To be sure that what you are suffering from is indeed mesothelioma, you will need to seek medical opinions. Like many diseases, sometimes there are symptoms that could be caused for a variety of reasons. Many doctors may never have come across someone with mesothelioma before, so they may automatically assume your symptoms are down to something else.
If you know you have had significant asbestos exposure, tell your doctor. If you have former colleagues who have developed the disease, mention that too. If your doctor still insists you do not have the disease, get a second or third opinion until you are sure one way or the other.
Here are the three testing options
A good doctor should use a variety of testing methods to build up a better overall picture and reduce the risk of misdiagnosis. These include:
- Blood tests: Doctors should look for higher than average concentrations of fibulin-3, osteopontin or soluble mesothelin-related peptides.
- Fluid and tissue sample tests: Mesothelioma can lead to fluid buildup. Doctors can take a sample of this and test it for cancer, or they could take a biopsy of your skin or of a tumor.
- Imaging tests: They could X-ray your chest cavity, take a CT scan of your body or use MRI imaging. The crucial thing is that they understand what they are looking for.
To claim compensation for mesothelioma, you will need to compile evidence to prove you have the illness, show how it affects you and link it to a previous place of work. Getting legal help to do these three things and present the evidence in a compelling way will be crucial to getting the compensation you need.