When do Mesothelioma Symptoms Emerge?
Typically, mesothelioma patients notice the first signs of their disease 30 to 50 years after they were first exposed to asbestos. This latency period is not significantly different between varying subtypes of mesothelioma, but some studies have noted a shorter latency period for peritoneal mesothelioma (20 to 30 years) than pleural mesothelioma. However, in one 2011 study of 191 malignant mesothelioma cases, women were found to have a longer latency period than men:
A larger retrospective study of 1,690 mesothelioma patients found the
median latency period to be 32 years, while an even larger 2006 Italian
study of 5,173 mesothelioma patients reported an average latency of
43.6 years. Once signs of mesothelioma finally emerge, they are
typically mild. Many patients may not pay attention to them when they
first arise, only seeking a medical consultation when symptoms
intensify. Additionally, a high percentage of mesothelioma patients
have other respiratory diseases and the onset of mesothelioma is often
misinterpreted as a progression of an existing condition such as COPD. Because of the long latency period, symptoms are not always addressed right away. One study found that the interval between the first presentation of symptoms and referral to appropriate treatment was as high as 39 months.
