Mesothelioma is a form of cancer. There are three types: pleural which affects the lungs, peritoneal affects the abdomen and pericardial affects the heart. The common symptoms of mesothelioma vary according to the cancer's location. In fact, this is another factor that contributes to the difficulty in diagnosing mesothelioma; its symptoms are often mistaken for the flu, bronchitis, pneumonia etc.
Presentation symptoms were ascites, abdominal pain, asthenia, weight loss, anorexia, abdominal mass, fever, diarrhea and vomiting in various associations. Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms may not appear until 20 to 30 years after the first exposure to asbestos. Symptoms are usually not specific to peritoneal mesothelioma, and most often accompany other, less serious medical issues. Following a physical exam and a patient's description of their symptoms, the next step in diagnosing peritoneal mesothelioma is usually to get some type of imaging of the abdomen.
