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The long latency period attached to mesothelioma cancer means that the symptoms of this dangerous cancer disease can take many years to manifest, making both diagnosis and effective treatment very difficult. And even when the cancer symptoms do become evident, which can take several decades, the mesothelioma cancer symptoms are so generalised and non-specific that they could be put down to any number of more common dangerous diseases. This makes it hard for even experienced doctors to make a quick and conclusive diagnosis with mesothelioma cancer patients. The symptoms of this dangerous cancer disease can often be confused with pneumonia during its early stages. Some of the most common symptoms of pleural mesothelioma (which is the most common form of the dangerous disease) are persistent cough and shortness of breath. This may be accompanied by a chest pains, and all of these cancer symptoms stem from the build up of fluid between the lining of the lung and the chest cavity. This is known as pleural effusion. This type of the dangerous disease starts in the chest cavity and can then spread to other parts of the body. Pleural mesothelioma sufferers may also begin to display severe breathing difficulty, weight loss and fever as well as trouble swallowing and even swelling of the face and neck. Some patients may also develop a rasping voice and start coughing up blood. However, there are other patients that may not show any significant symptoms at all. Treatment for mesothelioma cancer depends on the stage of the disease, the location of the cancer, and the patients age and general health. Standard treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Sometimes, these cancer treatments are combined. Surgery is a common treatment for mesothelioma cancer. The doctor may remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it. For cancer of the pleura (pleural mesothelioma), a lung may be removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy. Sometimes part of the diaphragm, the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing, is also removed. Radiation therapy affects the cancer cells only in the treated area. The radiation may come from a machine (external radiation) or from putting materials that produce radiation through thin plastic tubes into the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy). Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Most drugs used to treat mesothelioma cancer are given by injection into a vein (intravenous, or IV). To relieve symptoms and control pain, the doctor may use a needle or a thin tube to drain fluid that has built up in the chest or abdomen. Doctors are also studying the effectiveness of putting chemotherapy directly into the chest or abdomen (intracavitary chemotherapy). The procedure for removing fluid from the chest is called thoracentesis. Removal of fluid from the abdomen is called paracentesis. Drugs may be given through a tube in the chest to prevent more fluid from accumulating. Radiation therapy and surgery may also be helpful in relieving mesothelioma cancer symptoms.
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