Mesothelioma Symptoms: An Overview

Mesotheliomas are rare cancers that are in the tissues of the lung lining skin (pleura), abdomen (peritoneum) or heart (pericardium). Pleural mesothelioma, which affects the lining of the lungs is the most common, representing some 75 percent of all mesothelioma cases. Ten to twenty percent of all mesotheliomas are peritoneal mesothelioma. Pericardial mesothelioma is extremely rare. A history of asbestos exposure is found in most people with mesothelioma. The time of exposure and the development of cancer can be up to 30 years, which explains why most people with malignant mesothelioma is between 50 and 70 years.

Many of the symptoms of malignant mesothelioma are not specific and also seen in a series of chest and abdominal disorders. This, combined with the absence of an accurate history of asbestos exposure in some patients may significantly delay diagnosis. Most people with mesothelioma symptoms for only two or three months before the diagnosis. About a quarter of people living with malignant mesothelioma symptoms for about six months before the diagnosis.

Once symptoms are present, the situation of the primary cancer from. In general, the symptoms become more pronounced with advanced illness. With pleural mesothelioma, symptoms are frequent shortness of breath, cough, chest pain or chest, coughing up blood, hoarseness, and accumulation of fluid in the pleural cavity or pleural effusion. The face and arms can swell. Many of these symptoms are also observed with lung cancer.

With peritoneal mesothelioma, the symptoms are a lump or swelling in the abdomen, abdominal pain, fluid accumulation in the abdomen, constipation due to obstruction, nausea, constipation, vomiting and anorexia. Patients with pericardial mesothelioma can cause pain in the chest, shortness of breath and palpitations. Symptoms of malignant mesothelioma are many types of cancer. These include unexplained weight loss, fever and fatigue.