Common Symptoms for Seniors with Mesothelioma

Seniors become accustomed to deciphering a bevy of health-related symptoms as they age.

Because today’s seniors were alive when asbestos use was common and less regulated, they should be aware of certain symptoms that may indicate the presence of an asbestos-related disease.

A mesothelioma diagnosis can occur several decades after exposure to asbestos. Most people who develop the condition are older than 65. It can take an average of nearly 50 years for asbestos to cause the cellular and genetic damage that leads to mesothelioma.

The general symptoms caused by mesothelioma can develop in a person of any age. However, seniors might feel the same symptoms more intensely than younger people with mesothelioma.

As bodies age they become less capable of fighting off infection and more sensitive to pain. As a result, the older someone is with mesothelioma, the more likely they are to cope with severe symptoms.

The most common form of mesothelioma develops in the lining around the lungs, called pleural mesothelioma, and it accounts for about 80 percent of cases. Consequently, anyone with a history of asbestos exposure should watch out for lung-related symptoms that linger.

Another form of mesothelioma develops in the lining of the abdomen, called peritoneal mesothelioma, and it accounts for about 20 percent of mesothelioma cases.

Symptoms Affecting the Lungs

The most common first symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath and chest pain.

These symptoms may seem innocuous at first and may linger for a long time after a simple cold. People often see their doctor when chest pain increases or when breathing becomes difficult during activity.

The primary pulmonary symptoms to watch out for include:

• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Dry cough
• Wheezing
• Difficulty breathing
• Collapsed lung

A chest X-ray taken by a primary care physician is often the first test that indicates a person should have more specific tests, such as a CT or PET scan of the chest. If cancer is suspected, referral to an oncologist for discussion of treatment options is the next step.

Other Symptoms

Patients with peritoneal mesothelioma experience symptoms that affect the abdomen and digestion, such as abdominal swelling or distention, loss of appetite, feeling of fullness, constipation or diarrhea, hernias and bowel obstruction.  Fluid buildup in the peritoneal lining, called ascites, can cause tenderness or pain around the abdomen.

People with either type of mesothelioma can experience a range of additional symptoms, including:

• Weight loss
• Fever
• Night sweats
• Difficulty swallowing
• Hoarseness
• Low blood sugar
• Nerve pain (often in the arms)
• Finger clubbing

Although rare, about 6 percent of people with mesothelioma have finger clubbing, a condition where fingertips enlarge and become wider and rounder. Finger clubbing is more common in people with asbestosis. Around 50 percent of people with severe asbestosis develop finger clubbing.

Anyone with a history of asbestos exposure should get regular health checkups to check for early signs of asbestos-related disease. Knowing the iconic pulmonary, abdominal and digestive symptoms to look for can help seniors catch diseases like mesothelioma early when treatments are more effective and can help to improve one’s prognosis.

Sources

Mayo Clinic. (2015, October 22). Mesothelioma symptoms. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mesothelioma/basics/symptoms/con-20026157

American Cancer Society. (2015, May 18). Signs and symptoms of mesothelioma. Retrieved from http://www.cancer.org/cancer/malignantmesothelioma/detailedguide/malignant-mesothelioma-signs-symptoms