Signs and symptoms

Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath, and pain in the chest.

Sysptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma appears as weight loss and cachexia, abdomial swelling and pain due to ascites. Other sysptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clothing abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face. These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions.

Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma:

» Chest wall pain
» Pleural effusion, or fluid surrounding the lung
» Shortness of breath
» Wheezing, hoarseness, or cough
» Having many tumor masses

At late stage of mesothelioma tumors affect the abdomial eavity,symptoms:

» Abdomial pain
» Ascites, or an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen
» A mass in the abdomen
» Problems with bowel function
» Weight loss

In severe cases of the mesothelioma, the following signs and symptoms may be present:

Blood clots in the veins, which may cause thrombophlebitis » Disseminated intravascular coagulation, a disorder causing severe bleeding in many body organs » Jaundice, or yellowing of the eyes and skin
» Low blood sugar level
» Pleural effusion
» Pulmonary emboli, or blood clots in the arteries of the lungs
» Severe ascites