In most cases, people usually ignore the symptoms of Mesothelioma due to their generic nature. This is because the early symptoms of mesothelioma can also be the indication of other common diseases. Furthermore, researches have concluded that a patient with prior exposure to asbestos may develop mesothelioma much later in his/her life, i.e. after 20 to 40 years of asbestos encounter. Thus, many patients disregard the possibility of developing mesothelioma due to something that happened much earlier in their lives.

Mesothelioma is a cancer in which the protective linings of the body’s internal organs get affected by malignant cells. These linings include:

•Pleura: the outer lining surrounding the lungs and chest cavity;

•Peritoneum: the lining of the abdominal cavity; and

•Pericardium: a sac holding the heart.

The symptoms of mesothelioma affecting these organs can vary due to the special nature and functions of the organs. Some of these symptoms are severe, and also some of the symptoms are rare. It is, therefore, recommended to contact a physician if the symptoms prevail.

Additionally, if mesothelioma is detected at early stages, the chances for a possible cure are high.

Following are the symptoms of mesothelioma, categorized by types:

Pleural Mesothelioma Symptoms:

•Shortness of breath

•Coughing up blood

•Pain in chest

•Pleural effusions (fluid accumulation in the lung lining)

•Back pain

•Hoarseness

•Weakness

•Problem in swallowing

•Loss of appetite

•Weight loss

•Excessive coughing

•Swelling

•Paralysis

•Fever

In severe cases, a pleural mesothelioma patient can develop pneumothorax or lung cancer (lung failure). Nonetheless, some patients may show almost no symptoms.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma Symptoms:

•Swelling or mass accumulation in the abdomen

•Weight Loss

•Abdominal pain

•Bowel obstruction

•Blood clots

•Fever

•Nausea

•Vomiting

•Hernia

Pericardium Mesothelioma Symptoms:

•Chest pain

•Shortness of breath

•Cough

•Unusual heart beating

•Irregular breathing patterns

These symptoms of mesothelioma can also be the indications of other minor diseases. However, if diagnosed soon, these symptoms can help the doctors to cure the cancer at a primitive stage. Remember that only a doctor can confirm the presence of mesothelioma by examining medical reports, asbestos exposure history, MRI and/or CT scan. In some cases, a needle biopsy can also be conducted.

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer affecting the cells of mesothelial lining in the chest and abdomen. Mesothelioma is rare, though it appears to be on the rise. Approximately 2,000 to 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed each year in the United States alone. Symptoms for both types of mesothelioma are not specific only to this disease, and often go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for a significant amount of time. Difficulty breathing, abdominal and chest pain, and fever can all be attributed to other causes, so this cancer has time to advance fairly fair before diagnosis usually occurs. Due to the difficulty in diagnosis of mesothelioma, survival time after diagnosis is estimated at about a year.

There are two main types of mesothelioma. The first type, pleural mesothelioma, spreads within the chest cavity, and sometimes involves the lungs. This type or cancer can metastasize into any of the body’s organs, including the brain.

Metastasis occurs more often than previously thought, and signals the disease’s progression. Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include persistent pain in the chest and severe difficulty breathing caused
by pleural effusion, or an accumulation of fluid in the pleural lining Cough, weight loss, and fever are also common symptoms. Survival time for this type of mesothelioma is better than that of peritoneal mesothelioma. The median survival time is 17 months, with ten percent of patients living for three years after diagnosis.

The second type of mesothelioma is peritoneal mesothelioma. This cancer invades the abdominal cavity, the liver, spleen, and sometimes the bowel. Predominant symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include persistent pain the region as well as a swollen abdomen, both due to the accumulation of fluid in the abdomen and affected organs. Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and swelling of feet, fever, and difficulty moving the bowels. The prognosis for peritoneal mesothelioma is worse than that of pleural mesothelioma, with a median survival time of only ten months past diagnosis.

Mesothelioma takes two rarer forms. Benign mesothelioma is a cancer of the mesothelioma of the peritoneum. The peritoneum is the lining of the major organs in the chest and abdomen. It is difficult to diagnose, and appears more frequently in young women. Mesothelioma of the pericardium is a very rare cardiac cancer. Mesothelioma can also occur in the ovaries and scrotum. The prognosis for these unusual kinds of mesothelioma, with the exception of benign mesothelioma, is very poor.

The progression of mesothelioma is broken down to four stages. These stages provide a baseline to predict how far along the cancer has spread. Staging is based on x-rays, CT scans, and MRI imaging. Treatment decisions and prognosis depend upon the stage of the mesothelioma, as well as the kind if mesothelioma. In the first stage, mesothelioma is present in the pleura, lung, pericardium, or diaphragm, and is localized to one side of the body. Mesothelioma invades the chest wall or the esophagus during the second stage. The second stage may also see cancer in the heart, both sides of the pleura, or the lymph nodes in the chest. The third stage involves penetration through the diaphragm and into the peritoneum, and sees cancer spread to more distant lymph nodes. The fourth and final stage occurs when tests provide evidence of metastases in distant organs. Within the fourth stage, the mesothelioma spreads through the bloodstream to these new sights.

Mesothelioma is most often caused by exposure to Asbestos. Asbestos was frequently used for insulation in homes or businesses. Schools, factories, and military buildings have also been found to contain asbestos. Radiation from thorium dioxide may also cause mesothelioma. This material was once used for x-rays, though was not widely used for long. Zeolite, a silicate material related to asbestos, may also cause mesothelioma. Cases of Zeolite-induced mesothelioma centralize in the Anatoli region of Turkey.

Pleural Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lungs which is caused due to exposure to asbestos, though the symptoms often only manifest many years after this exposure. It is a deadly disease and in many cases the prognosis is not good.

The Symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma

Pleural Mesothelioma attacks the lungs and leads to difficulties breathing, chest pains, a persistent cough and pleural effusion. These symptoms usually only occur long after exposure to asbestos and some patients may not show any symptoms.

Its Causes

The causes of it are generally related to the inhalation of asbestos particles which then make their way to the lungs and lead to an attack on the lungs and cancer.

Risk Factors

Unfortunately in the past asbestos was widely used in many different industries and since it was widely used in construction can be found in many homes, schools, universities and other places. People who are particularly at risk however are those who worked in industries that required actually working with these asbestos-containing materials such as in the asbestos-textile industry, shipping, construction, etc.

Mesothelioma Lawsuits

Today many people are taking action against employers who they believe were negligent in allowing them to be at risk of contracting this disease and who are now suffering as a result. A number of people have won considerable amounts, though nothing can compare with the suffering involved.

Pleural Mesothelioma is a cancer that attacks the lungs of people who have been exposed to asbestos. It leads to symptoms such as chest pains, breathing difficulties and pleural effusion though in some cases no symptoms may be present. Today many lawsuits are being decided against employers who may have put their employees at risk of contracting this disease by not taking the necessary precautions.

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer. It afflicts persons who have worked in asbestos- related industries like asbestos mines, shipyards, insulation factories and construction sites. Initially, the workers in these establishments were unaware that the exposure to the asbestos dust could result in such grave consequences. They became conscious of the potential hazards of this disease after three or four decades, since the disease lies dormant for such long periods. The result of dormancy was that the medical field also recognized the existence of this disease a bit late; when the patients came for treatment, doctors were finally able to relate the symptoms to the causes. Initially the symptoms like chest pain, cough, fever and breathlessness were associated with common occurring diseases like pneumonia, but when the patients failed to respond to the treatment. the medical world started research.

Again, when the awareness of the hazardous effects of asbestos dust dawned on the medical community and the public, lawsuits began to be initiated in the courts for compensation, and the government began to act stringently against the asbestos-based industries. The total number of Mesothelioma-afflicted patients in the whole of the United States is not more than 2,000 annually, and, fortunately, even this number is likely to decrease over the coming years. Quite a majority of doctors are still unaware of the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma. Since the incidence of the disease is not very common, the number of doctors specializing in this area is also small.

The National Institute of Cancer, Washington Cancer Institute, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeon, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, etc. are some of the major institutions and research organizations that are the best sources to find out the right doctors for Mesothelioma treatment.

The diagnosis of any disease follows only after the appearance of the symptoms. The problem with Mesothelioma is that its symptoms sometimes appear decades after the patient had been exposed to the asbestos dust. By this time, it is usually too late for treatment because the malady has taken strong roots in various organs of the patient.

Awareness of the disease, its causes and symptoms is the best course of prevention. This means that if ever you have been exposed to asbestos dust, you should inform your physician immediately. This would enable your doctor to arrive at a conclusive diagnosis.

The initial symptoms of Mesothelioma may appear in form of cough, fever and shortness of breath. Doctors who do not know the history of a patient may associate these symptoms with the common prevalent diseases like pneumonia and treat them accordingly. But with the passage of time, symptoms may worsen and others may appear, back and chest pain accompanied with profuse perspiration. A person may experience difficulty in swallowing food, which in turn leads to the loss of weight and tiredness. Since the asbestos dust initially enters the lungs, the respiratory system is seriously affected.

All these symptoms point to graver danger and call for a different and a more serious diagnostic approach, which is not usually associated with ordinary or seasonal maladies. Detailed pathological tests need to be conducted along with X-rays of the chest, abdomen and lungs and Computed Topography scans (CT scans) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). If these tests tend to confirm the initial suspicions about the possible presence of mesothelioma, an examination of the fluid surrounding the lungs becomes essential; if this too appears inadequate, then an operation is performed to cut out a tissue sample to run biopsy on it. Other tests and examinations are also needed to identify the affected areas. The tests may include taking out samples of fluid from the affected organ to detect the existence of cells and their types to determine the exact kind of disease and the right course of treatment.

The latency period of mesothelioma may run into decades. As a result, people, afflicted with this life-threatening cancerous disease or even their doctors may not be aware that the symptoms of their disease may be traceable to the asbestos dust and fibers that they had been inhaling while working in the asbestos-based industries. These industries include asbestos mines, shipyards, insulation factories or construction sites. The symptoms of the disease can be confused with the commonly prevalent diseases like pneumonia. When the usual treatment fails to elicit response, Mesothelioma-specific tests are conducted and a conclusive diagnosis is determined. It is when the awareness of the root cause of the problems is identified that a person can feel the need to file a lawsuit for compensation.

It is, therefore, advisable to try to contact a mesothelioma lawyer immediately upon being diagnosed with the disease, as the there may be time limits for filing the lawsuit. If you miss out the last date, you may not be eligible to get the compensation. Moreover, there may be many complications in your case. For example, you may have worked with many employers for approximately similar periods of time. Then the amount of asbestos dust emission may vary from one industry to another. So your lawyer may have to take time to sort out these and similar glitches to present a foolproof case.

The fees of the lawyer need not be a cause of worry, because lawyers in mesothelioma compensation cases do not charge any upfront free. They will charge you only if they win the compensation for you. You may not to have to visit the lawyer initially. You can submit your details online to the lawyer, and he will assess the legal potential in your case and contact you.

The basic and the primary consideration is to find an experienced and suitable lawyer. This can be done by searching the Internet and also by contacting some fellow victims who may already be pursuing a case.

Mesothelioma is not a disease of this decade but has its roots as back as the beginning of 19th century. But it came into limelight in the recent past. Mesothelioma results in tumours in and around vital organs of the body. The word mesothelioma literally means cancer of the mesothelium (oma is a medical term for cancer). The mesothelium is the sac that protects vital organs of our body and this disease affects the cells of the lining and makes them malevolent.

Mesothelioma exists in three forms:

Pleural Mesothelioma is the most common form of mesothelioma that affects the pleura of the lungs and ribs. Due to this disease pleura gets thickened. Some of the common symptoms of pleural mesothelioma are regular coughing, difficulty in swallowing, difficulty in breathing, shortness of breath, facial swelling, and weight loss, fever, rasping and coughing up blood.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma affects the lining of the abdomen. It starts in the abdominal area and spread to other parts of the body. The sufferers may show some or all of the following symptoms: pain and swelling in abdomen, loss of appetite, problem in breathing, chest pain, bowel obstruction, anemia and blood clotting abnormalities.

Pericardial Mesothelioma, the rarest of all affects the heart and the cavity that surrounds the heart. The following symptoms are generally seen: pain in chest, shortness of breath, trouble in breathing, persistent coughing, and palpitations.

The symptoms for all three types of mesothelioma are non-specific, which means that there exist various other diseases with the same symptoms. Hence it becomes very difficult to diagnose any form of mesothelioma. There is a great possibility that a doctor might not found that a patient has mesothelioma and the disease is often mistaken for something else. Moreover long latency period also makes it very much difficult for the doctors to diagnose the same and it becomes too late for them to do any constructive treatment. Hence it advisable to people to let their doctors know if you are exposed to asbestos or any other similar substances regularly. Otherwise they are likely to look at other options before even contemplating mesothelioma.