Signs and Symptoms

Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appears until 20-50 years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath, cough and chest pain due to accumulation of fluid in the pleural space are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma.

Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and cachexia, abdominal swelling and pain due to ascites (fluid buildup abdominal cavity). Other symptoms of peritoneal Mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting disorders, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, difficulty swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.

These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions.

Mesothelioma that affects the lungs can cause these signs and symptoms:

• Chest wall pain
• Pleural effusion, or fluid surrounding the lung
• Shortness
• Fatigue or anemia
• Breathlessness, hoarseness, or cough
• Blood in the sputum (fluid) meet up (hemoptysis)

In severe cases, the tumor may be a lot of weight. A person can develop pneumothorax or lung collapse. The disease may metastasize, or spread to other parts of the body.

Tumors that Affect the abdominal cavity often do not cause symptoms until they are late. Symptoms include:

• Abdominal pain
• Ascites, or an abnormal buildup of fluid abdomen
• Mass abdomen
• Bowel function problems
• Weight Loss

In severe cases, the signs and symptoms of the disease may be present:

• Trombid in the veins, which may cause thrombophlebitis
• Disseminated intravascular coagulation disorder causing severe Bleeding in many body organs
• Jaundice or yellowing of the eyes and skin
• Low blood sugar
• Pleural effusion
• Pulmonary emboli, or blood clots in the arteries of the lungs
• Severe ascites

Mesothelioma does not usually spread to bone, brain, and adrenals. Pleural tumors are usually found only on one side of the lungs.