Malignant mesothelioma is a form of malignant cancer, caused by asbestos exposure that can attack the lungs, pleura, mesothelium or the abdominal lining. Malignant mesothelioma patients will only start showing the early signs of malignant mesothelioma after 10 to 50 years after the exposure, which makes it difficult for doctors to distinguish between symptoms and diseases.
Malignant mesothelioma signs and symptoms
When mesothelial cells start developing the first signs of the disease will start to appear, and most of the times these are associated with respiratory problems. This is because the tiny asbestos fibers cause damage to the chest cavity which will stop the lungs fro working normally. After a few weeks the following symptoms of the disease will appear:
- Dry cough (because of the fact that lungs require more energy to transfer oxygen into the blood stream)
- Fatigue (asbestos cancer also requires energy from the host, this is why the person is tired all the time, even though the individual had enough sleep and didn’t go through intense physical exercise
- Shortness of breath (also due to the fact that the lungs are not able to function at their full capacity)
- Chest pain (the condition is known as pleural effusion in medical terms, but it is a simple build-up of fluid that pushes against the lungs causing pain and great discomfort to the person)
Doctors will start diagnosis procedures right after determining if the mesothelioma symptoms exhibited by the patient are in fact caused by malignant mesothelioma that is active around the body.
Malignant mesothelioma treatment options
Depending on the malignant mesothelioma symptoms that the patient experiences, several treatment options are available:
- Surgery (removing tumors and cancer tissue)
- Radiation Therapy (destroying the cancer using radio active materials)
- Chemotherapy (very powerful drugs are used)
- Alternative Treatment methods (several method, do not offer a cure, but provide with symptomatic relieve)
Diagnosing and recognizing symptoms of malignant mesothelioma is a very difficult task for doctors. Most of the patients that exhibit symptoms similar to the ones mentioned above suffer from a minor respiratory apparatus disorder, and not from malignant mesothelioma. Symptoms are evolving together with the malignant mesothelioma disease, but they can be easily treated with the use of special symptomatic relieving drugs.
Please contact asbestosis and mesothelioma centers if you need further information about the disease, and we will do our best to help you have a better life with malignant mesothelioma. Remember, it is absolutely free.
