Symptoms Lung Cancer

Symptoms Lung Cancer

By Joseph Devine

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer, which affects individuals who have been exposed to asbestos. Mesothelioma is somewhat unusual in that its symptoms are not immediately apparent. In fact, some afflicted patients go as long as 50 years before realizing they have the disease. However, there are a few key symptoms to be aware of.

The most common symptoms of mesothelioma involve the lungs. Patients frequently report shortness of breath or trouble breathing, most often due to the accumulation of fluid in the lungs. This fluid is able to enter the lungs and surrounding areas due to the growth of tumors. As a result of these tumors, patients may also experience varying degrees of pain in the affected area.

Depending on the type of mesothelioma with which a patient is afflicted, other symptoms may vary. The most common type of the disease is known as pleural mesothelioma. In addition to the symptoms above, patients with this form of the condition often experience weight loss, loss of appetite, trouble swallowing, and difficulty sleeping.

For patients with peritoneal mesothelioma, additional symptoms may include abdominal pain, swelling of the abdomen, bowel obstruction, anemia, nausea and fever.

Lastly, patients who have the pericardial form of the condition frequently experience heart irregularities, chest pain and frequent coughing.

In order to successfully diagnose mesothelioma, doctors most often begin with an x-ray of the patient's chest or abdomen. Although not always conclusive, an x-ray will help the physician determine whether or not mesothelioma is a possibility, or whether the patient has another related condition.

In addition, doctors may perform a CAT (CT) scan or MRI to further examine the area in question. Other possible diagnostic procedures include a complete physical examination, blood tests of specific protein levels and biopsy of the abnormal area.

Once a physician makes a positive mesothelioma diagnosis, they will then want to determine the exact stage of the cancer. Determining the stage involves additional testing in order to find out how far the disease has progressed. Once this has been determined, the physician will have the necessary information to determine the best course of treatment for the patient.