| Symptoms of mesothelioma take many years to | | | | Muscle weakness and sensory loss |
| become apparent. In other words it has a long | | | | Swelling of the face and arms |
| latency period. This makes it difficult to diagnose | | | | Hoarseness of voice |
| and treat. The person may repeatedly visit the | | | | Coughing up blood |
| doctor with the symptoms but more often | | | | |
| considered as respiratory infections. The | | | | A majority of patients do not show any sign and |
| non-specific symptoms make it hard for even | | | | symptoms until late.Peritoneal mesotheliomaIt |
| experienced doctors to make a quick and | | | | involves structures like abdomen, stomach cavity, |
| conclusive diagnosis with mesothelioma patients. | | | | liver, spleen or the bowel. The origin of peritoneal |
| Even people exposed to asbestos start showing | | | | mesothelioma is usually abdomen, from where it |
| the manifestation late in their life. By the time, | | | | spreads to adjoining organs. The symptoms of |
| mesothelioma is diagnosed, it is already | | | | peritoneal mesothelioma are: |
| widespread. However, the awareness of | | | | |
| mesothelioma has made people detect it in early | | | | Pain or swelling in the abdomen due to a build-up |
| stages.Manifestation of mesothelioma largely | | | | of fluid |
| depends upon the location size and nature of the | | | | Nausea |
| tumor. Sign and symptoms also depend upon | | | | Weight loss |
| whether the tumor is benign or malignant. Benign | | | | Bowel obstruction |
| type of mesothelioma usually does not manifest | | | | Anemia or swelling of the feet |
| itself. On the other hand, malignant type of | | | | Abdominal bloating due to fluid accumulation in the |
| mesothelioma has severe symptoms. It is mostly | | | | abdominal cavity |
| due to the pressure exerted on surrounding soft | | | | Swelling of the feet |
| tissues. The malignancy may invade surrounding | | | | Fever |
| tissues or may result in pericardial or pleural | | | | Impaired bowel function |
| effusion. Invasion of the chest wall may lead to | | | | |
| chest pain.The early symptoms to watch out for | | | | The symptoms are a consequence of pressure |
| are: | | | | exerted by the growing mass. This growing |
| Hemoptysis or Blood in the sputum | | | | tumor can also cause breathing problems, and |
| A cough or a change in cough pattern | | | | chest pain in addition to these symptoms. These |
| Dysphagia or Difficulty in swallowing | | | | symptoms result from tumors that lean against |
| Hoarseness | | | | the abdominal wall. Mesothelioma in peritoneum, |
| Shortness of breath | | | | owing to its space occupying tendency may give |
| Pain in the chest or abdomen | | | | rise to bowel obstruction, anemia, fever and |
| Significant Weight loss. | | | | problems with blood clotting.Pericardial |
| Among all types of mesothelioma, the pleural | | | | mesotheliomaPericardial mesothelioma is a very |
| form is the most prevalent form. As a result the | | | | uncommon form affecting the pericardium. |
| pleural symptoms are the most common | | | | Pericardium is the cavity between the linings of |
| manifestations of mesothelioma. When in early | | | | the heart. The tumor that grows in the tissue |
| stages, the symptoms are more or less like | | | | surrounding heart tends to spread from there. |
| pneumonia and hence often misdiagnosed. | | | | Pericardial mesothelioma sufferers may |
| However these symptoms along with history of | | | | experience chest pain, shortness of breath, |
| asbestos exposure should ring alarms for | | | | persistent coughing and palpitations. Involvement |
| mesothelioma. Physicians should be well aware of | | | | of the membrane around the heart (pericardium) |
| it as usually they are the first to get in contact | | | | may cause heart rhythm disturbances.The |
| with the patient.Pleural mesotheliomaDyspnoea or | | | | symptoms for all types of mesothelioma become |
| shortness of breath along with chest pain is | | | | more acute and obvious with the progression of |
| common manifestation of pleural mesothelioma. | | | | the disease. In spite of it, it can be mistaken as |
| Pleural effusion caused by collection of fluid | | | | other disease condition. The only differentiating |
| between the two linings of lungs and chest cavity | | | | feature is the history of exposure of asbestos. |
| may give rise to persistent cough. On chest | | | | Therefore, it is critical to investigate one's |
| radiography a build-up of fluid or pleural effusion | | | | exposure to asbestos. Symptoms like pain in the |
| may be evident indicating viral pneumonia. | | | | lower back or at the side of the chest, shortness |
| The less common symptoms of pleural | | | | of breath, trouble swallowing, cough, fever, |
| mesothelioma are: | | | | sweating, fatigue and weight loss may be very |
| | | | common, but the doctor should elucidate the |
| Chest pain | | | | history of asbestos exposure to rule out the |
| Pain in the lower back | | | | presence of tumor.Don Lawson is a webmaster |
| Difficulty breathing | | | | who researches and writes about important topics |
| Coughing | | | | concerning people in today's society. You can learn |
| Weight loss | | | | more about Mesothelioma and its causes, |
| Fever | | | | symptoms, treatment options and clinics. |