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Many patients with mesothelioma cancer experience one or more types of pain as a symptom of their condition. Chronic pain that lasts for several months is common. The type of pain can change with different treatments or during periods of remission or tumor growth.
Chest pain is among the most common types of chronic pain people with pleural mesothelioma experience. It often occurs in the side of the chest.
Mesothelioma Pain Types
Acute: This pain usually comes on quickly but lasts for a short period. It may be associated with an injury or treatment for mesothelioma.
Breakthrough: When a spike of pain “breaks through” pain medication, it’s known as breakthrough pain.
Chronic: Pain that persists for a long time, usually longer than 3 months, is considered chronic pain.
Diffuse: This generalized pain isn’t limited to a specific area. It can be a sign of nerve damage or result from chemotherapy treatments.
Dull: Typically less intense than sharp pain, dull pain may feel like throbbing or pulsing. It can persist for prolonged periods over a large area of the body.
Acute mesothelioma pain can feel sharp or stabbing. It may come and go as breakthrough pain as your condition progresses. Neuropathic pain is a type of acute pain that results from nerve damage. It may feel burning or shooting.
What Causes Mesothelioma Pain?
A leading cause of mesothelioma pain is pressure from tumors pushing against sensitive nerves or vital organs. Fluid buildup can also cause pain during increased activity, breathing, coughing and eating, particularly as the disease progresses.
Patients with metastatic mesothelioma may experience bone or muscle pain when tumors spread throughout the body. Generalized back pain, joint stiffness and body aches become more likely as your mesothelioma progresses. Palliative care can help ease these symptoms.
In between each surgery or chemo, it was felt that there was no evidence of disease. Most of the time, there was still pain and discomfort. I would say that I had a good quality of life in between surgeries.
Many mesothelioma treatments can also cause pain. Radiation, chemotherapy and surgery can damage your healthy tissue and contribute to diffuse pain. They may also cause nerve damage and neuropathic pain.
Chemotherapy, surgery and angiogenesis inhibitor medications can also cause blood clots in the lungs that result in sudden, sharp chest pains. This serious complication requires immediate medical attention.
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Mesothelioma pain is a common symptom of the disease that can be sharp and stabbing or dull and diffuse. It can also cause or aggravate many other symptoms of mesothelioma.
Some symptoms make pain worse for patients with mesothelioma. For example, chronic coughing can cause chest pain.
Symptoms of Mesothelioma Pain
Back Pain: Decreased activity, fatigue and poor sleep can lead to upper and lower back pain. Mesothelioma back pain can significantly limit daily activities.
Fatigue: Ongoing pain can be exhausting and limit the amount of energy you have throughout your day. Pain and poor sleep or appetite may result in debilitating fatigue.
Loss in Appetite: Pain can cause nausea or digestive issues that hinder your appetite. Taste changes and dry mouth could make eating seem less appealing.
Mood Changes: Managing chronic pain can impact your mental health. It’s essential to seek help for cancer’s social and emotional aspects as well as its physical symptoms.
Physical Activity Difficulties: As pain impacts sleep and energy levels, physical activity gets challenging. Pain may limit your ability to exercise or perform daily chores and routines.
Sleep Disruption: It can be challenging to fall asleep or stay asleep when mesothelioma pain is high. Poor sleep can cause stress, depression and weight loss.
Pain can significantly disrupt your daily life. Left untreated, severe or chronic pain can also cause feelings of anxiety and depression, which can negatively impact your quality of life. However, many treatment approaches for mesothelioma pain can ease your symptoms and improve energy and mood.
How Mesothelioma Location Affects Pain Symptoms
Mesothelioma pain is typically associated with tumor location. Patients with pleural mesothelioma often experience pain in their chests, shoulders, lower back or the side of their body. Individuals with peritoneal mesothelioma more frequently report abdominal pain. Chest pain is common with pericardial mesothelioma.
Pain and coughing are among the early signs of mesothelioma. Mesothelioma pain is often distributed through the chest or abdomen.
If your mesothelioma tumors spread or metastasize, you may experience pain where new tumors develop. Localized treatments, including surgery and targeted chemotherapy, may also cause pain.
Patients often ask me how long they’ll experience mesothelioma pain, and I explain it can depend if the cancer is pushing on pain nerve pathways. If their mesothelioma responds to treatment, then their pain may lessen.
Treating Mesothelioma Pain
Treatments for mesothelioma pain can include chemotherapy, radiation, medications and physical therapy. Some patients have success with complementary or alternative therapies that aim to alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life.
Every mesothelioma survivor experiences pain in unique ways. There are many treatment options and delivery methods. A pain patch or oral pain medication can help patients manage mesothelioma pain. Ask for a referral to a pain management clinic if your pain interferes with your daily life or feels overwhelming.
Treatments for Mesothelioma Pain
Chemotherapy: Doctors may prescribe palliative chemotherapy to shrink tumors, reduce pain and improve quality of life. This often uses a lower dose or shorter treatment period than traditional chemotherapy.
Complementary Approaches: Breathing exercises, massage or electrical stimulation may complement pain medication and palliative procedures.
Palliative Radiation: Radiation therapy is a pain management option for some pleural mesothelioma patients. It can shrink tumors and limit pain.
Physical Therapy: Physical therapy can help patients increase strength and mobility after strenuous treatments. This may help alleviate some mesothelioma pain.
Pulmonary Therapy: A 2024 study in the journal Cancers shows pulmonary rehabilitation may help reduce pain from malignant pleural mesothelioma.
Psychological Techniques: Look for distractions and find strategies to manage emotions to prevent them from contributing to your pain. You can also reach out to others for support.
Regional or Local Anesthesia: Local and regional pain blockers or steroids can provide short-term relief from mesothelioma back pain.
Surgery: Mesothelioma specialists sometimes perform palliative surgeries to remove tumors, drain fluid buildup and make breathing easier. Nerve blocks can inhibit nerve pathways that carry pain signals to the brain.
Palliative care aims to reduce pain, increase quality of life and provide support to patients and caregivers. It’s a major component of most treatment strategies. Talk to your doctor about your symptoms and how to relieve them with a comprehensive mesothelioma treatment plan.
Pain Medication
Over-the-counter and prescription medications can help ease mesothelioma pain. Doctors recommend starting with OTC medications, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, for mild pain.
As pain becomes moderate, doctors may add weak opioids with other medications, including anticonvulsants, antiinflammatories or topical anesthetics. Treatment for severe mesothelioma pain includes more potent opioids such as morphine.
Communicating With Your Doctor
Communication between you and your medical team is essential for effective pain management. Discuss your pain medications’ effectiveness and side effects with your doctors. It may help to keep a daily journal to track what you’ve tried and describe the effects. Ask a pharmacist if you have questions about the safety of a pain management approach.
Back pain, chest pain and body aches disrupt life in many ways. These symptoms can cause problems such as insomnia, stress, fatigue and feelings of anxiety and depression, which in turn aggravate pain symptoms. Talk with your doctor about pain before it becomes overwhelming to limit its impact on other areas of your life.
Survivor Story
Survivor Story
Kevin HessionPleural Mesothelioma
Intense Pain Leads to Hospital Visits
“With pleurisy case No. 3, I presented myself to the ER and the doctor wanted me to lie on the examination table,” Kevin Hession tells us. “I told the doctor I really don’t want to do this because it’s really going to hurt. And she said ‘No, no, no, it’s not going to hurt.’” When he complied, the pain was so excruciating he found himself “screaming like I’ve never screamed before.” They then administered morphine.
What types of pain are associated with mesothelioma?
Low back and chest pain are the most common types reported with mesothelioma. This pain is frequently described as dull and persistent.
Are there alternatives to medication for managing mesothelioma pain?
Palliative treatments, including radiation, chemotherapy and surgery, can help reduce mesothelioma pain. Physical and pulmonary therapy are additional pain management options.
Can mesothelioma pain be a sign of disease progression?
Pain that occurs in a new area can be a sign of metastisizing cancer. Sharp chest pains may indicate a blood clot in the lungs.
What should I do if my mesothelioma pain becomes unbearable?
When possible, speak to your doctor before your pain becomes unbearable. Effective treatment options are available to help reduce symptoms and improve your quality of life.
How can caregivers support mesothelioma patients experiencing pain?
Caregivers play a large role in supporting patients with mesothelioma through companionship, assistance with daily activities and managing medical and pain treatments. Providing emotional support and seeing to a patient’s physical needs are crucial caregiver roles that can make pain more manageable.
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Selby, K. (2024, August 13). Mesothelioma Pain. Asbestos.com. Retrieved September 16, 2024, from https://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma/symptoms/chest-abdominal-pain/
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Selby, Karen. "Mesothelioma Pain." Asbestos.com, 13 Aug 2024, https://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma/symptoms/chest-abdominal-pain/.
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Selby, Karen. "Mesothelioma Pain." Asbestos.com. Last modified August 13, 2024. https://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma/symptoms/chest-abdominal-pain/.
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Dr. Jeffrey Velotta is an experienced thoracic surgeon and pleural mesothelioma specialist at Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center in California. Velotta also serves as an assistant professor at the University of California, San Francisco.
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