The Reasons Why No Blood Tests Can Establish the Presence of Asbestos

Several types of tests can confirm the presence of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.

Unfortunately, no blood tests can definitively confirm asbestos exposure.

There are several reasons for this.

Asbestos Fibers Do Not Enter the Bloodstream Right Away

For the most part, asbestos exposure happens through inhalation.

Inhalation is not a guarantee of entry into the bloodstream.

In fact, solid fibers like asbestos fibers will likely enter other parts of the body first like the lungs.

By the time asbestos enters the lungs, the body breaks it down.

This leaves no residual material for asbestos to enter the blood.

The Body Easily Disintegrates Asbestos

Even if some fibers were to make it to the bloodstream, many of these will be remnants of disintegrated asbestos fibers.

Over time, the body’s immune system destroys fibers.

As a result, when a mesothelioma patient’s blood is drawn for testing, asbestos fibers don’t show up in the blood samples.

False Positives

False positives occur when blood tests incorrectly indicate a condition that is actually not present.

In other words, a false positive is like a “false alarm.”

In the context of blood tests and asbestos screening, various illnesses have similar markers to asbestos exposure.

For this reason, ruling out asbestos exposure using a blood test will yield inaccurate results.

Other tests consisting of biopsies, confirmatory blood work, and other diagnostics are still the best ways to conclusively trace asbestos.

What Are the Best Tests for Asbestos Exposure?

To assess the extent of exposure and potential risks associated with asbestos, healthcare workers will employ a battery of tests to develop a mesothelioma diagnosis.

These tests may not conclusively prove the presence of asbestos in your body.

However, the resulting findings can help your mesothelioma attorney rule out other causes of your illness.

The kinds of tests used to build your mesothelioma or wrongful death lawsuit can vary.

For the most part, physicians and mesothelioma law firms favor a combination of the tests listed below.

Asbestos Fiber Sampling and Analysis

One of the first facts to establish in your mesothelioma lawsuit is your environmental exposure to asbestos fibers.

To do this, your attorney and physician may recommend an analysis or examination of your environment.

Your environment can be your home, workplace, or the area surrounding your residence.

To establish the presence of asbestos, your mesothelioma and asbestos lawyers may require an asbestos fiber sampling and analysis.

The analysis involves sampling the air in environments where asbestos may be present.

These samples are then examined in specialized laboratories to determine the concentration and types of asbestos fibers present.

This method helps gauge the likelihood of exposure and aids in identifying who should be held liable for your mesothelioma diagnosis.

Lung Function Tests

Mesothelioma is an asbestos-caused cancer that affects various parts of the body, including the lungs and airways.

Knowing this, your physician will use lung function tests to establish the presence of mesothelioma.

Lung function tests include incentive spirometry which measures how well your lungs expand.

According to the American Lung Association, it’s one of the first tests for evaluating lung function and capacity.

Besides spirometry, a physician may also employ lung volume testing.

Lung volume testing assesses how much air your lungs can hold during one breath.

A deficiency in lung volume signals the presence of a lung illness like asbestos-caused malignant mesothelioma.

Chest X-Ray

One of the tests used to determine if a patient developed mesothelioma is a chest X-ray.

Chest X-rays will reveal parts of the lung with fluid accumulation, calcium formation, and other findings that suggest mesothelioma.

Bronchoscopy

When checking for lung damage or tumor growths from asbestos-caused pleural mesothelioma, physicians will use a procedure like a bronchoscopy to check airways and lung fields.

Besides visualizing lung structures and the airways, a physician will also use bronchoscopy to gather samples of any tumor growth.

This is where the next test comes in.

Lung Biopsy

A lung biopsy is a medical procedure used to remove tissue samples from the lungs.

Physicians use the samples to examine for signs of cancer or other diseases, including mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is a rare but aggressive cancer that can develop in the lining of the lungs, abdomen, or heart.

Mesothelioma can be the result of several causes but it is, for the most part, caused by exposure to asbestos.

Once a physician sees mesothelioma cells in the tissue sample, it will almost always be because the patient inhaled asbestos and has been doing so for years.

This makes a biopsy result one of the definitive tests for confirming asbestos exposure and mesothelioma.

Blood Test Procedures for Mesothelioma Markers

Mesothelioma markers are substances in the blood that can potentially indicate the presence of mesothelioma cells.

These markers include Fibulin-3 and soluble mesothelin-related peptides.

The test procedures used to establish the presence of these markers are the MESOMARK blood test and the SMRP test.

These tests can confirm mesothelioma and help establish asbestos exposure.

These tests — along with the others mentioned in this section — make them critical to success in mesothelioma lawsuits.

Tests Alone Do Not Suffice for a Successful Mesothelioma Lawsuit — You Also Need Mesothelioma Attorneys

Tests and other diagnostic procedures can go a long way in establishing your asbestos exposure.

Without the right legal representation, a person’s chances of receiving mesothelioma compensation are lowered.

This is why you need an experienced mesothelioma and asbestos attorney to represent you.

Experienced mesothelioma attorneys can aid your mesothelioma lawsuit case in several ways.

Below are some of the ways our attorneys can help you when you file a mesothelioma lawsuit.

Guidance in the Mesothelioma Lawsuit Legal Process

An experienced mesothelioma attorney can guide you through proceedings surrounding your asbestos litigation.

Your attorneys are well-versed in the legal process, meaning they can guide you through statutes of limitations, the filing process, your rights to a claim, and what to expect.

Assistance if You’re Filing a Wrongful Death Lawsuit

If you are filing because you lost someone to mesothelioma, your attorney can also help.

An attorney with experience in representing clients in wrongful death lawsuits can support and guidance, as well as calculate for damages not seen in any other type of personal injury lawsuit.

Using Evidence To Establish and Prove Your Right to a Fair Settlement

A qualified mesothelioma lawyer can use your medical tests, blood test markers, diagnostics, and other lab findings to establish your injuries and what caused them.

Most importantly, your attorney can also use these pieces of evidence to identify who’s at fault.

This may require negligent parties to pay fair mesothelioma settlements — whether you’re suing your landlord, employer, or a negligent asbestos company.

Calculate Mesothelioma Compensation and Other Damages

With our experience in asbestos lawsuits, our law firm will work tirelessly to help you obtain financial compensation for damages.

These damages can include medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other related costs.

Using your diagnostic test findings and the mesothelioma diagnosis issued by your physician, we aim to maximize the amount of compensation you can recover.

We File a Mesothelioma Lawsuit on Your Behalf

Attorneys help victims prepare and file legal documents, such as complaints or petitions, within the correct timeframe.

We ensure that all necessary paperwork is properly completed and submitted to the appropriate court.

By doing this, we get you a step closer to a successful mesothelioma claim.

TorHoerman Law: One of the Top National Law Firms for Mesothelioma and Asbestos Claims

If you’ve developed mesothelioma from asbestos exposure, you must take legal action.

File a mesothelioma lawsuit with the help of our experienced mesothelioma attorneys.

A THL mesothelioma lawyer specializes in recovering maximum compensation for victims.

If you’re a mesothelioma patient, we are here to leverage every piece of medical evidence to bolster your legal claim.

Choose one of the best mesothelioma law firms in the country.

Contact TorHoerman Law for a free consultation.

You can also use the chatbot on this page to find out if you qualify for the mesothelioma lawsuit instantly.