MESOTHELIOMA SYMPTOMS
Common Malignant Mesothelioma Symptoms
The onset of symptoms is
insidious, and patients often experience symptoms for 4-6 months before
the diagnosis is made.
The most common symptoms are the
following:
Recent onset of shortness of breath
(31%)
Recent increase in shortness of breath (30%)
Chest pain (43%)
Other symptoms include the following:
Cough (35%)
Weight loss (23%)
Weakness (18%)
Increased sputum production (18%)
The most common findings on physical examination (79%) are signs of pleural
effusion (eg, dullness to percussion or decreased breath sounds).
Patients with peritoneal involvement
experience symptoms as follows:
Abdominal pain (60%)
Anorexia (27%)
Weakness (12%)
Nausea (11%)
The most common signs of peritoneal mesothelioma include the following:
Abdominal distention (56%)
Ascites (37%)
Weight loss (38%)
Abdominal mass (11%)
Frequency of Mesothelioma
In the US: Annual
incidence of mesothelioma is 7-13 per 1,000,000 male patients with a history
of asbestos exposure. Approximately 1 in 1,000,000 North American patients
with no asbestos exposure present with mesothelioma per year. The incidence
of mesothelioma is lower in women than in men, probably because fewer
women than men worked outside the home in the mid-20th century; therefore,
they were exposed less to asbestos.
The incidence of
mesothelioma is highest in the Pacific and mid-Atlantic states and may
be related to the location of industries such as shipyards.
Internationally:
The incidence of mesothelioma in women is 2/1,000,000/year and in men
is 10-30/1,000,000/year in industrialized countries where asbestos was
used widely. The incidence of mesothelioma varies greatly among nations
and is difficult to document in countries without mesothelioma registries.
In France, an estimated 950 new patients are seen per year. In the United
Kingdom (where a mesothelioma registry exists), incidence is expected
to peak in the year 2020 at 2700 deaths per year and is expected to decline
rapidly thereafter.
Mortality / Morbidity of Malignant Mesothelioma
Malignant mesothelioma
usually is fatal. Death usually occurs within 18 months of first onset
of symptoms. Mesothelioma usually presents 30-40 years after asbestos
exposure.
Source: (Cancer 1986 Oct 1;
58(7): 1540-51)
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