Wednesday, February 3, 2010

How to Comprehend Mesothelioma Symptom

By Heidi Wingrain

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer which affects the mesothelium. Pleural, peritoneal and pericardial are the three forms of mesothelioma. It is a serious form of cancer and occurs due to asbestos exposure for a prolonged period of time. Mesothelioma symptom appears after many years of being infected. Most of the mesothelioma deaths occur since the infection is diagnosed at developed stages of the disease.

Only an experienced medical practitioner can detect the exact type of cancer, since the symptoms for all three types are mostly similar. Wrong diagnosis often proves fatal as it further delays the treatment. Shortness of breath, difficulty in swallowing, hoarseness, building up of extra fluid between the pleura, pain in chest, abdomen, shoulder or arm, tiredness, fever, loss of weight and appetite are the symptoms of pleural mesothelioma.

Depending of the seriousness of the disease, the symptoms may vary from person to person. About 90% of the patients experience chest pain and shortness of breath, 84% suffer pleural effusion and less than 30% bear weight loss. It should also be noted that around 3% of the patients remain without any symptoms.

Pain or swelling in the abdomen, high fever, problems associated with bowel movements, weight loss etc are experienced by peritoneal mesothelioma patients. A few patients may go through additional mesothelioma symptoms where as some may not witness all the above mentioned symptoms. The symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma are persistent cough, pain of varying degrees, tiredness without any physical exertion etc.

Recognizing the symptoms in the right perspective is the first step towards formulating a winning treatment formula. Mesothelioma symptom usually appears after the person is well past his or her prime and this is also a restricting factor in mesothelioma cure. Once the doctor recognizes the type of cancer from the symptoms and checkups, treatment procedures start in real earnest. If the tumor is just a localized growth, it can be removed by surgery. But chemotherapy and radiation also may be required to fight advanced stages of this cancer and the results are not always encouraging.

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