asbestos fibresA desmoplastic Mesothelioma is a small round cell tumor (cancer), which is an aggressive and rare form of Mesothelioma (asbestosis). This tumor is caused by exposure to asbestos in most cases.

Mesothelioma Treatment

There are three types of treatments for the desmoplastic Mesothelioma form of cancer:

  • Surgery (manual removal of tumorcells)
  • Chemotherapy (pharmaceutical treatment)
  • Radiation Treatment (destruction of tumorcells via exposure to aggressive radiation)

 

Mesothelioma Symptoms

The main symptoms occur very late, approxametly 20 to 50 years after the exposure to asbestos. Because of that, it is oft hard to link these symptoms to the mesothelioma form of cancer. Although there are also early symptoms, they are harder to link to desmoplastic Mesothelioma because of less severity.

Early Symptoms

  • abdominal distention
  • abdominal mass
  • abdominal or back pain
  • gastrointestinal obstruction
  • abdominal fluid excess (ascites)
  • decreased number of red blood cells (anemia)
  • loss of weight & lack of appetite
  • decrease of muscle mass (muscle atrophy)

Late Symptoms

  • Chest pain
  • Pleural effusion, or fluid surrounding the lung
  • Shortness of breath
  • Fatigue or anemia
  • Wheezing, hoarseness, or cough
  • Blood in the sputum (fluid) coughed up (hemoptysis)