Careful questioning about the history of asbestos exposure should focus on the period 20 to 50 years before diagnosis and include possible exposure to household contacts. Because asbestos is so widespread, a brief exposure may have been forgotten.
Physical Examination
• Swelling of the neck and face.
• Abdominal mass.
Blood and Other Tests
• Lung function tests usually show a smaller amount of normal lung tissue available for breathing.
• A test for elevated levels of the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in the blood may help distinguish an
adenocarcinoma from mesothelioma, with a markedly elevated level suggesting an adenocarcinoma. This
distinction may be important, for adenocarcinoma of the lung can be much more treatable than mesothelioma.
• Patients with peritoneal mesothelioma may have elevated platelet counts and clotting abnormalities.
• Laboratory studies are not particularly helpful.
