Mesothelioma Symptoms

Other symptoms may include fever, abdominal pain, weight loss, night sweats, loss of appetite, and a general feeling of not feeling well. Due to the general nature of these symptoms, again, mesothelioma is often misdiagnosed. Also, depending on where the cancer is located in the body, there may be different symptoms.

Pleural mesothelioma (cancer of the lining of the lungs and chest cavity), the more common of the two different types of mesothelioma, has symptoms of shortness of breath and pain in the chest. This is also usually accompanies fluid buildup in the pleural space. Symptoms can be relieved by draining this excess fluid.

Peritoneal mesothelioma (cancer of the lining of the abdominal cavity) usually has symptoms such as a blocked bowel, abdominal pain, ascites (buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity), cachexia (muscle wasting, fatigue, loss of weight, and loss of appetite), fever, anemia, a mass in the abdomen, and blood clotting abnormalities. Again, the excess fluid buildup can be drained to alleviate some symptoms.

The most common early signs of asbestos related diseases (not necessarily mesothelioma) are weight loss, pain in the chest and/or abdomen, anemia, coughing or a change in the normal cough pattern, fluid in the septum, shortness of breath, hoarseness, and difficulty swallowing. These can be in combination with one another or alone.

It is important to see a doctor once any symptoms appear after asbestos exposure. Asbestos exposure can be diagnosed through many different tests, such as: urine, feces, mucus, and materials rinsed out of the lungs. The only sure way to diagnose a disease as mesothelioma is through a biopsy of the diseased tissue or perhaps drawing fluid from the tissue.

Treatment options are available, and which treatment used usually depends on how far the mesothelioma has progressed. Surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, clinical trials and other medicines may be used to relieve some symptoms and prolong the life of the patient. Sometimes these different treatment options are used in a combination form. The main goal of these different treatments is to make the patient as comfortable as possible and to prolong life (as there may be hope for a cure the longer the patient lives).