Pericardial Mesothelioma

Knowing the Symptoms of Pericardial Mesothelioma Can Save Your Life

Symptoms for pericardial mesothelioma can take between twenty or thirty years to show up in a person. These symptoms will take even longer to show up in someone who has had exposure to asbestos for a long period of time. In most cases, by the time symptoms show up the cancer is in advanced stages making it difficult to treat. A person who has been exposed to asbestos should see a doctor for testing as soon as possible. If your doctor is aware of the exposure, he or she can be prepared to treat the cancer as soon as the symptoms show up.

Knowing the symptoms to look for will greatly improve the chances of catching pericardial mesothelioma while it is in its treatable stages. There are several symptoms to watch out for including nagging cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, and palpitations. If you have been exposed to or worked with asbestos and experience any of these symptoms you should seek medical attention immediately. This is especially true if you are experiencing more than one of these symptoms.

After reporting these symptoms to your doctor, diagnostic tests can be performed to see if the symptoms are related to pericardial mesothelioma. The doctor will assess how far the disease has advanced and spread within the body. Determining how far the disease has advanced will help determine what kind of treatment will be needed. Of course treatment will also depend on age, medical condition, and past medical history.

Sometimes pericardial mesothelioma can be treated with surgery. Because the cancer is already in advanced stages by the time symptoms show up, surgery might not be an option. Surgery can still be attempted, but it is possible that all of the affected cells will not be removed or treated. This is why it is important to see a doctor as soon as symptoms begin to show. The earlier the cancer can be detected, the better chance that it can be removed from the body through radiation therapy or chemotherapy.

Since pericardial mesothelioma is such a rare disease it is important that it is detected as soon as possible. Knowing the symptoms to look for will help in early detection. Contact a doctor if you have been exposed to asbestos and begin to experience any of the symptoms of mesothelioma.