Signs Of Pleural Mesothelioma

Shortness Of Breath

Shortness of breath is another symptom that may occur when pleural mesothelioma is still at the first stage. It's often accompanied by a cough and pain in the chest. You will feel yourself having difficulty catching your breath, even if you haven't had any recent changes in your physical lifestyle. It's not unusual to experience difficulty breathing at higher altitudes or to have trouble catching your breath after tough exercise you aren't used to. But unexplained shortness of breath might indicate a more serious medical problem.

It's common for the difficulty breathing to be related to diminished lung capacity. In pleural mesothelioma patients, fluid builds up in the chest and around the lungs. The pleural effusion causes a person's lung capacity to shrinks, meaning the lungs can't expand the way they used to. This is also true when the cause is tumors pressing against the lungs, preventing them from full expansion.