Mesothelioma can take a long time to develop, and the symptoms of the disease often do not present themselves until the cancer has progressed to later stages. Early signs of mesothelioma can be easily mistaken for common, everyday ailments, and as a result, early symptoms are often ignored, dismissed, or misdiagnosed.
Symptoms can also vary significantly based on the type of mesothelioma a person has. The table below provides an overview of the most common signs and symptoms of late-stage mesothelioma based on the location of the tumors
Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include:
In general, the early stages of the disease present fewer and milder symptoms than the later stages. This is one reason why mesothelioma is so hard to diagnose in the early stages, and why developing early detection techniques is an important area of research.
Symptoms can also vary significantly based on the type of mesothelioma a person has. The table below provides an overview of the most common signs and symptoms of late-stage mesothelioma based on the location of the tumors
Symptoms by Mesothelioma Type
While a few symptoms are common to all types of the disease, mesothelioma symptoms are strongly tied to the location of the mesothelioma tumors in the body.Pleural Mesothelioma Symptoms
The most common form of mesothelioma, pleural mesothelioma develops in the linings of the lungs and accounts for approximately 75 percent of all cases of the disease. Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma often affect breathing and the thoracic cavity(chest), and they can often be taken for problems related to other diseases, such as pneumonia, flu, or even lung cancer.Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include:
- Chest pain and general body aches
- Chronic coughing
- Pleural effusion – a buildup of fluid linings of the lungs
- Weight loss – especially if sudden and / or unexplained
- Fatigue
- Fever and night sweats
Peritoneal Mesothelioma Symptoms
The lining of the abdomen is known as the peritoneum, and this is where peritoneal mesothelioma develops, accounting for approximately one quarter of mesothelioma cases. Because the abdomen contains many different organs, symptoms can vary significantly, depending where within the abdomen tumors occur and which organs may be affected. Symptoms such as loss of appetite, swelling, and abdominal pain can often be confused for diseases related to specific organs or systemic problems, rather than mesothelioma.Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include:
- Abdominal pain and swelling
- Loss of appetite (anorexia)
- Weight loss – especially if unexpected or sudden
- Ascites – a buildup of fluid in the abdomen
- Anemia – most often in women
- Bowel obstruction
- Fever
- Nausea
Pericardial Mesothelioma Symptoms
Fewer than 1 percent of mesothelioma cases affect the lining of the heart (the pericardium), and unfortunately in many cases the disease is not diagnosed until after the patient dies. As with other forms of the disease, symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma can often mimic other conditions, such as coronary heart disease, heart failure, or pericarditis (an inflammation of the pericardium).Symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma include:
- Chest pain
- Pericardial effusion – fluid buildup between the heart and pericardium
- Arrhythmia – an irregular heartbeat or palpitations
- Heart murmur
- Dyspnea – shortness of breath
- Fever and night sweats
Symptoms by Mesothelioma Stage
The latency period for mesothelioma can last for many years, usually decades. This provides a long timeframe during which symptoms can develop, and in many cases they may be confused for symptoms of another condition even after the symptoms begin to occur.In general, the early stages of the disease present fewer and milder symptoms than the later stages. This is one reason why mesothelioma is so hard to diagnose in the early stages, and why developing early detection techniques is an important area of research.
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