The timeline for diagnosing mesothelioma varies from patient to patient. It's based on the symptoms, doctor's experience with the illness, types of tests required to confirm the disease and wait times for the results of those tests.
Here is a possible, and common, explanation for the lengthy process of diagnosing mesothelioma:
Day 1: Initial symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue and dry cough are common. It's usually not diagnosed at that time, but the doctor might order X-rays.
Day 2: X-rays determines fluid in the lungs could be pneumonia.
Day 3-Day 13: Physician prescribes antibiotic to treat pneumonia (10-day treatment) OR drains fluid in pleural cavity. No cancer cells detected in fluid.
Day 14: X-rays after treatment show lungs are clear. Doctor orders follow-up X-rays and asks patient to return in 30 days.
Day 44: Follow-up X-rays show fluid build-up in pleural cavity again. Doctor either drains fluid, which may again test negative for cancer cells, or treats the pneumonia with antibiotics again (add 10 days). Doctor orders PET scans and CT scans.
Day 54: Imaging scans show a possible underlying cause or recurrent pneumonia. Patient is referred to a surgeon for an appointment, which can take up to 15 days.
Day 69: Surgeon schedules a biopsy appointment, which can take up to 10 days.
Day 79: Surgeon takes biopsy, usually done via VATS and typically requires a three-day hospital stay for the patient. Lab work to confirm mesothelioma can take up to 10 days if surgeon sends biopsy to an outside lab.
Day 89 (approximately three months later): Mesothelioma confirmed if biopsy tests positive for the disease.
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