Currently, the most effective way to diagnose mesothelioma is by biopsy. This requires invasive surgery and, if the diagnosis is mesothelioma, there is a risk of the cancer spreading at the biopsy site.
There is an alternative way to diagnose pleural mesothelioma by studying fluid taken from the lung. This is called cytology.
Often both methods are used together, along with blood tests.
Researchers in Australia have used meta-analysis to compare surgical biopsy with cytology and have concluded that it is not always necessary for patients to have surgical biopsies to diagnosis mesothelioma.
The study
The recently published study states that lung fluid testing alone is accurate enough to make a mesothelioma diagnosis, in most cases.
Cytology allows doctors to test for genetic mutations. In mesothelioma patients there are often mutations on the BAP1 or CDKN2A genes so the presence of these can give a diagnosis. Cytology can also be used to identify patients as candidates for trials of gene-based treatments such as immunotherapy.
This will be welcome news to the mesothelioma community as a minimally invasive diagnosis helps to avoid pain and infection which can occur with a surgical approach.
Many patients are not well enough to undergo a biopsy and are treated on the basis of a probable diagnosis, with a definite diagnosis not coming until a post mortem is carried out.
This has ramifications for claiming mesothelioma compensation as some people will not contact a solicitor until they have a definite diagnosis, by which time it may be too late to obtain the necessary witness evidence.
If you require assistance in pursuing an asbestos compensation claim for mesothelioma or other asbestos disease then please contact us today on our freephone number 0800 038 6767. Alternatively, head over to the ‘Contact Us’ page, complete the form and we will be in touch.
Source:
Louw, A, et al, “Advances in pathological diagnosis of mesothelioma: what pulmonologists should know”, July 2019, Current Opinions in Pulmonary Medicine, pp. 354-361, https://insights.ovid.com/crossref?an=00063198-201907000-00005