The primary cause of Mesothelioma cancer is exposure to asbestos. Once exposed to asbestos, patients generally do not display any Mesothelioma symptoms for 20+ years. Sometime victims of the disease are completely unaware that they were ever exposed to asbestos.
Mesothelioma symptoms can resemble lesser health conditions, making diagnosis of the disease more difficult that other cancer forms. Symptoms also vary depending on the type of Mesothelioma a patient has.
There is Pleural Mesothelioma which attacks the outer lining of the lungs and internal chest wall. The most common Mesothelioma symptoms expressed by pleural cancer patients include shortness of breath, chest pain and persistent cough. Other Pleural Mesothelioma symptoms include fatigue, anemia, fluid surrounding the lung, or coughing up blood.
A second form of Mesothelioma is Peritoneal Mesothelioma which attacks the lining of the abdominal cavity and heart. Peritoneal Mesothelioma symptoms include weight loss, abdominal swelling, changes in bowel movement and the development of lumps under the skin in the abdominal region.
If Mesothelioma symptoms are displayed, the diagnosis of Mesothelioma cancer may be researched with a chest X-ray and CT scan, then confirmed with a biopsy and microscopic examination. Despite treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or surgery, the disease carries a poor prognosis.
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