Symptoms of Mesothelioma

The term “Mesothelioma” in medical terms is defined as form of cancer that proliferates at a very fast rate after it has been diagnosed, which affects the mesothelial cells in the body. After detailed study of this disease by several scientists all over the world, it has been concluded that in most of the cases the reason is the direct contact with loose asbestos particles. This disease is generally known to be derived from an abnormality that arises from inhaling the loose asbestos particles suspended in the air for a very long time. The chances of the patients, diagnosed of mesothelioma, have very bleak chances of survival which is not more than one or two years and if it has been detected long back and rigorous medication has been started on the patient then the patient is likely to live for about five years.
There are three types of mesothelioma but the symptoms of the diseases depend on their kinds. The symptoms vary from one-another but the general symptoms that are found in patients suffering from different types of mesothelioma are weight loss, chest pain, loss of appetite, short breath , plain cough and cough with blood. Diagnosing mesothelioma in its initial stages is not possible because symptoms surface very late and that, these symptoms are no special signs indicating the particular disease but are common for other diseases too.
Generally the symptoms of mesothelioma resemble to that to any other normal lung diseases. Most of the symptoms arise in the lungs, where the mesothelial cells covering the lungs and the cavity between them are affected due to prolonged inhalation of asbestos fibers. Consulting with the physician is very necessary from time to time and necessary test must be conducted to detect the disease.
The main symptom of mesothelioma is a constant pain in the chest which is followed by short breaths and difficult breathing because of accumulation of fluid in the chest, which makes breathing all the more difficult. Some of the other symptoms of the disease include abnormalities in the lungs, which can be diagnosed under proper supervision of the doctor with a chest CT-scan.

Basically, the disease of mesothelioma advances in four stages. In the first stage, begins the formation of the tumor in the area of lining of the lung and doesn’t exceed from one side of the lung. And then in the second stage the tumor extends to other organs in the chest cavity, such as heart. Then in the third stage its extents to the other abdominal organs affecting all the other organs too. Finally in the fourth and the last stage the tumor extends to all parts of the body and affects all the parts adversely. These are some of the symptoms of the disease of mesothelioma, by which the disease can be tracked in the initial stages of its occurrence. 

The initial symptoms of a mesothelioma are relatively non specific and can go unnoticed for a long period of time. They can also be wrongly associated to other illnesses or simply viewed as signs of an unhealthy lifestyle, such as smoking, obesity or lack of physical activity. Its non specific nature, mostly accentuated during the initial stages of the disease, justifies the long interval of time that elapses between the onset of the symptoms and its diagnosis. In fact, circa 50% of patients discover the true nature of their illness six months or more after the first symptoms appear. The most common symptom of pleural mesothelioma is pain, localized primarily in the back region or on one side of the chest. Some people can also experience a feeling of heaviness or constriction. Many patients have difficulty breathing, are short of breath or feel they can’t get enough oxygen. The following symptoms are less common and often occur at a later stage: coughing, difficulty swallowing, hoarseness, blood traces in the cough, swelling of the face and of the upper limbs (edema). In addition, other symptoms, generally associated with most neo-plastic diseases, are fever, weight loss, fatigue and muscle weakness. Peritoneal mesothelioma often causes abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and a more rapid weigh loss. Abdominal palpation can detect an accumulation of fluid (abdominal dropsy) or the presence of a solid mass.

If a patient with a history of exposure to asbestos experiences these symptoms, physicians must immediately suspect the presence of a mesothelioma and ask the patient to undergo more specific exams.