The diagnosis of mesothelioma is not always easy. Many doctors are still unfamiliar with the symptoms which could be put down to a number of other, more common diseases. Timely diagnosis of mesothelioma is particularly difficult because of the latency period between contraction and display of symptoms. The symptoms of this cancer may not become evident for decades, which means that by the time it is diagnosed it is in its latter stages and there is little that can be done for the patient.