Mesothelioma is a deadly form of cancer that occurs due to asbestos exposure. Once a popular building and manufacturing material, we know now how dangerous asbestos can be.
Most people would not willingly live or work in a space that contains asbestos, but due to “economic concerns” the stuff is not technically banned in the United States. The history of asbestos use is a shameful one involving many years of cover-ups, and people who have developed mesothelioma after asbestos exposure have a difficult time getting recompense.
The reason mesothelioma is so dangerous is that it may not develop for up to 20 years after asbestos exposure, and it is often asymptomatic in the early, treatable stages.
Once it has been diagnosed, the prognosis for the patient is typically not good. If you have ever worked directly with asbestos or think you may have lived or worked in a building that contained it, read on to learn the clues that point to this virulent form of cancer.
Risk factors
Many people who have been exposed to asbestos never develop the disease. Researchers aren’t sure exactly what triggers it to develop, as the length and intensity of exposure doesn’t seem to matter very much.
Some people with barely any exposure will get sick, whereas others who have worked around it for years are okay. Therefore, doctors suspect there is a genetic component to it. The main risk factors are:
Personal history of asbestos exposure, whether at work or at home.
• Cohabiting with someone who is exposed to asbestos. Asbestos fibers can cling to skin
and clothing, making it likely that a person who works with it will bring it home and bring risk to everyone who lives there.
• A family history of mesothelioma. There appears to be a genetic component, so if anyone in your immediate family has had it, your risk is elevated.
The most likely workers to have been exposed to asbestos are miners, insulation manufacturers, factory workers, construction workers, ship builders, and auto mechanics.
Asbestos abatement teams are often called in to remove asbestos products from structures. These workers wear head-to-toe protective gear and breathe through a ventilator while on the job.
Types of mesothelioma
This type of cancer occurs in the thin layer of tissue that covers your internal organs. There are three main types of mesothelioma, classified by what part of the body it affects. The most common type attacks the tissue around the lungs. Other types take root in the abdomen, heart, or testicles.
• Pleural mesothelioma affects tissue surrounding the lungs.
Peritoneal mesothelioma affects tissue in the abdomen.
• Other forms of mesothelioma are extremely rare but do occur.
The most common signs of mesothelioma include the following.
11. Chronic cough
Any sort of chronic cough ought to be investigated as the cause could range from cancer to an infection that is easily cleared up with antibiotics.
It is also an early sign of mesothelioma, especially if you are also experiencing wheezing or are coughing up blood.
Persistent cough is thought to be one of the most common symptoms of the disease.
10. Shortness of breath
The other most common symptom of mesothelioma is shortness of breath. It may come and go in the early stages of the disease but will steadily get worse the sicker you become.
Shortness of breath is caused by something called pleural effusion, or fluid build-up around the lungs.
9. Chest pain
Chest pain is a non-specific complaint that is more likely to cause suspicion of heart disease at first.
If you feel it especially under your ribcage, it could be a sign of mesothelioma that is attacking the tissue around your lungs. This is called pleural mesothelioma.
8. Abdominal pain
In the case of peritoneal mesothelioma, which occurs in the abdomen, you are likely to experience abdominal pain. This is caused by inflammation of the tissues there.
The peritoneum serves as a protective membrane covering the abdomen in two layers. The parietal layer surrounds the abdominal cavity, and the visceral layer folds around the stomach, liver, and other abdominal organs.
Mesothelioma can develop in either or both layers.
7. Abdominal swelling and tenderness
In some cases of peritoneal mesothelioma – roughly a third – abdominal swelling comes along with the pain. Your abdomen will be noticeably distended and quite tender to the touch.
The swelling may be related to bowel obstruction caused by a tumor.
Swelling of this sort that is persistent and not related to having eaten a large meal or a woman’s menstrual cycle is a sign that something is wrong, whether or not it is cancer.
6. Difficulty swallowing
Due to rising pressure in the chest, mesothelioma patients often experience dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing.
It may or may not come along with pain, acid reflux, sore throat, or the feeling that something is stuck at the back of the throat.
5. Unintentional weight loss
Weight loss that can’t be explained by changes in diet or exercise is always a cause for concern. It is normal to gain or lose a few pounds each month, but if your clothes are all of a sudden baggy and you need a new belt, it may signal a serious problem.
Weight loss is an extremely common symptom of all sorts of illnesses, but if you know you have been exposed to asbestos, it’s important to get checked for mesothelioma.
4. Unexplained sweating
Night sweats are a frequent symptom of cancer, often seen in conjunction with other complaints. They may occur at any stage of mesothelioma, but are more common in later stages.
Night sweats are tied to many other conditions as well, from hormonal changes to withdrawal from medication. If your night sweats are frequent and accompanied by fever, it is more concerning.
3. Fevers
The growth of a cancerous tumor is known to cause fever, so this is a symptom of almost any cancer. Of course, fevers can be caused by many other issues, such as infection, drug reaction, or inflammatory problems.
Fever may also be the driver of night sweats. If your fever persists for more than three days and you cannot determine another cause, get checked out by a doctor right away.
2. Fatigue
Fatigue often goes along with bodily illness because disease forces the body to work in ways it is not used to, and which compromise its ability to function properly.
Fatigue caused by mesothelioma may come and go, but it is not typically made better by more sleep. This is a vague symptom that should be communicated to your doctor in conjunction with other warning signs.
1. Fluid around the lungs
Also known as a pleural effusion, fluid around the lungs is experienced by 90% of people who suffer from mesothelioma. It happens when the pleura, that protective tissue around the lungs, creates too much fluid due to being irritated, inflamed, or infected.
There is always a certain amount of fluid between the lungs and the chest cavity, but pleural effusion is dangerous and can be life-threatening in itself. It tends to cause shortness of breath.
Rest assured that mesothelioma is an uncommon form of cancer and you needn’t worry too much about it unless you have a history of asbestos exposure or have worked in a high risk industry.
However, if you do have risk factors, it is critical to pay close attention to changes in your body – remember that it may be 20 years beyond the time of your exposure when the cancer finally develops. As with all cancers, early detection is key to successful treatment.
Most people would not willingly live or work in a space that contains asbestos, but due to “economic concerns” the stuff is not technically banned in the United States. The history of asbestos use is a shameful one involving many years of cover-ups, and people who have developed mesothelioma after asbestos exposure have a difficult time getting recompense.
The reason mesothelioma is so dangerous is that it may not develop for up to 20 years after asbestos exposure, and it is often asymptomatic in the early, treatable stages.
Once it has been diagnosed, the prognosis for the patient is typically not good. If you have ever worked directly with asbestos or think you may have lived or worked in a building that contained it, read on to learn the clues that point to this virulent form of cancer.
Risk factors
Many people who have been exposed to asbestos never develop the disease. Researchers aren’t sure exactly what triggers it to develop, as the length and intensity of exposure doesn’t seem to matter very much.
Some people with barely any exposure will get sick, whereas others who have worked around it for years are okay. Therefore, doctors suspect there is a genetic component to it. The main risk factors are:
Personal history of asbestos exposure, whether at work or at home.
• Cohabiting with someone who is exposed to asbestos. Asbestos fibers can cling to skin
and clothing, making it likely that a person who works with it will bring it home and bring risk to everyone who lives there.
• A family history of mesothelioma. There appears to be a genetic component, so if anyone in your immediate family has had it, your risk is elevated.
The most likely workers to have been exposed to asbestos are miners, insulation manufacturers, factory workers, construction workers, ship builders, and auto mechanics.
Asbestos abatement teams are often called in to remove asbestos products from structures. These workers wear head-to-toe protective gear and breathe through a ventilator while on the job.
Types of mesothelioma
This type of cancer occurs in the thin layer of tissue that covers your internal organs. There are three main types of mesothelioma, classified by what part of the body it affects. The most common type attacks the tissue around the lungs. Other types take root in the abdomen, heart, or testicles.
• Pleural mesothelioma affects tissue surrounding the lungs.
Peritoneal mesothelioma affects tissue in the abdomen.
• Other forms of mesothelioma are extremely rare but do occur.
The most common signs of mesothelioma include the following.
11. Chronic cough
Any sort of chronic cough ought to be investigated as the cause could range from cancer to an infection that is easily cleared up with antibiotics.
It is also an early sign of mesothelioma, especially if you are also experiencing wheezing or are coughing up blood.
Persistent cough is thought to be one of the most common symptoms of the disease.
10. Shortness of breath
The other most common symptom of mesothelioma is shortness of breath. It may come and go in the early stages of the disease but will steadily get worse the sicker you become.
Shortness of breath is caused by something called pleural effusion, or fluid build-up around the lungs.
9. Chest pain
Chest pain is a non-specific complaint that is more likely to cause suspicion of heart disease at first.
If you feel it especially under your ribcage, it could be a sign of mesothelioma that is attacking the tissue around your lungs. This is called pleural mesothelioma.
8. Abdominal pain
In the case of peritoneal mesothelioma, which occurs in the abdomen, you are likely to experience abdominal pain. This is caused by inflammation of the tissues there.
The peritoneum serves as a protective membrane covering the abdomen in two layers. The parietal layer surrounds the abdominal cavity, and the visceral layer folds around the stomach, liver, and other abdominal organs.
Mesothelioma can develop in either or both layers.
7. Abdominal swelling and tenderness
In some cases of peritoneal mesothelioma – roughly a third – abdominal swelling comes along with the pain. Your abdomen will be noticeably distended and quite tender to the touch.
The swelling may be related to bowel obstruction caused by a tumor.
Swelling of this sort that is persistent and not related to having eaten a large meal or a woman’s menstrual cycle is a sign that something is wrong, whether or not it is cancer.
6. Difficulty swallowing
Due to rising pressure in the chest, mesothelioma patients often experience dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing.
It may or may not come along with pain, acid reflux, sore throat, or the feeling that something is stuck at the back of the throat.
5. Unintentional weight loss
Weight loss that can’t be explained by changes in diet or exercise is always a cause for concern. It is normal to gain or lose a few pounds each month, but if your clothes are all of a sudden baggy and you need a new belt, it may signal a serious problem.
Weight loss is an extremely common symptom of all sorts of illnesses, but if you know you have been exposed to asbestos, it’s important to get checked for mesothelioma.
4. Unexplained sweating
Night sweats are a frequent symptom of cancer, often seen in conjunction with other complaints. They may occur at any stage of mesothelioma, but are more common in later stages.
Night sweats are tied to many other conditions as well, from hormonal changes to withdrawal from medication. If your night sweats are frequent and accompanied by fever, it is more concerning.
3. Fevers
The growth of a cancerous tumor is known to cause fever, so this is a symptom of almost any cancer. Of course, fevers can be caused by many other issues, such as infection, drug reaction, or inflammatory problems.
Fever may also be the driver of night sweats. If your fever persists for more than three days and you cannot determine another cause, get checked out by a doctor right away.
2. Fatigue
Fatigue often goes along with bodily illness because disease forces the body to work in ways it is not used to, and which compromise its ability to function properly.
Fatigue caused by mesothelioma may come and go, but it is not typically made better by more sleep. This is a vague symptom that should be communicated to your doctor in conjunction with other warning signs.
1. Fluid around the lungs
Also known as a pleural effusion, fluid around the lungs is experienced by 90% of people who suffer from mesothelioma. It happens when the pleura, that protective tissue around the lungs, creates too much fluid due to being irritated, inflamed, or infected.
There is always a certain amount of fluid between the lungs and the chest cavity, but pleural effusion is dangerous and can be life-threatening in itself. It tends to cause shortness of breath.
Rest assured that mesothelioma is an uncommon form of cancer and you needn’t worry too much about it unless you have a history of asbestos exposure or have worked in a high risk industry.
However, if you do have risk factors, it is critical to pay close attention to changes in your body – remember that it may be 20 years beyond the time of your exposure when the cancer finally develops. As with all cancers, early detection is key to successful treatment.