Mesothelioma Symptoms

There are different types of Mesothelioma depending on the organ affected and these different types of result in different symptoms. In this article we will consider the symptoms of pleural and peritoneal Mesothelioma.
Symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma
This affects the lungs and results in chest pain, coughing, and difficulty breathing. A common symptom experienced by those suffering from Pleural Mesothelioma is also a build up of fluid between the parietal pleura and visceral pleura in the chest. These symptoms are often not picked up early in the disease. This is the most common form of Mesothelioma with 75 percent of the cases.
Symptoms of Peritoneal Mesothelioma
This affects the stomach and results in abdominal pain, loss of appetite, weight loss, bowel problems nausea and fluid retention. This form is not as common as pleural Mesothelioma but the symptoms normally show up quicker after asbestos-exposure than for the pleural type.
Similarities and Differences
Pleural and peritoneal Mesothelioma are both malignant cancers that are caused primarily due to exposure to asbestos. The symptoms normally do not show up for many years after this exposure though with the average being 20-30 years after exposure for peritoneal Mesothelioma and 30-40 years for pleural Mesothelioma.
The symptoms of pleural and peritoneal Mesothelioma usually occur years after exposure to asbestos and vary depending on the organ that is affected with pleural symptoms being in the chest and breathing related, and peritoneal symptoms relating to the appetite, bowel movements and abdomen. Ultimately both types are malignant and more often than not result in death.