Mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer of the tissues surrounding the lungs, is scary due to its long latency period, often-poor prognosis and the lack of a unified screening test. These are also reasons why people should be vigilant about the signs of early symptoms of mesothelioma, especially people with a military background or a history in construction. Veterans and construction workers who worked between the 1950s and 1980s in those fields are at an increased risk of developing mesothelioma symptoms due to the prevalence of asbestos in those decades.
Mesothelioma can strike 20-50 years after an asbestos exposure. Because of this, it is very easy for sufferers to mistake the early onset of mesothelioma as flu. Typical early symptoms of mesothelioma development include:
- A dry, hacking cough
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain or tightness
- Weight loss
Even if these symptoms do not turn out to be mesothelioma symptoms, they can indicate a chronic inflammation called pleural plaques, which often signal asbestos exposure in the past and can be an indicator of future mesothelioma development.
If you have any of the above symptoms and they have not responded to medication or treatment, ask your doctor to check for mesothelioma. They could be early signs of mesothelioma. The New Orleans mesothelioma attorneys at Harrell & Nowak provide several resources for sufferers of the disease. For the latest in mesothelioma news, follow us on Twitter.
Harrell & Nowak, L.L.C. – Louisiana Mesothelioma Attorneys
Source: http://www.asbestos.com/blog/2015/01/15/alerting-veterans-about-mesothelioma-symptoms/