Asbestos Cancer Symptoms Don’t Always Show Early On

Because the main symptom of the effect of asbestos is either "none" or "shortness of breath, it’s difficult to diagnose asbestos cancer symptoms early on. They may not develop for 20 to 30 years after the effect of asbestos exposure takes hold. So whether you have interstitial fibrosis, pleural plaques or fibrosis, benign pleural effusion, lung cancer, or mesothelioma, amazingly symptoms can be the same.

Considering this fact, many physicians and legal experts look at two factors to help with diagnosis. First, the extent of the effect of asbestos (usually determined from the chest X-ray or CT scans); and secondly, coexisting conditions, such as smoking-related lung disease. Here’s more about each related health condition:

• In early interstitial fibrosis or asbestosis there are usually no symptoms showing the effect of asbestos, but shortness of breath is the main complaint as disease advances.
• Benign pleural effusion is asymptomatic when the amount of fluid is small, but in moderate to large effusions shortness of breath is common. Sometimes patients can also complain of chest pain worse with a full breath (so-called pleuritic pain).
• Lung cancer causes no symptoms in the early stages, even when it is large enough to see on chest X-ray. In fact, by the time lung cancer does cause symptoms, it is usually far advanced and incurable. Asbestos cancer symptoms can include shortness of breath, coughing up blood, and chest pain. (If asbestos cancer has spread outside the chest, it can cause other symptoms, depending on location.)
• Mesothelioma generally causes asbestos cancer symptoms earlier than lung cancer, because it grows between the lung and the chest wall, an area more sensitive to pain and the effect of asbestos than inside the lung (where asbestos cancer starts). As a mesothelioma grows, it can cause shortness of breath, chest pain, decreased appetite, and weight loss.
• Pleural plaques/pleural fibrosis cause no asbestos cancer symptoms unless the amount of scarring is very extensive, over both lungs; then it can cause shortness of breath. However, extensive scarring of the pleura from asbestos is rare, so most workers with pleural plaques or pleural fibrosis have no symptoms.

Progression for all these serious health condition occurs because the effect of asbestos fibers remains in the lungs permanently. They activate the lung's immune system, and an inflammatory response persists, causing scarring. This scarring prevents oxygen and carbon dioxide from being absorbed by the lungs and into the blood stream.

There is no cure for asbestos cancer symptoms. The treatments that are available are aimed at relieving the asbestos cancer symptoms and preventing the condition from getting any worse. Patients who suffer from asbestos cancer symptoms may receive oxygen treatments to ease shortness of breath. Some patients may also have fluid drained from their lungs to assist in breathing. In the most serious cases, lung transplantation may be needed.

Are You Suffering?

If you or a family member has experienced the effect of asbestos you should contact a physician immediately. If you would like to discuss your rights or want more information about asbestos cancer lawsuits, fill out this short evaluation. Initial attorney consultations are free and do not create an attorney-client relationship.