What are the most common warning signs of mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is difficult to diagnose because early signs and symptoms can be subtle or wrong. The symptoms are often ignored or rejected by people who tend to attribute all common ailments days. Sometimes patients live with symptoms for six months before being diagnosed, but usually the symptoms are present for two or three months before a diagnosis of mesothelioma.
Approximately 60% of patients diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma experience back pain or pain in the chest side and breathlessness are frequent reports. Decreased number of people may have trouble swallowing, or have a cough, fever, persistent weight loss or fatigue. Other symptoms that patients experience are muscle weakness, loss of sensory capacity, coughing up blood, face and arm swelling and hoarseness.
Peritoneal mesothelioma originates in the abdomen and then, symptoms often include abdominal pain, weight loss, nausea and vomiting. Fluid buildup can occur in the abdomen and following cancer.
Exposure to asbestos is the major risk factor for developing cancer. Anyone previously exposed to asbestos show any of these symptoms should seek medical advice from your doctor first to be referred to a specialist in treating mesothelioma and thoracic oncology after receiving a positive diagnosis doctor.
How long does it take for the symptoms of mesothelioma?
One of the most unique facts of mesothelioma is that the disease is characterized by a long latency period, which is often associated with the disease. The latency period is the time between the first point of asbestos exposure at the point where symptoms begin to appear so that a diagnosis can be made. In some cases of mesothelioma latency period is reported as 10 years, but the average latency of most cases is between 35 and 40 years. Accordingly, the cancer often progresses to later stages before diagnosis. When diagnosed at later stages, mesothelioma treatment options become more limited and less effective.
Symptoms of Mesothelioma
Below is a list of symptoms that patients with mesothelioma may face shown. Please click on a symptom to learn more about it.
anemia
Mesothelioma patients diagnosed with anemia have a lower number of normal red blood cells or hemoglobin in the blood.
Blood coagulation disorder
A symptom experienced by many patients with mesothelioma that can lead to anemia and other if inadequate medical care serious complications.
intestinal obstruction
Intestinal obstructions can be a direct effect of cancer. This is a very painful symptom that can sometimes develop in patients with peritoneal mesothelioma.
chest pain
Often known as pleural mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma patients, chest pain may develop as the tumor grows and puts pressure on the lungs and heart.
dysphagia
Pleural mesothelioma patients often develop difficulty in swallowing (esophageal dysphagia) mesothelium continues to grow in the lungs.
effusion
Effusion may occur in patients with mesothelioma when there is a buildup of fluid that affects either the pleura or pericardium. This need can be emptied in a relatively small surgical procedure to control the spill and associated symptoms.
hemoptysis
Hemoptysis, or the symptom of coughing up blood, may originate in the lungs, bronchi and trachea of patients with mesothelioma.
nausea
Nausea experienced in a number of cancer patients, since it is often a side effect of chemotherapy and sometimes the underlying cancer. People diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma may also experience nausea following increased abdominal pressure.
peritoneal effusion
Patients with peritoneal mesothelioma may experience a buildup of fluid in the peritoneum that the tumor continues to grow. This may result in extravasation can inhibit the function of the abdominal organs.
peritoneal effusion
In patients with pleural mesothelioma, pleural effusion may develop when a large amount of fluid in the pleura, the lining between the lungs and chest cavity.
Weight loss
Weight loss may occur in patients with mesothelioma as a side effect of cancer treatment or after other symptoms that may be present, such as difficulty swallowing or nausea.