Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Mesothelioma Symptom Facts

By Thomas Goldman

A mesothelioma symptom might not appear until between twenty and fifty years prior to the exposure to asbestos, which makes the disease difficult to diagnose or screen for, although there are some screening procedures which show some degree of effectiveness.

The symptoms of the disease might include such things as coughing, swelling and pain of the abdomen, general pain, difficulty swallowing, blood in the fluid coughed up, jaundice, low blood sugar level, bowel obstruction, shortness of breath, pain in the chest, weight loss, blood clotting problems, anemia, fever, and swelling of the neck or face. Different stages of this disease might cause different symptoms. Also there are different symptoms typical for different sub-types of the disease, such as pleural mesothelioma and the less common peritoneal mesothelioma.

Diagnosis of this disease is not easy at all because all the symptoms can also be caused by other medical conditions which are a lot less serious. Asbestos exposure (and exposure to other chemicals which occasionally cause the disease) can suggest that the disease is more likely. A physical examination is usually the first step, then if the disease is suspected, a chest X-ray and lung-function tests can give a clearer idea how likely it is. Diagnosis might be confirmed by examination of some of the effected tissue or any fluid which has built up in the chest cavity.

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer which is relatively rare and is typically found in 1 person per million. This is much less common than for example lung cancer where the incidence in those who smoke is one in a thousand. Smoking on its own does not cause the disease, but smoking can make the disease more likely if there is also exposure to asbestos.

Treatments for the disease, once it has been diagnosed might include radiation and chemo therapies as well as surgery. These are often given in combination rather than singly. The amounts of money awarded in mesothelioma claims can be considerable. What might appear to be a mesothelioma symptom is actually much more likely to be caused by some much less dangerous medical condition.

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