Mesothelioma Symptoms

A patient with mesothelioma usually begins showing symptoms 15 to 50 years after their exposure to asbestos. The cancer may take decades to develop in the body and symptoms do not arise until after the cancer is present. Common early symptoms of mesothelioma include fatigue, coughing, shortness of breath and reduced respiratory function. Many patients are unaware they have developed mesothelioma or the severity of their condition as mesothelioma symptoms typically resemble symptoms of less serious illnesses and occur so long after the initial exposure.
If you have a history of asbestos exposure, the leading cause of mesothelioma, and believe you may be showing signs of mesothelioma, it is best to seek immediate medical advice. Informing your doctor of previous asbestos exposure can alert them to the possibility of an asbestos-related disease such as mesothelioma.
If you have already been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you should strive to gather as much information as possible about symptoms, doctors and the disease of mesothelioma. The Mesothelioma Center offers a free packet covering the nation's leading mesothelioma doctors and treatment centers, as well as financial assistance options to help cover medical costs.

What are the Symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma ?
Most pleural mesothelioma symptoms affect the respiratory system. Although they are rarely part of a patient's initial presentation and are typically discovered by imaging tests, pleural thickening or pleural plaques are also indicative of mesothelioma.

The most commonly reported symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include:

• Chest pains
• Shortness of breath (dyspnea)
• Reduced chest expansion
• Barely audible or harsh breathing sounds
• Dry cough or wheezing
• Pleural effusions

These benign lesions can be as large as 6 cm in diameter and appear in scattered clusters across the visceral and parietal pleural surface. In a 2011 study of 221 pleural mesothelioma patients, symptoms were reported with the following frequency:

90% of patients presented pleural effusions

79% of patients experienced shortness of breath

64% of patients reported chest pain

36% of patients developed a chronic cough

30% of patients experienced weight loss

What are the Symptoms for Other Types of Mesothelioma?

Peritoneal mesothelioma:

Abdominal pain is the first symptom that most peritoneal mesothelioma patients exhibit. This is commonly followed by abdominal enlargement and tenderness. Ascites, fluid buildups between the peritoneum and the abdominal organs, are very common, but they often develop later in the progression of the illness. In a study of 13 peritoneal mesothelioma patients, 77 percent of participants developed ascites.

Peritoneal mesothelioma is also associated with a loss of appetite that often results in weight loss, abdominal distention/pelvic mass and abdominal hernias. In one study, 69 percent of peritoneal mesothelioma patients lost weight. Patients may also note bowel obstruction very late in the progression of peritoneal mesothelioma. Additionally, one Australian study found that 10 percent of all diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma patients experienced short, mild seizures.

69% of patients experienced weight loss or loss of appetite

77% of patients developed ascites

Abdominal pain is an early sign of peritoneal mesothelioma

Bowel obstruction generally occurs later

Pericardial mesothelioma:

The few available case reports on pericardial mesothelioma name difficulty breathing and chest pain as the symptoms of this subtype. These symptoms are the result of the pericardium thickening.

Testicular mesothelioma:

The only consistent sign that has been presented by patients with testicular mesothelioma is a lump in the testes. Testicular mesothelioma is incredibly rare, yet as more studies are conducted, additional symptoms may be revealed.