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Mesothelioma (benign-fibrous)

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment

Symptoms:

• Chronic cough
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain

Approximately half of mesothelioma patients are asymptomatic (show no symptoms of disease).

Signs and tests:

During a physical examination, the health care provider may notice a clubbed appearance of the fingers.

Tests that may show mesothelioma include the following:

• Chest x-ray
• CT scan of the chest
• Open lung biopsy

References:

Mason RJ, Murray J, VC Broaddus, Nadel J. Textbook of Respiratory Medicine . 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 2005:2002.

Grainger RC, Allison D, Adam, Dixon AK. Diagnostic Radiology: A Textbook of Medical Imaging . 4th ed. Orlando, Fl: Churchill Livingstone; 2001:339-341.

• Review Date: 3/16/2007
• Reviewed By: David A. Kaufman, M.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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