Mesothelioma Symptom Article
Symptoms of Mesothelioma.
Symptoms of mesothelioma are also symptoms of other conditions. As mesothelioma is rare and it takes between 20 to 50 years to appear following asbestos exposure, it is not in the hot list of potential diagnoses for the doctor and the sufferer.
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer affecting the mesothelial lining of the lung and chest wall (pleural mesothelioma), the abdominal cavity (peritoneal mesothelioma) and very rarely the pericardium of the heart (pericardial mesothelioma). There has been a rare case of ovarian mesothelioma. Symptoms of mesothelioma will manifest in direct relation to where the tumor is located.
Symptoms of pleural Mesothelioma:Breathlessness (shortness of breath).
Chest pain.
Coughing and coughing up blood (haemoptysis)
Pleural effusion. (fluid collection in the chest.)
Back pain (area of the thoracic Spine)
Hoarseness and difficulty swallowing (dysphagia),
Weakness, loss of appetite (anorexia), weight loss and fever (pyrexia).
Pneumothorax (lung collapse due to air in the pleural cavity).
Symptoms of peritoneal Mesothelioma.
Pain in the abdomen
Mass in the abdomen. The doctor may be able to feel this on palpation.
Bowel obstruction.
Weight loss, loss of appetite, fever.
Nausea and vomiting.
Symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma.
Chest pain. (usually overlying the heart)
Breathlessness and coughing.
Irregular heart beats.
Although the symptoms of mesothelioma may suggest other conditions, if there is a past history of asbestos exposure, or you are concerned, then early assessment of your symptoms is important. The earlier the diagnosis, the better the prognosis.
The symptoms of mesothelioma may raise suspicion but the diagnosis of mesothelioma is based on past history of asbestos exposure, CT scan, MRI and often needle biopsy.
So if you have symptoms
that
persist for longer than you expect, make an appointment to have a check
up.
There are about 3000 new cases annually in
