common, minimally invasive procedure, is safe and yields accurate results.
Thoracoscopy is a Less Invasive Option for Mesothelioma Patients
Thoracoscopy is a procedure that is frequently used in mesothelioma treatment. Physicians make a small cut near the lower end of the shoulder blade, between the ribs, then insert a thin, flexible tube with a light and small video camera on the end. The tool is used for various procedures, including removal of excess fluid from the lungs as well as to insert medicine into the area between the lungs and the pleural lining to stop fluid from returning.
Writing in the journal Pleura and Peritoneum, the mesothelioma researchers from Northumbria HealthCare NHS Foundation Trust in Northumberland describe using thoracoscopy to take tissue samples for biopsy as having “high diagnostic sensitivity” while allowing patients to avoid undergoing general anesthesia or a more invasive and painful procedure with higher risk of complications.
Less Invasive Diagnostic Procedure Yields Mesothelioma Diagnosis
While lead researcher Avinash Aujayeb cautioned that questions remain about best practices and appropriate levels of sedation, he wrote that those suspected of having mesothelioma can realize real benefits from the use of thoracoscopic diagnosis.
“In this cohort, local anesthetic medical thoracoscopy was safe, effective, and enabled high diagnostic sensitivity,” he wrote. Patients only required an average of four overnights in the hospital following the procedure, and it yielded 97.5 percent accuracy in diagnosing cancer.
If you or someone you love is suspected of having malignant mesothelioma, getting a fast and accurate diagnosis is the first step to treatment. For access to state-of-the-art resources, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net today at 1-800-692-8608.
