The Dangers of Mesothelioma

All types of mesothelioma have a long latency period, which means mesothelioma symptoms are often not evident for upward of 25 or more years until the disease has progressed to an advanced stage. Complicating mesothelioma diagnosis and treatment is the fact that many preliminary symptoms are shared by other medical conditions.

Mesothelioma is also a particularly aggressive cancer. Pleural mesothelioma often spreads from the lungs to the lymph nodes and other organs, while peritoneal mesothelioma can affect the liver, spleen and bowels. Pericardial mesothelioma, which is less common, causes fluid accumulation around the heart and prevents the heart from properly relaying oxygen to the rest of the body.