The thin fibrous tissues lining the abdominal and chest cavities and covering the contained organs are the peritoneum and the pleural, respectively. Mesotheliomas represent rare cancers arising from these tissues. Heavy occupational asbestos exposure is a contributing factor in the development of 70 to 80 percent of cases of mesothelioma, reports the National Cancer Institute. Most mesotheliomas arise from the pleura in the chest; peritoneal mesothelioma proves less common. Mesothelioma rarely causes symptoms until the cancer has progressed to an advanced, incurable stage.
Unintentional Weight Loss
Unintentional weight loss may be a presenting symptom of pleural or peritoneal mesothelioma, reports the Mayo Clinic staff on MayoClinic.com. A lapse of 30 to 50 years may occur between the period of asbestos exposure and the development of weight loss and other mesothelioma symptoms, according to the National Cancer Institute. Occupational asbestos exposure is sometimes missed in a patient's medical history because of the remoteness of the exposure, which may lead to a delay in diagnosis.
Fatigue
Fatigue is a prominent symptom of people living with mesothelioma, reports Sally Moore, M.Sc., B.Sc., RN, and colleagues in a 2010 article published in the "European Journal of Cancer Care." The level of fatigue combined with other symptoms of the disease have significant adverse effects on the quality of life of patients and their families, notes Moore.
Shortness of Breath
Shortness of breath is a common symptom of pleural mesothelioma, notes The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. The cancer typically spreads over the lung and chest surfaces, commonly provoking fluid accumulation, or a pleural effusion, around the lungs. The fluid encroaches on the lungs, limiting expansion during inhalation and triggering shortness of breath. As pleural mesothelioma progresses, cancer cells frequently invade the lungs, further limiting the capacity for effective gas exchange and exacerbating the patient's shortness of breath.
Chest Pain
Pleural mesothelioma commonly irritates the pain nerves of the pleura, provoking chest pain, according to the National Cancer Institute. Bleeding into the pleural space, which commonly occurs with this cancer, further irritates the pleura. Chest movement aggravates pleuritic chest pain; patients often experience pain with each inhaled breath.
Painful Cough
Patients with pleural mesothelioma typically have a cancer-related, chronic cough. The movement of the lungs against the pleura during coughing provokes intense pain, as noted by MayoClinic.com. Although patients with peritoneal mesothelioma do not usually have a cancer-related cough, normal reflex coughing commonly provokes abdominal pain caused by movement of the abdominal structures within the cancerous peritoneal pleura.
Abdominal Pain and Distention
Peritoneal mesothelioma spreads across the lining of the abdominal cavity and the contained organs. Irritation of the peritoneal surfaces by the cancer typically triggers abdominal pain. The cancer cells also commonly provoke an accumulation of fluid in the abdomen, causing abdominal distention, notes the National Cancer Institute. Involvement of the bowels in the disease process may lead to accompanying constipation or diarrhea.
References
- National Cancer Institute: Mesothelioma: Questions and Answers
- Mayo Clinic: Mesothelioma
- "European Journal of Cancer Care"; Living With Mesothelioma: A Literature Review; Sally Moore, M.Sc., B.Sc., RN, et al.; July 2010
- MedlinePlus: Mesothelioma, Malignant
- Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals: Asbestos-Related Disorders, Mesothelioma
