Mesothelioma Symptoms
Mesothelioma is a cancer often associated with asbestos exposure that can cause significant problems for individuals that develop it. This form of cancer can present with a variety of symptoms, some of which are similar to other respiratory ailments, making diagnosis a complicated process. Many times, symptoms do not appear for 20 to 50 years after initial asbestos exposure, meaning that mesothelioma may not be the first disease a doctor looks for.
At first, generalized signs of ill-health may be how mesothelioma appears, and the true cause of these symptoms may be overlooked. These can include night sweats, fever, weight loss, and coughing. It is only after the disease progresses that more distinctive symptoms occur. Individuals that have worked with asbestos should pay careful attention to a chronic feeling of illness, as this might be indicative of developing the first stages of mesothelioma.
Different types of mesothelioma can cause different symptoms to appear. Pleural mesothelioma, the form that occurs in the protective lining around the lungs, tends to cause effusion, or fluid between the lungs and the protective sac, as well as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Chest wall pain may occur, and coughing up blood is not uncommon. As a result of inadequate oxygen intake, a patient may feel fatigued much of the time. In the worst cases, tumors may cause a collapse of one of the lungs. Lung tumors generally only occur on one side of the body, distinguishing them from other cancers affecting the lungs and nearby tissue.
Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the lining around the abdomen, and as such, will cause localized symptoms there. These may include abdominal pain and swelling, weight loss, fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity known as ascites, bowel obstruction and constipation, and anemia. Pain in other areas, facial or neck swelling, or problems swallowing could indicate that this cancer has spread to the esophagus or other areas.
Severe forms of mesothelioma will result in an expanded set of symptoms. These symptoms often include blood clot formation in the legs, resulting in vein inflammation known as thrombophlebitis, jaundice, causing the skin and eyes to turn yellow, and bleeding in many body organs, known as disseminated intravascular coagulation. Low blood sugar and blood clots in the lungs are other signs that the cancer has begun to spread beyond its initial tumors, and is causing complications in multiple areas of the body.
Symptoms generally do not affect the immune system, cognitive functioning, or hormone systems, due to the fact that mesothelioma does not metastasize to the bones, brain, or adrenal glands under normal conditions.
If you or a loved one has developed mesothelioma and would like more information about this condition and your legal rights in this situation, please do not hesitate to fill out the accompanying form. The expenses of mesothelioma treatment can be expensive, but you have rights. Don't try to take on this cancer alone, seek help from the professionals.
