A: Not every person who is exposed to asbestos gets mesothelioma but you should know that almost all the patients diagnosed with this disease have actually made contact with asbestos. Also, the exposure to asbestos is the only known cause of mesothelioma. Read more>>

A: Mesothelioma is a rare type of lung cancer, which affects the thin layer of tissue that covers the internal organs. The disease usually alters the lining of the lungs and chest wall. The most common symptoms of mesothelioma are fatigue, swollen abdomen, shortness of breath, chest pain, cough and weight loss. Read more>>

A: The symptoms of mesothelioma might not appear until 20 to 50 years after the exposure to asbestos. The most common signs of the disease are chest pain, shortness of breath and cough. Read more>>

A: Although this particular type of mesothelioma has not been extensively researched and thus its exact causes and development process are not completely known, asbestos exposure is generally believed to be a very important risk factor for the occurrence of testicular mesothelioma as well. Read more>>

A: Yes. Testicular mesothelioma is a very aggressive and resistant form of cancer and recurrence is thus quite likely to occur within several years of treatment. Read more>>

A: It is essential to identify the type of cancerous cells contained by the tumor, as some cell types respond more efficiently to treatment than others, thus implying a prolonged life expectancy and an improved prognosis. Read more>>

A: Chemotherapy is usually the primary treatment for patients diagnosed with pulmonary cancer or mesothelioma and it is also recommended after a surgical intervention in order to remove the remaining cancerous cells. Read more>>

A: Due to the fact that testicular mesothelioma is an extremely rare type of cancer, treatments available in clinical trials are limited. However, there are several treatment options a patient suffering from this form of mesothelioma can undergo in clinical trial, which can be found here: https://www.mesotheliomadr.com/clinical-trials. Read more>>

A: Doctors use the staging of the disease in order to determine the most efficient treatment. Stage 1 cancer can be treated surgically while for a more advanced mesothelioma (stage 2, 3 or 4) a surgical intervention might not be an option anymore. Read more>>

A: The average prognosis for testicular mesothelioma is relatively poor, with a life expectancy of approximately 20 months after the diagnosis. However, there are a series of factors which, if taken into consideration by the patient, may significantly improve their prognosis. Read more>>

A: Most of the doctors choose to perform a thoracentesis (drainage of the lung using a needle) but 50% of the tests of this type have a negative result. Therefore, more aggressive tests are recommended like biopsy or pleuroscopy. Imaging techniques are also helpful but only a tissue sample can lead to a correct diagnosis. Read more>>