Asbestos is a term used for bundles of naturally occurring mineral fibers that were used in the construction of buildings and homes because of their resilience to heat and chemicals and their low conductivity of electricity. Unfortunately, it was later discovered that inhaling the asbestos fibers caused a variety of health concerns, including a slow-producing yet highly aggressive form of cancer.
Identification
Mesothelioma is commonly known as asbestos cancer. Symptoms may occur 20 to 50 years after the initial exposure and are often overlooked as symptoms for other ailments.
Lung Cancer
Pleural mesothelioma, the most common form of cancer from asbestos, attacks the lining in the lungs. Symptoms affect normal lung activity with shortness of breath, chest pains, difficulty in swallowing, coughing and swelling in the upper body.
Abdominal Cancer
Ten to 20 percent of asbestos patients are diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma, which affects the stomach lining. Symptoms may include stomach pains, weight loss, vomiting, blood clots and bowel difficulties.
Heart Cancer
Pericardinal mesothelioma affects the membranes of the heart and may produce symptoms such as heart palpitations, shortness of breath and chest pains. Physicians believe the asbestos fibers reach the heart through the bloodstream.
Testical Cancer
The rarest form of cancer from asbestos, testicular mesothelioma, does not have a set of general symptoms aside from swelling in the scrotum and testicular lumps.