Mesothelioma is notoriously difficult to diagnose, particularly early on. The initial symptoms can easily be mistaken for everyday aches and pains or infections. For many patients, it is not until the disease has progressed that mesothelioma is diagnosed. Often by this time, the disease is advanced and treatment options can be limited, therefore early diagnosis is key.
The initial symptoms many patients experience are shortness of breath, a persistent cough, pain in the lower back or side of the chest and unexplained weight loss.
Researchers in Spain believe there is a new symptom, not previously connected with mesothelioma, that may be an early sign of the disease – dysphagia.
Dysphagia
Dysphagia is the medical term for having difficulties swallowing. Common causes of dysphagia include head injury, stroke or dementia. Cancer of the mouth can also cause the symptom.
Researchers in Spain have now found that dysphagia could be a symptom of mesothelioma.
The patient
The study reported on a patient whose first reported symptom was difficulty swallowing. An endoscopy was done to investigate the cause. This involves a long, thin, flexible tube with a camera on the end being inserted through the mouth so the doctors can see inside the body. A chest x-ray was also done.
The doctors found that the patient had a mesothelioma tumour between his oesophagus and lungs. The cancer had wrapped around the outside of the oesophagus, causing his difficulty in swallowing as the muscles could not contract.
Around 1.4% of mesothelioma patients report dysphagia as an early symptom.
Early detection is key
The earlier symptoms of mesothelioma can be identified, the more chance patients have of being diagnosed when the disease is less progressed and more treatment options may be available.
Thankfully, research into the diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma is ongoing and new diagnostic techniques are being discovered.
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Source:
Santos Seoane, SM, et al, “An unexpected cause of dysphagia: pleural mesothelioma”, June 3, 2019, Rev Esp Enferm Dig, Epub ahead of print, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31166112