| By :
Wendy Moyer
Malignant mesothelioma is a very deadly type of cancer. It is usually is the result of a person inhaling or swallowing asbestos fibers or asbestos dust. It literally can take three or four decades before symptoms of the disease appear. Although the vast majority of mesothelioma victims were exposed to asbestos while at work, many of their family members have also succumbed to the disease because the asbestos workers unknowingly brought home asbestos fibers on their work clothing. Then, once the fibers became airborne they spread throughout the house. Often the mesothelioma symptoms are very much the same as the symptoms of other medical problems. Consequently many mesothelioma victims are not even aware that their symptoms relate to something that happened to them when they were much younger. Even if a person is exposed to asbestos for a few months that short amount of exposure may establish the conditions necessary for the disease to erupt much later in their lives. Because of the amount of time that the disease has to develop the prognosis for mesothelioma patients is very grim. Mesothelioma affects the linings of different cavities in a person's body. Over the years the cancerous tumors grow and cause the tissues to expand. Subsequently they gather fluid. It's not unusual for the first symptoms, called pleural effusion, to occur because the symptoms are caused by the excess fluid. In addition, the location of the cancerous tumors can cause other symptoms to appear. What Are the Symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma? Pleural mesothelioma affects the lining that surrounds the lung. The most commons symptoms are chest pain, a shortness of breath, and a persistent cough. These symptoms are very similar to other ailments such as pneumonia. Localized chest pain is the most common symptom. However it often does not appear until the disease is very advanced. Some pleural mesothelioma victims have virtually no symptoms while others lose weight. What Are the Symptoms of Peritoneal Mesothelioma? This type of mesothelioma affects the abdominal lining. Its symptoms include weight loss, abdominal pain, and a mass or swelling in the abdomen. Sometimes the peritoneal mesothelioma patient has fever and other times blood clots and bowel obstruction occurs. What Are the Symptoms of Pericardial Mesothelioma? The lining of the pericardium, or the heart, is affected by pericardial mesothelioma. Symptoms of this asbestos related disease include a cough, irregular breathing patterns, chest pain, and an irregular heartbeat. The symptoms of this, the rarest kind of mesothelioma, usually become apparent after even a minimal amount of exertion.
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