Some people ignore mesothelioma symptoms at first thinking they are just common ailments. Most people experience mesothelioma symptoms for two to three months before they go to the doctor and are diagnosed with the disease. Some people let symptoms go unchecked for at least six months. Other people experience no symptoms at all. This is why mesothelioma is often far advanced by the time it is diagnosed.

Pleural mesothelioma symptoms can include one or a combination of the following:

• Shortness of breath

• Chest pain

• Cough

• Coughing up or spitting up blood

• Hoarseness

• Difficulty swallowing

• Weight loss

• Fever

• Fluid in the chest cavity (pleural effusion)

Peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms can include one or a combination of the following:

• Abdominal pain

• Abdominal mass

• Increased abdominal girth

• Fluid in the abdomen (ascites)

• Digestive disturbances

• Fever

• Weight loss

• Elevated white blood count

Mesothelioma symptoms can be cruel and painful. As fluid fills the chest or abdomen, it puts pressure on vital organs. Patients usually have trouble sleeping comfortably and they lose their appetites. Removing the fluid provides only temporary relief from these mesothelioma symptoms.

 

Pleural Mesothelioma Symptoms

Pleural mesothelioma symptoms may not appear until 30-50 years after asbestos exposure. In its early stages, mesothelioma may have few symptoms or none at all. When the tumor mass grows, pleural mesothelioma symptoms become more noticeable. This is usually due to fluid filling the space where the lungs reside. It is usually around this time that people seek medical help for their symptoms.

Pleural mesothelioma symptoms include one or a combination of the following:

Symptom	Percentage of Mesothelioma Cases in Which the Symptom Appears
Fluid in the chest cavity (pleural effusion)	74% - 84%
Chest pain	33% - 71%
Shortness of breath	6% - 60%
Fever	3% - 33%
Weight loss	14% - 29%
Cough	3% - 27%
Coughing up or spitting up blood	1% - 6%
Hoarseness	1% - 3%
Difficulty swallowing	1%

As you can see from the chart, pleural mesothelioma symptoms vary widely. The most common symptom is fluid in the chest cavity. As the fluid fills up the chest cavity, it places pressure on the lungs, causing intense pain, shortness of breath, and fatigue. Relieving pleural mesothelioma symptoms involves removing the fluid, but this provides only temporary relief.

 

Peritoneal Mesothelioma Symptoms

Peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms may not appear until 30-50 years after asbestos exposure. In its early stages, mesothelioma tumors may have few symptoms or none at all. When the tumor mass grows, peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms become more noticeable. This is usually due to fluid filling the space where the abdominal organs reside. This is usually the time when people seek medical help.

Peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms include one or a combination of the following:

Symptom	Percentage of Mesothelioma Cases In Which the Symptom Appears
Increased abdominal girth	70%
Fluid in the abdomen (ascites)	66%
Abdominal pain	63%
Elevated white blood count	50%
Weight loss	44%
Abdominal mass	40%
Digestive disturbances	33%
Fever	20%

As you can see from the chart, peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms vary widely. One of the most common symptoms is fluid in the abdomen. As the fluid fills up the abdomen, it places pressure on the vital organs. Relieving peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms involves removing the fluid, but this provides only temporary relief.