Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that claims hundreds of thousands of lives in U.K. and thousands in the U.S.
Medical experts tagged mesothelioma symptoms as non-specific because most of the time it depicts symptoms of other ailments.
From 1999 to the year 20005, Mesothelioma mortality rate in the US has reached 18,068 with 14,591 males and 3,477 female Americans.
Mesothelioma was once rare but has become as common as skin cancer due to the large production of asbestos, the leading cause of Mesothelioma cancer. An extreme exposure to the fibrous silicate mineral, asbestos before the age of 30 is known to increase the risk of developing this form of cancer.
There are three types of Mesothelioma cancer. These are: (1) Pleural mesothelioma, the most common Mesothelioma cancer and occurs on the lining of the lungs (specifically the right lungs). (2) Peritoneal mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the stomach or abdominal cavity. It has accounted for 20% to 30% of all recorded Mesothelioma patients. (3) Pericardial Mesothelioma, the most rare of all Mesothelioma cancer. It has accounted for only 5% of the total number of Mesothelioma patients. It occurs when asbestos fibers get into the lining near the heart.
Here is the list of the probable Mesothelioma symptoms that a person, who was exposed from asbestos, could be undergoing.
To begin with, here are the Pleural mesothelioma symptoms according to Asbestos.com:
- Persistent dry cough that doesn’t produce any phlegm.
- Coughing up blood (hemoptysis)
- Difficulty in swallowing (dysphagia)
- Night sweats or fever.
- Unexplained weight loss of 10 percent or more.
- Fatigue
- Persistent pain in the chest or rib area, or painful breathing
- Shortness of breath (dyspnea) that occurs even when at rest
- The appearance of lumps under the skin on the chest.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma symptoms according to Asbestos.com:
- Night sweats or fever
- Unexplained weight loss
- Swelling or pain in the abdomen
- Anemia
- Fatigue
- Diarrhea or constipation (in general, any change in bowel habits or regularity)
- Nausea or vomiting
- The appearance of lumps under the skin on the abdomen
Pericardial Mesothelioma symptoms according to Asbestos.com:
- Heart palpitations or irregular heartbeat
- Chest pain
- Difficulty breathing, even when resting (dyspnea)
- Fever or night sweats
- Generalized fatigue
Surgery is the most common treatment associated to curing Mesothelioma cancer. However, as time flourishes, new treatments for the cancer have been discovered. These treatments or therapies include photodynamic therapy, multimodality therapy, gene therapy, immunotherapy, and drug therapy.
