Mesothelioma Symptoms

Recent studies have shown that the mesothelioma symptoms appear typically 20 – 50 years after the exposure to asbestos.

Mesothelioma symptoms are not necessarily particular to the disease and can therefore be easily mistaken for more common diseases such as bronchitis, flu or heart disease. However, one symptom that is unique to mesothelioma is pleural effusion, the accumulation of fluid between the lungs and the chest cavity.

This symptom generally causes shortness of breath and requires a doctor to drain the fluid called fine-needle aspiration to make breathing easier and relieve chest pain.

A doctor experienced in mesothelioma symptoms will take the time to investigate a patient’s history and hopefully connect the past asbestos exposure with the presenting mesothelioma symptoms.

Immediate awareness of mesothelioma symptoms leading to an early diagnosis can improve the likelihood that the treatment will extend the patient’s life and relieve their suffering and consequently many of the mesothelioma symptoms.

Just like with any other disease the mesothelioma symptoms vary from case to case and with the severity of the illness. Often the overall health of the individual and their age may play a role in how the patient is affected by the disease and which mesothelioma symptoms are the more troublesome.

The three types of mesothelioma, pleural, peritoneal and pericardial are similar but centred in different parts of the body. Patients are likely to have mesothelioma symptoms that overlap. For example nearly all mesothelioma patients suffer from shortness of breath and fatigue but the pain may be more apparent in the abdominal/stomach area for peritoneal patients and in the chest for those with pleural or pericardinal mesothelioma.

Symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma

  • Chest pain and Fatigue
  • Persistant coughing
  • Pleural Effusion
  • Blood in sputum
  • Shortness of breath
  • Loss of appetite / weight loss
  • Hoarseness and wheezing
  • Recurring infections i.e.bronchitis, pneumonia

Symptoms of Peritoneal Mesothelioma

  • Abdominal pain
  • Bowel obstruction
  • Problems with bowel function
  • Nausea, fever anemia
  • Weight loss / loss of appetite
  • Mass in abdomen/ abdominal swelling
  • Breathing difficulties
  • Fever

Symptoms of Pericardial Mesothelioma

  • Chest pain and Fatigue
  • Persistant coughing
  • Heart palpitations
  • Extreme fatigue after the minimal exertion

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