Mesothelioma is not a particularly easy disease to diagnose. Its symptoms, while serious, are common and generally nonspecific. This lack of specificity may lead to a delay in diagnosis. The classic sign of pleural mesothelioma is called effusion, which is the buildup of fluid between the pleura covering the chest wall/diaphragm and the pleura covering the lungs. Symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain and (sometimes) persistent cough. A thoracic radiogram (chest X-ray) is necessary for a reliable diagnosis. Mesothelioma is not a particularly easy disease to diagnose. Its symptoms, while serious, are common and generally nonspecific. This lack of specificity may lead to a delay in diagnosis.
The classic sign of pleural mesothelioma is called effusion, which is the buildup of fluid between the pleura covering the chest wall/diaphragm and the pleura covering the lungs. Symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain and (sometimes) persistent cough. A thoracic radiogram (chest X-ray) is necessary for a reliable diagnosis.
Oddly, the right lung is affected by symptoms of mesolthelioma much more often (60 percent of the time) than is the left lung. The reason behind this difference is unknown. Patients with symptoms in both lungs make up only about 5 percent of the total.
Patients may also exhibit fever, night sweats and weight loss.
The symptoms of peritoneal (abdominal) mesothelioma are somewhat different: pain or swelling in the abdomen, nausea, weight loss, bowel obstruction, anemia, or swelling of the feet have all been described.
If you or someone you know has been displaying mesothelioma symptoms, a medical assessment should be performed as soon as possible. If the diagnosis is mesothelioma, a consultation with an expert mesothelioma attorney is a wise second step.
