Understanding Mesothelioma Symptom
The pleural, peritoneal and pericardial are the three form of mesothelioma cancer, which affects the mesothelium. Over exposure to asbestos for a long duration of time is the cause behind this serious form of cancer. Mesothelioma symptom appears and the diagnosis of the infection takes place mostly at the advanced stage of cancer. This results in many deaths.
The three types of mesothelioma throws up mostly similar symptoms and only an experienced medical practitioner can detect the exact type of infection. Wrong diagnosis has often resulted in delay in accurate treatment leading to the death of the patient. Pleural mesothelioma throws up symptoms like shortness of breath, hoarseness, difficulty while swallowing, coughing up of blood, building up of excess fluid between the pleura which is called pleural effusion, pain in the chest, abdomen, shoulder or arm, loss of weight, weakness, fever and loss of appetite.
According to the seriousness of the disease, the symptoms may vary from person to person. About 90% of the patients suffer shortness of breath and chest pain, 84% experience pleural effusion and 30% witness weight loss. There is a small percentage of patients, ie about 3% who remain without symptoms.
Peritoneal mesothelioma patients experience weight loss, pain or swelling in the abdomen, obstruction of bowels, high fever etc. Here also some patients may not experience all these symptoms but some others may witness some additional mesothelioma symptom also. Pericardial mesothelioma symptoms are chest pain of varying degrees, persistent coughing, high fatigue without any physical activity etc.
Identifying the symptoms and understanding it in the real perspective is the primary step for deciding up on a suitable treatment strategy. Since mesothelioma symptom usually appears once the person has passed his youthful stage, it can prove a serious hurdle in the way of a cure. The physician should identify the type and stage of cancer properly and the treatment procedure should be started in earnest. Surgery can be used to remove the tumor if it is confined to a particular region. Advanced stages may require chemotherapy and radiation, though results are not always positive. If it is found that the patient does not respond to the treatment positively, then palliative treatment is done. Here the symptoms are treated, not the cause.
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