Mesothelioma Symptoms

Mesothelioma symptoms are not specific to the disease; that is, many mesothelioma symptoms are also symptoms of other medical problems.
The symptoms  also depend on the location of the tumors.
Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they are indeed Mesothelioma symptoms. And when mesothelioma symptoms become evident, those symptoms are generalized and not easy to pin down as mesothelioma. Millions of Americans have been exposed to asbestos, the cause of mesothelioma, yet little progress has been made in treating mesothelioma and helping reduce mesothelioma symptoms. It has earned a reputation as a cancer that is very difficult to treat effectively, This reputation is partly due to the fact that in its early stages, the symptoms are quite non-specific, making early diagnosis quite difficult.

They symptoms are often mistaken for other forms of cancer and less serious conditions related to respiratory distress. Malignant mesothelioma symptoms and signs from other mesotheliomas depend upon location of the mesothelioma, its size, and whether it is benign or malignant. Since many doctors, even pulmonologists, may not have expertise in the area of asbestos-related diseases, these mesothelioma symptoms are often believed, at first, to be attributable to other medical problems. You may not observe actual mesothelioma symptoms until many years after your first exposure to asbestos. As mentioned in other sections, mesothelioma symptoms may be symptoms of a number of other diseases, many of which are not nearly as serious as mesothelioma. Even if you currently have no mesothelioma symptoms, however, it is important to tell your doctor if you have had any significant exposure to asbestos so they can proceed with the best steps for a mesothelioma diagnosis.

When symptoms do develop, they are often caused by the cancer growing and pressing on a nerve or other body organ. The mesothelium has different names, depending on its location in the body.
Body

Breathlessness is one of the early and more common symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. Sometimes resembling viral pneumonia, pleural mesothelioma patients may present with shortness of breath, chest pain and/or persistent cough; some patients show no symptoms at all.
Common symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma might include:Abdominal pain, acute to severe Swelling of the abdominal region due to fluid accumulation, Breathing difficulties, Loss of appetite resulting in weight loss, Bowel obstruction, Nausea, Vomiting, Weakness, Fever, Anemia.