There are no specific symptoms of the early stage of mesothelioma because its symptoms are also symptoms of other disease. The Early symptoms of mesothelioma tend to be general; they are sometimes neglected or get confused for symptoms of less serious ailments.Mesothelioma symptoms arise due to the thickening of the pleural membrane; this is caused by the production of cancerous cells helping to build up fluid between membrane layers. This thickening of cells places a ptressure on the lungs and hence disturbs the respiratory system. Mesothelioma patients sometimes show symptoms like persistent coughing which is similar to less serious illnesses and can make diagnosis difficult.
A typical symptom of mesothelioma is pleural effusion; this is the accumulation of fluid between the parietal pleura and the visceral pleura. These two membranes are covered with mesothelial cells, they produce fluid that act as a lubricant between the chest wall and the lung. Under normal condition, the fluid produced is in low quantity and if produced in excess will be absorbed by the blood and the lymph vessels there by maintaining a balance, in such situation effusion arise.
Mesothelioma patients may face problems of shortness of breath, cough and chest pain. The less common symptoms include, night sweats, fever, weight loss, pain or swelling in the abdomen caused by build-up of fluid, nausea, anemia, and bowel obstruction.
Patients with mesothelioma often show symptoms 15 to 50 years after initial exposure to asbestos. The cancer can take many years to develop in the body and symptoms do not start to appear until after the cancer is present. Most patients do not know the severity of their condition because mesothelioma symptoms typically resemble symptoms of other diseases.
Mesothelioma disturbs the lining of different cavities in the body. With time, the growth of the cancerous cells causes tissues to expand and gather fluid. The excess fluid that is build-up is what causes the symptoms to occur. Mesothelioma symptoms also depend on the location of the tumors.
