Signs Of Pleural Mesothelioma

One of the difficult things about pleural mesothelioma is how hard it is to catch early. When this type of cancer first manifests, symptoms tend to be mild enough not to be noticed. A cough might be passed off as seasonal allergies, and more severe symptoms might just be considered a cold. By the time symptoms become more acute, pleural mesothelioma has already progressed much farther than it should have. It can take between ten and fifty years for the development of this cancer after asbestos exposure. Oftentimes, medical professionals misdiagnose pleural mesothelioma because they aren't considering it as a possibility. These are the most common symptoms of pleural mesothelioma to watch for.

Persistent Cough

A persistent cough can be an indication there is something wrong with your lungs. If you have been coughing for more than a week, even if you think it's a run-of-the-mill ailment, have your doctor double check. Coughs aren't usually caused by mesothelioma, but your doctor might detect other illnesses. Besides, if the cough is caused by mesothelioma, it's best to catch it early.

Many individuals go for months with a cough before they seek a doctor's opinion. Some also don't go to the doctor until the cough worsens or becomes unbearable. You can't wait this long, because, by the time the cough has reached this point, it will be too late for most preventative measures.

In 2011, a study was conducted, gathering responses from 221 pleural mesothelioma patients. Of those patients, thirty-six percent had a persistent, chronic cough before diagnosis, and many of them did not seek professional treatment for months. If you experience this symptom or others on this list, and you have a history of exposure to asbestos, talk to a specialist.

Continue reading to learn about the symptom related to weight.

Unexplained Weight Loss

A major sign of pleural mesothelioma is unexplained weight loss. If you're losing weight without substantial changes to your diet and exercise, talk to a doctor. Weight loss can be caused by other conditions that also require medical treatment, such as diabetes.

A patient with pleural mesothelioma might find themselves having unexplained, increased difficulty with swallowing liquid and food. This is different from anorexia nervosa, in which a person chooses not to eat. When the difficulty swallowing is an extreme case, the individual might become malnourished and dehydrated, possibly to the point of requiring hospital intervention.

It is normal for weight to fluctuate, but an unexplained weight loss of more than just a few pounds isn't normal. More likely, it's an indication a severe medical condition is going untreated.

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