Mesothelioma Symptoms
Mesothelioma symptoms will vary from one patient to the next but there are a some general symptoms that most patients will experience. Since mesothelioma most often affects the lungs, most patients will experience respiratory and breathing complications.
The symptoms of mesothelioma will be partly dependent upon the following factors:
- Size and location of the tumor
- Type of mesothelioma
- Whether or not the tumor has metastasized
- The patient’s age
- How long the patient has had mesothelioma
- The overall health of the patient
Pleural mesothelioma is lung mesothelioma and symptoms include:
- Pneumonia-like symptoms
- Shortness of breath
- Localized chest pain
- Coughing
- Weight loss can also curl with pleural mesothelioma.
Peritoneal mesothelioma is in the abdomen and symptoms include:
- Weight loss
- Abdominal pain and swelling
- A mass in the abdomen
- Anemia
- Blood clotting
- Fever
- Obstruction of the bowels
Pericardial mesothelioma symptoms are of the heart and can include:
- Chest pain
- Irregular heartbeat
- Irregular breathing
It can take 20 to 50 years after asbestos exposure for symptoms of mesothelioma to arise. The asbestos fibers become lodged in the mesothelial layer and don’t tend to show signs of irritation for many years. Since mesothelioma symptoms can mimic other ailments such as the common cold, many people with this type of cancer put off visiting the doctor. When mesothelioma is finally diagnosed, the tumors are often in advanced stages. The earlier the cancer is detected the more effective the mesothelioma treatment is. Once the mesothelioma symptoms arise, the progress of the cancer’s growth can be slowed and often halted.
People that have been exposed to asbestos fibers and are showing mesothelioma symptoms are urged to seek medical attention to receive a full physical examination to determine whether or not they have mesothelioma.
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