Mesothelioma Symptoms
Malignant mesothelioma is a type of cancer that develops in the mesothelium of a person’s internal organs. The mesothelium is a thin layer of tissue cells that cover the heart, lungs, and abdominal cavity. Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer that has no cure, so it’s important to recognize mesothelioma symptoms so that early diagnosis can occur. The earlier this disease is diagnosed, the better the prognosis and life expectancy. This type of cancer is caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibers, but since mesothelioma symptoms may not appear until decades after asbestos exposure, it is important to get routine medical checkups even if no symptoms of mesothelioma are present.
Pleural Mesothelioma Symptoms
Mesothelioma occurs most often in the mesothelium of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma), but is also found in the pericardium (heart) and peritoneum (abdomen). The most common symptoms of pleural mesothelioma are coughing, shortness of breath, and chest pain, but there are other symptoms that can appear. Some of these additional symptoms can be fatigue, anemia, hoarseness, wheezing, and coughing up blood. Pleural effusion is an accumulation of fluid in the pleural space and is the cause of the chest pain. As the disease progresses and becomes severe, a victim may wind up with many tumors or pneumothorax, which is when the lung collapses.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma Symptoms
When mesothelial cancer develops in the abdominal lining it can cause mesothelioma symptoms such as abdominal pain, abdominal swelling, muscle atrophy, fatigue, weakness, weight loss, bowel function abnormalities, abdominal masses, anemia, and fever. Plus, peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms may not appear until the later stages of the disease. Since malignant mesothelioma cancer can spread to other areas in the body in addition to the mesothelium, other mesothelioma symptoms can develop. These include pain upon swallowing, back pain, or swelling in the face and neck. However, many of these symptoms occur in less serious health conditions and are often overlooked as a sign of mesothelioma.
Symptoms of Mesothelioma in Severe Cases
In severe cases of mesothelioma cancer, symptoms can include blood clots, internal bleeding in many organs, jaundice, low blood sugar, and others. When pleural mesothelioma is discovered it is usually found in just one lung, but not both. Also, in most cases malignant mesothelioma does not spread to the brain, bones, or adrenal glands.
The diagnosis of mesothelioma can be difficult for two reasons. First, mesothelioma symptoms are similar to those found in many other less serious conditions. This makes it very easy to overlook mesothelioma symptoms, assuming they’re being caused by a non-threatening illness. And second, mesothelioma symptoms may not appear for up to 50 or 60 years after exposure to asbestos. This means that mesothelioma can continue to develop unnoticed for decades, until the disease reaches its later stages and the symptoms of mesothelioma finally start to show up. When the symptoms don’t appear until the disease is in its later stages, the prognosis and life expectancy is very poor. This makes it extremely important to get regular medical check-ups if you suspect that you’ve been exposed to asbestos.
Some people think that mesothelioma symptoms are different than asbestos symptoms and asbestos exposure symptoms. However, whether you’re talking about symptoms of asbestos exposure or mesothelioma symptoms, they are all one and the same. The inhalation of asbestos is what causes mesothelioma, and therefore, both mesothelioma symptoms and asbestos symptoms are the same.
In addition to malignant mesothelioma a person can also develop asbestosis, a benign form of mesothelioma tumor. However, even though asbestosis is benign it can later become malignant, so watching for asbestosis symptoms, which are similar to malignant mesothelioma symptoms, is also very important. Whether or not you’ve ever shown symptoms of mesothelioma, if you’ve been exposed to asbestos, or think you may have been exposed to asbestos, it’s vital that you start going in for medical exams on a regular basis, looking for any signs of mesothelioma. Catching it as early as possible can improve your life expectancy.
