Mesothelioma is the common name for malignant mesothelioma, a serious type of cancer affecting the lungs, stomach, heart or reproductive organs. Usually occurring as a result of exposure to asbestos, mesothelioma may be accompanied by no symptoms for several decades. Then 20 to 50 years later, a few months or longer before a diagnosis, mesothelioma symptoms may appear.

Until recently a rare disease and still an uncommon form of cancer, mesothelioma is associated with symptoms that typically are not linked at first to cancer, but rather are attributed to less serious conditions.

If you are experiencing symptoms of mesothelioma and are concerned, talk to your doctor, who can determine whether or not the diagnosis is mesothelioma.

There are four different types of mesothelioma that are cancerous:

• pleural mesothelioma
• peritoneal mesothelioma
• pericardial mesothelioma
• mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis

The symptoms mesothelioma patients experience usually are different for each type of mesothelioma.

In pleural malignant mesothelioma, individuals may experience the following symptoms, many of which resemble symptoms of pneumonia or other, milder, diseases or conditions:

• pleural effusion - this is the most common symptom, and occurs when fluid accumulates between the chest cavity and the pleura. Some of the other symptoms are actually signs of pleural effusion.
• dyspnea (shortness of breath)
• pleurisy (difficult or painful breathing)
• chest pain
• dry cough that's persistent and/or painful
• abnormal lumps under the skin of the chest
• weight loss
• fever

Less common symptoms include:

• hemoptysis (splitting blood)
• hoarseness
• dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
• fatigue
• swelling of the face and arms
• muscle weakness
  

A small percentage of patients are asymptomatic, meaning they have no symptoms.

In peritoneal malignant mesothelioma, which affects the abdominal organs, individuals may notice any, all, or none of the following symptoms:

• abdominal pain
• abdominal swelling (stomach bulging)
• ascites (accumulation of abdominal fluid)
• weight loss without dieting
• bowel obstruction
• diarrhea
• other digestive problems such as vomiting or nausea
  
• fever
• lumps of tissue in the abdomen
• blood clotting abnormalities
• anemia
• difficulty swallowing
• swelling of the face and neck
• lumps of tissue in the abdomen
• thrombocytosis (determined from lab tests - high platelet count)
• leukocytosis (determined from lab tests - elevated white blood cell count)

In the case of pericardial malignant mesothelioma, symptoms might (or might not) include

• difficulty breathing
• pain in the chest
• pericardial effusion (fluid around the heart)
• constrictive pericarditis (inflammation of the pericardium)
• dyspnea
• pain
• vascular compression
• cardiac tamponade (bleeding)
• pericardial thickening (revealed on scans in about 12% of cases)

Symptoms of mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis are unknown, due to the rarity of the condition. The first sign may be a lump on a testicle that resembles a hernia.

This article is in no way meant to substitute for medical advice. If you are concerned about mesothelioma or any other health condition, talk to your doctor.