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Common Symptoms of Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is one of the most deadly forms of cancer. It’s considered to be 100% fatal due to the inability to be diagnosed in time for any treatment to be effective. Studies have shown that on average, patients live only 242 days after diagnosis.

Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos dust or particles. From the time of exposure it can take twenty to thirty years before the symptoms manifest. Generally, the disease starts from the mesothelium (the lining of the body that protects the organs such as the lungs, the heart and parts of the abdomen) and can easily spread to the other parts of the body.

There are three kinds of mesothelioma and each has different symptoms.

  • Pleural mesothelioma – attacks the lining and the cavity of the lungs. Symptoms, as the disease advances, include: chest pain as the lungs fill with fluid along with shortness of breath, a tightening sensation in the chest, persist coughing, rasping, difficulty in swallowing, coughing of blood, fever and weight loss.
  • Peritoneal mesothelioma – attacks the areas in the stomach and abdomen of a person. This type is very painful as the tumors press on the wall of the abdomen. Symptoms include: stomach pains and swelling in the abdomen, pain as severe as a ruptured appendix. As the disease advances, next comes intense pain in the chest, difficulty breathing, anemia, abnormal clots in the blood, rapid weight loss, constipation, fever and vomiting.
  • Pericardial mesothelioma – attacks the lining to the heart and surrounding area. This is the rarest of the types. Symptoms includes sever chest pains, palpitations, labored breathing and coughing.

The problem with correctly diagnosing pericardial mesothelioma in time to treat it successfully is that its symptoms could easily be mistaken for some other medical condition. A successful diagnosis requires that the patient undergo either an abdominal scan, CAT scan or an MRI.

The warning signs should never be ignored and it’s important when seeing the family physician to mention any possible asbestos exposure in the past.

©2008 MesotheliomaHealth.org
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