Whenever your body is showing signs of sickness, it is best not to ignore it, regardless of whether you have a rare disease, such as mesothelioma, or a common sickness like the flu. This is especially true if you are experiencing symptoms such as difficulty breathing, abdominal pain, or chest pain, which could point to mesothelioma or another severe condition.

The best thing to do in such cases is to start by talking with your family doctor. Explain to your doctor in as much detail as possible the symptoms you are experiencing, without leaving anything out. The more information your doctor has, the better he or she can diagnose the problem or refer you to a specialist.

If your doctor believes you may have mesothelioma, they will typically refer you to an oncologist, a type of doctor who specializes in cancer diagnosis and treatment. (Since most mesothelioma cases affect the linings of the lungs, this is usually a thoracic oncologist.) Your oncologist will perform a series of diagnostic tests, which may include imaging scans, blood tests, or biopsies, to determine whether you mesothelioma or another form of cancer. Once a diagnosis is confirmed, the oncologist will work with you and your family doctor to develop a treatment plan.

The most important thing, however, is not to ignore any symptoms you may be experiencing. Mesothelioma has a very poor prognosis, and the best thing you can do to improve that prognosis is to catch it early. Telling your doctor about any symptoms as soon as you start experiencing them is the only way to do that.

Several factors influence when and how symptoms of mesothelioma develop. Some of the most important factors are a person�s occupation, the duration of asbestos exposure, and the type of asbestos they were exposed to.

Duration: Individuals who are exposed to asbestos over extended periods of time, such as at a workplace, could develop symptoms sooner than those who are not exposed to the substance on a regular basis.

Amount: Those who experience asbestos exposure in large quantities may be more likely to develop symptoms more quickly than those who are exposed to low levels of asbestos.

Type of Asbestos: In general, crocidolite is considered more hazardous to your health than other forms of asbestos. Crocidolite exposure may lead to mesothelioma symptoms sooner than other asbestos types.

Stage: Different symptoms may show up depending on the stage of the disease. Patients with earlier stages of mesothelioma will often have milder symptoms than those who are diagnosed at a later stage.

Other factors, such as cell type, metastasis(spreading), and duration of exposure to asbestos can affect which symptoms appear and when.