The first signs of pleural mesothelioma are often vague and similar to other conditions. If you are concerned, see your general practitioner (GP). It can take time to be diagnosed, as the symptoms may come and go, and more common conditions are often investigated first. Let your GP know if you think you have been exposed to asbestos in the past. Finding mesothelioma early may mean more treatment options are available to you.
Pleural mesothelioma may cause:
- shortness of breath (breathlessness), which usually feels worse with activity or when you are lying down
- pain in the chest around the ribs or in the shoulder, which may be sharp and stabbing, worse with deep breaths, or dull and persistent
- extra-sensitive skin or change in skin sensation (less common)
- general symptoms such as loss of appetite with weight loss; loss of muscle bulk; fatigue or loss of energy; a persistent cough or a change in coughing pattern; and night sweats.
For an overview of what to expect at every stage of your pleural mesothelioma cancer care, visit Pleural mesothelioma: Your guide to best cancer care. This is a short guide to what is recommended, from diagnosis to treatment and beyond.
→ READ MORE: Pleural mesothelioma diagnosis
Dr Anthony Linton, Medical Oncologist, Concord Cancer Centre and Concord Repatriation General Hospital, NSW; Dr Naveed Alam, Thoracic Surgeon, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne and Monash Medical Centre, VIC; Donatella Arnoldo, Consumer; Polly Baldwin, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council SA; Dr Melvin (Wee Loong) Chin, Medical Oncologist, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases, WA; Prof Kwun Fong, Thoracic and Sleep Physician and Director, UQ Thoracic Research Centre, The Prince Charles Hospital, and Professor of Medicine, The University of Queensland, QLD; Vicki Hamilton OAM, Consumer and CEO, Asbestos Council of Victoria/GARDS Inc., VIC; Dr Susan Harden, Radiation Oncologist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC; Penny Jacomos, Social Worker, Asbestos Diseases Society of South Australia, SA; Prof Brian Le, Director, Parkville Integrated Palliative Care Service, The Royal Melbourne Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC; Lung Cancer Support Nurses, Lung Foundation Australia; Jocelyn McLean, Mesothelioma Support Coordinator, Asbestos Diseases Research Institute, NSW; Prof David Morris, Peritonectomy Surgeon, St George Hospital and UNSW, NSW; Joanne Oates, Registered Occupational Therapist, Expert Witness in Dust Diseases, and Director, Evaluate, NSW; Chris Sheppard and Adam Barlow, RMB Lawyers.
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