Experiencing Mesothelioma-Like Symptoms?
Getting an accurate, early diagnosis is critical
Mesothelioma is a terrifying disease. The only real hope for delaying the course of the disease requires detecting the disease at a very early stage, before it has spread or manifested any symptoms. That’s why it’s critical to inform your doctor if you know or suspect that you are at risk for mesothelioma due to being exposed to asbestos.
Mesothelioma-like symptoms are hard to distinguish
Having mesothelioma-like symptoms does not mean you have mesothelioma. Many less serious conditions produce symptoms similar to pleural mesothelioma, including:
- Spitting up blood
- A cough or a change in cough pattern
- Difficulty swallowing
- Hoarseness
- Shortness of breath
- Pain in the chest or abdomen
- Unexplained weight loss
These symptoms also are seen in other asbestos-related conditions, including lung cancer and asbestosis. They are often confused with the symptoms of unrelated ailments such as pneumonia, emphysema, or even a persistent cold.
Mesothelioma is a rare disease and many doctors—perhaps the majority—have never seen or diagnosed a single case. They may not consider the possibility that you have mesothelioma unless you tell them about your asbestos exposure and share your fear about symptoms that are the same as mesothelioma symptoms.
Diagnosing the cause of mesothelioma-like symptoms
When you have pain in your chest and shortness of breath, your doctor usually begins with a physical examination that includes listening with a stethoscope and thumping on your chest to detect abnormal sounds that indicate an accumulation of fluid.
Depending on your symptoms and your physical exam, you may be given an electrocardiogram (EKG) and a chest or abdominal X-ray. If these tests show any abnormalities of the lungs or pleura, you will need a computed tomography (CT) scan or a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan to determine the size and location of any tumor.
If there is fluid in your chest or abdomen, a thin needle may be used to remove a small sample for examination. Sometimes mesothelioma can be diagnosed from this fluid sample alone, but this test often misses the presence of mesothelioma.
Ruling out mesothelioma or confirming a diagnosis usually requires visual examination of the area and a tissue sample obtained via microsurgery and other invasive procedures.
Getting a second opinion
If you experience mesothelioma-like symptoms, but your doctor told you it is not mesothelioma without performing a thorough examination as described above, seek a second opinion from a doctor with experience treating mesothelioma patients.