Mesothelioma Symptoms

What Are the Symptoms of Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma causes symptoms that can affect breathing, appetite, and weight.

Symptoms of mesothelioma typically appear 10-50 years after exposure to asbestos fibers. The symptoms of mesothelioma are often mild at first and worsen as the cancer spreads. Patients may have different symptoms depending on what type of mesothelioma they have and how advanced it is.

If you or a loved one is suffering from any symptoms or signs of mesothelioma, don’t wait: Seek out medical attention. You may be able to get your mesothelioma symptoms diagnosed before the cancer becomes difficult to treat, which will give you a better shot at living longer.

Lung Cancer Group can help you or a loved one access top treatments for mesothelioma symptoms faster.

Our team can also work to secure financial aid to help you pay for these treatments. Learn if you qualify right now with a free case review.

Get Help for Asbestos Lung Cancer

• Access Financial Aid and Justice
• Learn About Your Options
• Contact Us for Free

Free Case Review

Common Symptoms of Mesothelioma by Type

All types of mesothelioma have unique symptoms. View common symptoms of each type below.

Pleural Mesothelioma Symptoms

Malignant pleural mesothelioma develops in the pleura (lung lining). Patients with this type of mesothelioma often have symptoms that impact the chest and lungs.

Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include:

• Chest, rib, shoulder, or upper back pain
• Coughing up blood
• Difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Pleural effusion (fluid buildup in the lung lining)
• Shortness of breath
• Night sweats
• Weight loss

Of these symptoms, pleural effusions are among the most common. A 2022 report from the medical journal Pathology International found that a pleural effusion is the first symptom in more than 8 out of 10 pleural mesothelioma cases.

Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma start off mild and worsen as the cancer spreads through the chest wall and into other parts of the body.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma Symptoms

Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma develops in the peritoneum (abdominal lining). As the cancer invades the abdominal cavity, it can cause changes to appetite, bowel movements, and how the abdomen feels.

Peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms include:

• Abdominal pain and swelling (distention)
• Ascites (buildup of abdominal fluid)
• Changes to bowel movements (diarrhea/constipation)
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Unexplainable weight loss
• Vomiting up blood

The medical journal Translational Lung Cancer Research notes that the most common symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma are pain and fluid buildup in the abdomen. More than 30-50% of patients report these symptoms.

Patients may also develop a mass within their abdomen or a hernia along their abdominal wall.

Pericardial Mesothelioma Symptoms

Pericardial mesothelioma is a rare form of this cancer that develops in the pericardium (lining of the heart). Symptoms can affect the heart as well as the chest.

Pericardial mesothelioma symptoms include:

• Atrial fibrillation (irregular, rapid heartbeat)
• Chest pain
• Difficulty breathing

The symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma stem from the cancer’s growth. For example, patients can develop atrial fibrillation as the pericardial mesothelioma tumors constrict the heart lining.

Testicular Mesothelioma Symptoms

Symptoms of malignant testicular mesothelioma typically include swelling, pain, and fluid buildup around the testicle lining (which is where this type of cancer forms).

The Mayo Clinic notes that this cancer may first be detected as a mass on the testicle or swelling of the testicle.

If you have possible symptoms of any mesothelioma type, contact our team now. We may be able to help you quickly get top treatments for your symptoms.

Symptoms of Mesothelioma by Stage

There are four stages of pleural mesothelioma (which makes up about 80% of all cases). All other types are informally given a “localized” or “advanced” stage by doctors.

Patients may have little to no symptoms in the early stages, and those that do might mistake the symptoms for those of more common health problems. This is very dangerous as it gives the cancer more time to spread.

Early-stage (1 and 2) mesothelioma symptoms include:

• A cough that won’t go away
• Chest or abdominal pain
• Fatigue
• Fluid buildup in the abdomen/chest
• Shortness of breath

When patients have late-stage mesothelioma, their existing symptoms will often be worse and new ones will appear.

Late-stage (3 and 4) mesothelioma symptoms include:

• Changes in bowel movements
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss

Diagnosing Symptoms of Mesothelioma

To see if your symptoms are caused by mesothelioma, doctors must use a couple of different tests to look inside your body. The goal of the tests will be to find possible signs of cancer, such as a tumor or other abnormalities.

“If you feel like you’re not getting better [and if] this is something new for you, it’s certainly best to encourage your doctor to proceed with more testing.”

— Amy Fair, registered nurse and mesothelioma patient advocate

Common tests used to diagnose mesothelioma symptoms include chest X-rays, CT scans, and PET scans. Each test is slightly different, but all of them allow doctors to see within the body.

Blood tests may also be recommended if you have mesothelioma symptoms, particularly anemia. A blood test can allow doctors to see if mesothelioma biomarkers (proteins or other substances that mean you have this cancer) are present.

If doctors believe mesothelioma is the cause of your symptoms after these tests, they’ll order a biopsy. A biopsy is a procedure through which a tiny sample of tissue or fluid is removed from your body. Doctors can then look at the biopsy under a microscope to see if cancer cells are present and confirm a mesothelioma diagnosis.

Once your diagnosis is confirmed, doctors can then recommend a plan to treat your mesothelioma symptoms and help you live longer.

Misdiagnosis of Mesothelioma Symptoms

Mesothelioma is often hard to diagnose as the symptoms are shared with more common — and often less serious — health problems. Further, since most mesothelioma symptoms appear decades after asbestos exposure, you might not think that you have this dangerous cancer.

Mesothelioma symptoms can be misdiagnosed as:

• Hernia (in cases of testicular mesothelioma)
• Lung cancer
• Lung infections
• Ovarian cancer (in cases of peritoneal mesothelioma)
• Pneumonia

The Mayo Clinic recommends telling your doctor about your asbestos exposure history if you have possible symptoms of mesothelioma. Remember: Asbestos exposure is the biggest risk factor and only known cause of mesothelioma. Doctors can recommend testing to see if mesothelioma is the cause of your symptoms.

Get a free case review to learn how we can help you with your mesothelioma symptoms.

Get Help for Asbestos Lung Cancer

• Access Financial Aid and Justice
• Learn About Your Options
• Contact Us for Free

Free Case Review

Mesothelioma Symptoms and Treatments

Doctors can use many types of treatments to help ease mesothelioma symptoms, depending on the unique factors in your case.

If your cancer is in an early stage, your medical team will likely recommend treatment options to help you live longer. These treatments can also ease your mesothelioma symptoms as doctors will be able to remove or destroy cancer tumors.

Life-extending mesothelioma treatments include:

• Chemotherapy
• Immunotherapy
• Radiation therapy
• Surgery

Other, newer treatments to improve or manage mesothelioma symptoms are currently being studied in various clinical trials. Some trials and cancer research programs are focused on mesothelioma symptoms exclusively. For example, a recent study from the Journal of Medical Internet Research looked at how a phone app can monitor the symptoms of mesothelioma patients.

Doctors can also recommend palliative care to ease mesothelioma symptoms and side effects of treatments. Palliative care can be used alongside life-extending treatments or it may be the main treatment you receive if you have late-stage mesothelioma.

Palliative cancer treatments include:

• Catheters or shunts: Doctors may sometimes place a catheter or shunt in your body so you can drain pleural effusions or ascites at home, without the need for hospital visits.
• Medications: Doctors may prescribe pain-relieving medications to ease mesothelioma symptoms and reduce side effects of life-extending treatments. For example, you may get medication if you suffer from nausea or vomiting after undergoing chemotherapy.
• Pleurodesis: This is another procedure used to help with pleural effusions. Doctors will put medical talc into the lung lining, which will seal it shut and prevent fluid from building up.
• Thoracentesis: With this technique, doctors insert a thin needle into the lung lining to drain pleural effusions. Doing so can reduce pain and allow patients to breathe more easily. A similar procedure called a paracentesis is used to drain ascites in peritoneal mesothelioma patients.

The best treatments to ease your mesothelioma symptoms will depend on what type of this cancer you have, how far it’s spread, and how healthy you are. Thankfully, cancer centers all over the country can help treat mesothelioma symptoms.

Get Help for Symptoms of Mesothelioma

If you or a loved one has possible mesothelioma symptoms, don’t wait: See a doctor as soon as possible. Getting an early diagnosis is crucial as doctors have a better shot at removing all visible signs of the cancer and, in turn, relieving your symptoms.

Common symptoms of mesothelioma (like a cough or chest pain) could be mild at first. Always be sure to tell your health care team if you were ever exposed to asbestos in the past. This information can help them pinpoint if your symptoms are caused by mesothelioma or not.

Lung Cancer Group has patient advocates on staff that can help you quickly find and afford top treatments for mesothelioma symptoms. Find out your eligibility with a free case review now.