Growing on the exterior surface of the pericardium, the lining of the heart, pericardial mesothelioma only accounts for around five percent of the newly diagnosed mesothelioma cases each year. For more information, visit our malignant mesothelioma symptoms page.
As with the other forms of mesothelioma, Pericardial mesothelioma is associated with exposure to asbestos. The symptoms of this form of meso, however, may not begin to appear until several years after exposure first occurs. Also, further complicating the matter of diagnosis, many of these pericardial mesothelioma symptoms can be confused with a number of common ailments that misdirect the medical staff and hinder a more thorough examination.
Some symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma, as reported by patients, include:
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Fluid in the pericardial space
- Persistent coughing
- Heart palpitations
Pericardial mesothelioma patients in a set of studies presented by P. Chahinian also showed the following symptoms in varying degrees:
| Pericardial effusion (fluid in the pericardial space) |
| Dyspnea |
| Pain |
| Constrictive pericarditis (inflammation of the pericardial sac) |
| Vascular compression |
| Cardiac tamponade (bleeding into the pericardium) |
| Pericardial thickening on scans (12% of patients only) |
Pericardial mesothelioma patients may not begin experiencing symptoms of the disease for up to 25-50 years following their exposure to asbestos. Contact the Meso Foundation today to learn more and to find expert advice.
