Mesothelioma Symptoms

General Symptoms

The most common symptoms associated with mesothelioma are also symptoms of other, far less serious illnesses. Most individuals with mesothelioma initially experience shortness of breath or have a persistent cough. Doctors do not immediately assume these symptoms indicate a malignant tumor; it is common for mesothelioma patients to be sent home with an entirely different diagnosis. Often shortness of breath and persistent cough are attributed to viral pneumonia or a common respiratory virus. However, when pleural mesothelioma is present the shortness of breath and cough persist and a look inside the pleural lining (tissue that protects the lungs) reveals a malignant growth.

The illustrations below show two lungs. The first illustration is of a healthy lung with healthy surrounding tissue. The pleural lining is protecting the lung and the pleural space gives the lung room to expand and contract with normal breathing. This healthy lung shows no sign of damage and continues to provide a normal breathing capacity. The second illustration is a diseased lung. This lung is being compressed due to tumor growth within the pleural lining. The diseased lining changes from its original smooth state to resembling the skin of an orange, rough and textured. It is common for fluid to build up in this area and this is often the cause of a patient’s first symptoms. When the lung becomes compressed, taking a deep breath often results in pain or coughing. In the earliest stage of mesothelioma this pain is minimal and some individuals don’t experience any pain at all.

Tumor growth in other areas can cause the patient to feel pain at the site of the growth. These tumors can grow in the protective tissue that surrounds not only the lungs but the heart (pericardial mesothelioma) and abdominal organs (peritoneal mesothelioma) as well. The pain that patients feel is usually minimal at first but increases in severity as the cancer progresses.

Other Symptoms

One of the main factors that makes mesothelioma such a deadly cancer is that it is often not detected until it is in a very advanced stage. The latency period of the disease is sometimes as long as 20, 30 or even 40 years. The symptoms surrounding the disease are so difficult to identify as indicative of mesothelioma that doctors may spend a great deal of time treating patients for other illnesses. This substantial amount of time lost in identifying mesothelioma creates a graver situation for the suffering patient. Symptoms may increase and become much more severe as the disease progresses.

The three main forms of mesothelioma are pleural, pericardial and peritoneal. Pleural describes the tissue that surrounds and protects the lungs, pericardial is the tissue that surrounds the heart and peritoneal is the lining that protects the abdominal organs such as the liver and bowels. This surrounding, protective tissue becomes enlarged as it is infected with cancer cells. This enlargement often causes severe pain at the site of the tumor growth.

In pleural mesothelioma the lining of the lung becomes diseased and begins to compress the lung. The lung and surrounding tissue fill with fluid making breathing difficult and often painful. Pleural mesothelioma often occurs simultaneously with pericardial mesothelioma in which case the tissue surrounding the heart also becomes diseased. The patient may experience weight loss or trouble swallowing in addition to the other symptoms. These symptoms are rare but have been known to occur in patients with pleural mesothelioma. In addition some patients report severe lower back pain. As with all of the other symptoms, it is difficult for doctors to identify this as a symptom of the mesothelioma until many other illnesses are ruled out.

Pericardial mesothelioma is considered the most serious of the three types of this disease mainly because it affects the lining of the heart. As with pleural mesothelioma asbestos particles lodge in the lining of the heart and cause tumors to form. These tumors allow fluid to build around the heart and the symptoms follow. Chest pain and breathlessness are common factors but individuals with pericardial mesothelioma may also suffer extreme fatigue and heart palpitations.

In the case of peritoneal (abdominal) mesothelioma individuals may initially experience symptoms similar to those associated with irritable bowel syndrome. Constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal pain are usually the first clues to peritoneal mesothelioma. Individuals with this type of mesothelioma are often treated for other illnesses for many years before a diagnosis of mesothelioma is even suggested. The symptoms associated with this disease are sometimes uncomfortable to discuss, even with a doctor so patients keep many of these symptoms to themselves resulting in delaying the diagnosis even further. When peritoneal mesothelioma progresses patients may experience bowel obstruction and more severe pain at the site of the tumor. Nausea and weight loss go hand in hand as the abdomen swells with the build up of fluid that is common in this type of cancer. Most patients experience swelling in other areas as well, such as the feet, and many become anemic.

When to Worry

Mesothelioma is frequently misdiagnosed, especially when symptoms first start to show up. The symptoms are often mistaken for much less serious ailments and sometimes individuals exhibit no symptoms at all. Mesothelioma can take anywhere from 20 to 50 years to become evident so individuals may show no symptoms, giving the disease time to grow in the body.

If you have the basic symptoms (shortness of breath, persistent cough, weight loss, and loss of energy) and more common diseases such as pneumonia have been ruled out, and you have a history of asbestos exposure, then you should raise the possibility of mesothelioma to your doctor.

People were exposed to asbestos in many places. If you worked in an asbestos manufacturing plant or lived in close proximity to a factory that produced asbestos products, you may have inhaled asbestos fibers. Many mesothelioma victims trace their exposure back to military service; all branches used asbestos extensively.

Industries that utilized asbestos products include shipyards, mines, steel mills and power plants. People who worked as insulators, boilermakers, plumbers, pipefitters, steamfitters, and electricians and their immediate family members are at a greater risk for developing mesothelioma.

Remember: this disease is rare - fewer than 4,000 cases are diagnosed in the US each year. But individuals that exhibit any of the symptoms and have a history of asbestos exposure or lived with someone who was consistently exposed to asbestos should seek medical advice. Most doctors will investigate other possibilities prior to considering mesothelioma but it is important to make the doctor aware of any history working with or around asbestos-containing products. Mesothelioma might not occur to a diagnosing physician unless you specifically mention your history of asbestos exposure. Indeed, mesothelioma is so rare that most doctors have little experience with it, and mesothelioma is frequently misdiagnosed as doctors pursue different possible diseases.

Only a doctor can diagnose mesothelioma by using radiological imaging and completing a biopsy of tissue.

If mesothelioma is present treatment options are available and there are many new clinical trials underway to help treat this aggressive and deadly disease. Knowing the risk factors and symptoms of this disease may help individuals become more proactive in getting tested and getting treatment.

Diagnosis of mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a devastating disease that is most often attributed to asbestos exposure.

The outlook for individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma is often poor and most survive only one to two years after diagnosis.