Mesothelioma Symptoms

The early symptoms of mesothelioma are generally non-specific, and may lead to a delay in diagnosis. Sometimes resembling viral pneumonia, pleural mesothelioma patients may present with shortness of breath, chest pain and/or persistent cough; some patients show no symptoms at all.

A chest x-ray may show a build-up of fluid or pleural effusion (discussed below). The right lung is affected 60% of the time, with involvement of both lungs being seen in approximately 5% of patients at the time of diagnosis. Less common symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include fever, night sweats and weight loss. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include pain or swelling in the abdomen due to a build-up of fluid, nausea, weight loss, bowel obstruction, anemia or swelling of the feet.

One of the most common symptoms of mesothelioma is a pleural effusion, or an accumulation of fluid between the parietal pleura (the pleura covering the chest wall and diaphragm) and the visceral pleura (the pleura covering the lungs). Both of these membranes are covered with mesothelial cells which, under normal conditions, produce a small amount of fluid that acts as a lubricant between the chest wall and the lung. Any excess fluid is absorbed by blood and lymph vessels maintaining a balance. When too much fluid forms, the result is an effusion.

In its early stages, mesothelioma does not have many symptoms. When symptoms do develop, they are often caused by the cancer growing and pressing on a nerve or other body organ. The symptoms of the 2 main types of mesothelioma are different.

The symptoms of pleural mesothelioma are:

Pain in the lower back or the side of the chest
A persistent cough
Shortness of breath
A hoarse or husky voice
Losing more than 10% of your weight when not dieting
Sweating and fevers
Difficulty swallowing

The symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma are:

Pain in the abdomen
Feeling or being sick
Swelling in the abdomen
Poor appetite
Diarrhoea or constipation
Losing more than 10% of your weight when not dieting

Mesothelioma is a unique disease in that symptoms do not usually manifest themselves until anywhere from 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. For patients and doctors, this is the most frustrating aspect of the disease. The latency period of mesothelioma is lengthy, making the disease undiagnosable until its later stages when symptoms finally begin to appear and little can be done to slow the progress of the disease.

Recognizing Mesothelioma Symptoms

One of the most difficult problems with diagnosing mesothelioma and connecting the symptoms with the disease is the fact that so many of the symptoms - both individually and in tandem - can easily be mistaken for other more common diseases like flu, pneumonia, bronchitis, heart disease, and others.

Mesothelioma Symptoms in the Lungs

A doctor well versed in mesothelioma treatment will take time to investigate a patient's history and hopefully connect past exposure to asbestos with the symptoms. Patients, however, can do their part as well. Anyone that was ever exposed to asbestos, even if it was decades ago, should inform their doctor of the exposure. That information will not only aid the doctor in diagnosis but will also help eliminate the need for many costly and uncomfortable tests that may be ordered while fishing for a diagnosis.