Types and Various Symptoms of Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a somewhat rare form of cancer that arises in the mesothelial cells of different organs, usually the lungs and less commonly the heart and the abdominal cavity. The symptoms that may occur depend largely on the site of development of the disease. Since the cancerous cells grow from the lining of the organs into the organs' tissues, the function of that organ is affected first. In later stages of the disease, the symptoms are more generalized as the disease spreads to several parts of the body (metastasis).
Pleural mesothelioma
The pleura refers to the cell lining of the lungs. In simple terms, the pleura is a sac that protects the lungs from external shocks and from friction with other organs. It also secretes a vital fluid that lubricates the lung movements preventing damage to the lung surface. Pleural mesothelioma refers to the development of cancerous cells in the pleura.At the onset of pleural mesothelioma, a series of small white nodules appear on the surface of the pleura. These coalesce to form a crust that compresses the lungs. It also spreads outwardly into the chest wall and ribs.
However, the early symptoms of the disease are not serious enough and are often mistaken for less serious conditions leading to late diagnosis at which time the disease has already spread.Inflammation of the lungs both by the presence of the cancer cells and their causative agents (e.g. asbestos fibers) result in the increased production and accumulation of fluid in the pleura. This is known as pleural effusion and results in such symptoms as:
* Coughing
* Wheezing
* Shortness of breath
* Hoarseness
There may also be chest pain due to the increased pressure on the diaphragm and the lungs as a result of pleural effusion and the constriction of the tissues by the cancerous cells.
Peritoneal mesothelioma
The presence of cancerous cells in the peritoneum (the lining surrounding the abdominal cavity) may have diverse consequences depending on the location of the tumors. The most common symptoms are:
* Unexplained weight loss
* Fever
* Distention of the abdomen
* Accumulation of fluid in the abdomen(ascites)
* Fever
* Loss of appetite
* Anemia
* Fatigue
* Bowel obstruction and malfunction
In the later stages of the disease, the blood platelet count rises significantly resulting in greater blood clotting.
Pericardial mesothelioma
With the development of cancer in the pericardium (the lining surrounding the heart), the symptoms are very similar to other heart conditions, making pericardial mesothelioma difficult to diagnose. Most symptoms arise because of an accumulation of fluid in the pericardium resulting in:
* Palpitations
* Chest pain
* Murmurs
* Cough
* Difficulty in breathing
As it can be seen, in all three types of mesothelioma, the symptoms are usually non-specific. In other words, the disease does not have a specific symptom of its own. Most of its symptoms can be confused with those of other diseases (including some relatively common ailments such as influenza in the case of pleural mesothelioma). Hence, mesothelioma diagnosis is quite difficult.It is important for people with known exposure to asbestos no matter how remote to present themselves for frequent checks by their doctors.This is with a view to identifying and tackling the condition early enough.This will greatly improve prognosis and survival rate.