Symptoms of pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma.

People often ignore the symptoms of mesothelioma or mistake the signs for common minor ailments. It's not unusual for people to experience symptoms for two to three months before seeking medical advice. About one-fourth of those with symptoms may wait as long as six months before they are diagnosed.

Learn the differences between pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma including symptoms, medical treatments and links to additional web resources.

What to look for if you suspect you have mesothelioma

Early symptoms of pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma are listed in the chart below:

Signs		May Indicate
pain in the lower back or at the side of the chest shortness of breath trouble swallowing cough fever sweating fatigue weight loss hoarseness coughing up blood swelling in the face and arms muscle weakness sensory loss		Pleural mesothelioma (chest cavity)
abdominal (belly) pain weight loss nausea vomiting hernia fluid in abdominal cavity a mass in the abdomen		Peritoneal mesothelioma (abdominal area)

Some cases of lung cancer and gastrointestinal cancer can also be attributed to asbestos exposure. Non-cancerous or benign diseases associated with asbestos exposure include asbestosis, pleural plaques, diffuse pleural fibrosis, and benign pleural effusions.

If you have been exposed to asbestos and develop any of the above symptoms, contact your doctor immediately.

Posted by Benny on Tuesday, November 14, 2006 at 11:46 PM | Permalink