Mesothelioma-Aid.Org Launches New Page: Pleural Mesothelioma Symptoms

Mesothelioma-Aid.Org launches new page on pleural mesothelioma symptoms. Mesothelioma-Aid.Org serves as an authoritative reference source for patients and their families who are affected by mesothelioma. Mesothelioma-Aid.Org furnishes visitors with the most recent news stories on scientific inquiries, palliative techniques, and recent discoveries about this killer disease.

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that targets the protective band of tissue around major organs. Pericardial mesothelioma strikes near the heart, while peritoneal mesothelioma attacks the stomach, intestines and other organs in the abdomen. The most common form of the disease is pleural mesothelioma, which affects the tissue surrounding the lungs. On average, three in four cases of malignant mesothelioma are of the pleural variety.

The symptoms associated with pleural mesothelioma often resemble those of other respiratory disorders. Patients can experience fever, coughing, inhibited breathing and pain when swallowing. In the early stages of the disease, doctors can often misdiagnose pleural mesothelioma as pneumonia, heart disease, immunodeficiency disorders or even allergies.

Patients can also experience more severe symptoms. In addition to shortness of breath, patients often report chest pain. The pain and breathing difficulties are the results of fluid buildup around the lungs. A protective layer of fluid surrounds the lungs in the pleural cavity, but the effects of mesothelioma can cause the body to increase its production of the fluid. Instead of acting as a cushion for the lungs, the fluid can cause pressure that can inhibit and damage lung function.

The accumulation of fluid around the lungs, known as pleural effusion, is one of the leading symptoms of mesothelioma. Doctors can examine a patient’s lungs with a stethoscope while listening to their breathing patterns. If the doctor detects an abnormality, he can order a non-invasive imaging test, such as an X-ray or ultrasound, to determine the extent of the pleural effusion. If needed, the doctor can also perform a procedure to remove a sample of the fluid (thoracentesis) for further examination.

When doctors examine the chest fluid, they can further determine the cause of the effusion. If the fluid is high in protein, the cause could be related to cardiac problems. The high protein level indicates that blood from near the heart has leaked into the chest cavity. If the fluid has low protein content, this indicates that the surrounding tissue is inflamed. This inflammation is indicative of mesothelioma.

If the doctor suspects mesothelioma, the patient may also undergo a biopsy. A surgeon will remove a small portion of the affected tissue for further testing. Laboratory tests will determine if the cell samples carry any malignancies. From there, a doctor or oncologist can decide the best course of action for treating the mesothelioma tumors.

Another issue that makes mesothelioma difficult to diagnose is that the disease has a long latency period. Symptoms that can differentiate mesothelioma from other diseases often take years, or even decades, after the initial onset period to appear. By that time, the disease has often progressed to the point that patients receive strong doses of radiation and chemotherapy, as well as radical surgeries to remove portions of the affected lung tissue.

For more information, please visit our website at www.mesothelioma-aid.org or call 1-800-998-9729.