Is It Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a cancer but the most surprising fact is that the symptoms of the disease are like that of some common medical problems. The most common types of this disease- Pleural Mesothelioma and Peritoneal Mesothelioma develop different symptoms.
The typical symptom of a Pleural Mesothelioma is shortness of breath with or without a chest pain. This shortness of breath is caused due to Pleural effusion or the accumulation of fluid in the lining between the chest cavity and the lung. The chest pain is a result of this fluid accumulation. Pleural effusion also causes Dyspnea. This can also be due the presence of tumors in the pleura. Back pains are also caused due to fluid accumulation in the pleural lining. As per statistical records, 5% of patients have been diagnosed with Mesothelioma in both the lungs. Some of the rare symptoms include Dysphagia or the difficulty in swallowing which results from the presence of a tumor(s), chronic hoarseness, and Hemoptysis, which refers to the copughing up of blood. If swelling of the face and arms are found to occur then it would indicate a spread of the disease beyond mesothelium. Fever, nausea, sensory loss and muscle weakness are the other symptoms.
The Peritoneal Mesothelioma is characterized by swelling and pain of the abdomen. Bowel obstruction also results from the growth of a tumor in the peritoneal membranes which exert a pressure on the organs of the abdominal cavity. This again results in loss of appetite, weight loss, anemia and nausea. There is also an increased frequency in urination due to pressure of the tumor(s) apart from night sweats, loss of muscle tissue and fever.
Since the above mentioned symptoms can also be the symptoms of simple diseases, so it is very difficult to diagnose Mesothelioma in the early stage. This has paved the way for conducting a variety of tests before a conclusion can be drawn.