Mesothelioma, the cancer of mesothelium, occurs in three forms, namely, pleural, peritoneal and pericardial. The infection occurs due to exposure to asbestos particles for long periods and is one of the most serious forms of cancer. Normally, mesothelioma symptom comes up and the infection is detected only at developed stages and this factor alone is responsible for most mesothelioma deaths.
Only an experienced medical practitioner can detect the exact type of cancer, since the symptoms for all three types are mostly similar. Wrong diagnosis often proves fatal as it further delays the treatment. Shortness of breath, difficulty in swallowing, hoarseness, building up of extra fluid between the pleura, pain in chest, abdomen, shoulder or arm, tiredness, fever, loss of weight and appetite are the symptoms of pleural mesothelioma.
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.
Severe weight loss, difficulty in bowel movements, swelling in abdomen, high fever etc are the symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma. In this case also there may be a few patients who do not experience symptoms, but some may suffer from additional mesothelioma symptom. Chest pain, continuous cough, tiredness without physical exertion etc are the common symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma.
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.
If you liked this article about Mesothelioma Cancer, then most definitely check into this other site dealing with navy mesothelioma.
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