What Are the Symptoms of Mesothelioma?

Sometimes, symptoms of mesothelioma can be confused with the symptoms of other diseases.

In most cases, symptoms of mesothelioma develop decades after the initial exposure to asbestos. Many of the early symptoms are unclear and mirror many other types of lung diseases. Therefore, people do not pay much attention to their symptoms, and doctors often ignore or misdiagnose them.

Crucial Things to know about mesothelioma symptoms

• Diagnosis of mesothelioma is very troublesome based on symptoms alone, and in most cases, biopsy is needed.


• Symptoms depend on the cell type and location of the tumor in the body.


• If any of the persistent signs and symptoms seem unusual, the doctor should be asked to evaluate them. Also, the doctor should be notified about asbestos exposure.

Most Common Symptoms of Mesothelioma

• Shortness of breath


• Feeling pain or pressure in the chest and/or abdomen


• Dry cough or wheezing


• Hacking cough


• Anemia


• Persistent respiratory problems


• Breathing difficulty


• Fever


• Slow immune response


• Excruciating pain in the chest or abdomen


• Weight loss without any reason

Common Symptoms by Types of Mesothelioma

Pleural Mesothelioma

• Fatigue


• Dry cough and wheezing


• Chest pain


• Shortness of breath


• Hypoxemia (low oxygen level)


• Pleural effusions


• Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)


• Reduced chest expansion


• Bloody cough or blood in sputum


• Blood clotting disorders

Peritoneal Mesothelioma

• Swelled abdomen or distension


• Constipation


• Bowel obstruction


• Nausea


• Anorexia (loss of appetite)


• Painful or sensitive abdomen


• Fatigue


• Anemia


• Weight loss

Pericardial Mesothelioma Common Symptoms

• Difficulty breathing


• Coughing


• Chest pains


• Fever/night sweats


• Irregular heartbeat or heart palpitations

Symptoms for other forms of mesothelioma

Signs and symptoms of other forms of mesothelioma are not clear due to their rarity.

Pericardial mesothelioma affects tissue surrounding the heart. The signs and symptoms are chest pains and breathing difficulty.

Mesothelioma of tunica vaginalis this type of mesothelioma affects tissue that surrounds the testicles. Patient may feel fatigue and feel swelling or a wad on testicle.

Stages of mesothelioma symptoms

As mesothelioma spreads throughout the body, localized symptoms can transform into separate effects throughout the body. Often these symptoms will be felt locally according to where it has spread and to what extent.

Possible symptoms that mesothelioma has spread include:

• Low blood sugar also known as hypoglycemia


• Laryngeal nerve palsy, which results in a hoarse throat


• Difficulty swallowing


• Damage to facial nerves, known as Horner’s syndrome


• Unusual nerve signals in arms


• Blood flow obstruction in the upper torso, known as Superior Vena Cava Syndrome

How Long Do Mesothelioma Symptoms Take to Emerge?

On average, a male victim of asbestos exposure can experience initial symptoms of mesothelioma within 47.9 years, and for an average female victim, its 53.3 years.

How Can Mesothelioma Symptoms Go Undetected

To some doctors, mesothelioma symptoms may seem mild. Minor symptoms such as fever, cough, or loss of appetite can be attributed to pneumonia, bronchial infections, common cold or COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).

Doctors typically start to fit the pieces together if the symptoms intensify or show strange patterns. Extensive screening is required to detect cancers. Therefore, it can take several months to diagnose it even if the possibility of cancer is suspected.

Type of cancer known as pericardial mesothelioma is so rare that it may only be diagnosed after the patient dead and an autopsy is performed.

Therefore, any possible symptom of mesothelioma should be treated seriously by the patient and the doctor. The symptoms described above should be investigated by a physician and consider cancer as a possibility even if the chances seem low.

If you or a family member has come into contact with asbestos and are experiencing the symptoms mentioned above, contact your doctor immediately. If a person is diagnosed with mesothelioma, he or she may be entitled to compensation for losses and damages to health.

What Are the Symptoms of Mesothelioma?