What are the early symptoms of pleural mesothelioma?

Pleural mesothelioma is a primary tumor originating from pleural mesothelial cells. It can be divided into benign and malignant tumors, with malignant tumors being the most common. The early symptoms of pleural mesothelioma may not be obvious, but as the tumor grows, patients may develop a range of symptoms.

Pleural mesothelioma may cause mild chest pain in the early stages. The pain is usually located in the center or one side of the chest and may be aggravated by deep breathing or activity. As the tumor grows, it puts pressure on the lung tissue, and the pain may worsen and even radiate to the shoulders and back.

Cough is one of the common early symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. The cough is usually dry or accompanied by a small amount of sputum and may occur at any time, but is more common in the morning or evening. Cough may be caused by an inflammatory reaction caused by pleural mesothelioma, or it may be caused by direct tumor invasion of the bronchi or lungs.

Because the tumor compresses the lung tissue and affects the normal ventilation function, it causes the symptoms of shortness of breath. Shortness of breath begins with mild activity and progresses to difficulty breathing at rest.

Pleural mesothelioma can lead to increased pleural capillary permeability and pleural inflammatory response. These changes can cause fluid to leak into the pleural space to form pleural effusion. Symptoms caused by pleural effusion include chest tightness, shortness of breath, and severe chest pain. Physical examination revealed dullness to percussion and diminished breath sounds to auscultation.

Weight loss may be due to malignant tumors depleting the body's energy reserves, resulting in decreased appetite and increased metabolic rate. Weight loss, often sudden and unexpected, is a sign of cancer progression.

As the disease progresses, symptoms such as fever, night sweats, fatigue, and loss of appetite may also occur. In addition, some patients may have no obvious symptoms in the early stage, and abnormalities are only discovered through chest X-ray examination during physical examination.

It should be emphasized that these symptoms are not specific to pleural mesothelioma and may be related to other diseases. Therefore, if the above symptoms occur, you should seek medical attention promptly for detailed examination and diagnosis to determine the specific cause and formulate a corresponding treatment plan. For pleural mesothelioma, early diagnosis and treatment are crucial to improve patient survival and quality of life.

(Click to view the introduction of drugs for treating pleural mesothelioma)

References:

https://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma/symptoms/