According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), "malignant mesothelioma is an uncommon cancerous tumor of the lining of the lung and chest cavity (pleura) or lining of the abdomen (peritoneum) that is typically due to the long-term asbestos exposure." Mesothelioma is a difficult cancer to diagnose and treat; for example, it can take multiple technicians to interpret a biopsy. When mesothelioma is treated, the patient's life expectancy, according to the NIH, is nine months.
General Symptoms
Symptoms of mesothelioma do not appear at the time of exposure; according to the NIH, symptoms appear 20 to 50 years after exposure. Thus, all symptoms of mesothelioma are advanced symptoms. All advanced forms of mesothelioma can display some of the general symptoms, including abdominal pain, weight loss, abdominal pain, chest pain, shortness of breath, cough and fatigue. However, not all forms of mesothelioma will display these symptoms.
Pleural Malignant Mesothelioma
Pleural malignant mesothelioma is the most common form of mesothelioma, according to the Mayo Clinic; pleural malignant mesothelioma affects the tissue around the lung. Specific symptoms of pleural malignant mesothelioma include shortness of breath, painful breathing, painful coughing, chest pain underneath the rib cage, dry cough, unexplained weight loss and unusual lumps underneath the skin of the patient's chest.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma
Another type of mesothelioma is peritoneal mesothelioma, which affects the tissues in the abdomen. Symptoms specific to peritoneal mesothelioma include abdominal pain and swelling, lumps of tissues in the abdomen, unexplained weight loss, and changes in the patient's bowels, such as diarrhea or constipation.
