Peritoneal mesothelioma (also known as mesothelioma of the peritoneum) is a form of cancer found in 20 to 35 percent of mesothelioma patients. It is different from pleural mesothelioma because it first found in another part of the body. It appears in people that were exposed to high doses of asbestos for long periods of time. Usually, exposure takes place at job sites and takes between 10 and 50 years for the tiny asbestos fibers to develop cancer cells.
Peritoneal mesothelioma, like the name suggests, is a form of mesothelioma (malignant or not) that attacks the peritoneum or abdominal lining. Some times it is referred to in a general way such as “asbestos cancer”.
Peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms
Doctors studied peritoneal mesothelioma closely in order to provide with a distinct set of symptoms. Clinical trials of victims suffering from the disease provided with the following:
- pain in the abdomen, or lowered mobility of the region
- build-up of fluid in the abdomen
- fatigue
- weight loss
- fever
- anemia and disorders associated with the abdomen region and problems eating
Peritoneal mesothelioma treatment
Peritoneal mesothelioma treatment has been greatly developed in recent years, mostly because of the fact that mesothelioma poses a lot of problems to doctors attempting to treat it. Treatment options available are largely dependent on the type of symptoms exhibited by the patient, and also the type of peritoneal mesothelioma he or she is suffering from, malignant or benign. General treatment methods include:
- chemotherapy
- intraperitoneal chemotherapy
- surgery
- cytoreductive surgery (surgery that reduces the number of cancer cells, if the type of peritoneal mesothelioma is malignant)
Often times, a combination of several treatment methods are used in order to achieve a better response from the patient. Peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms are also attended by the use of drugs and surgical procedures. These should reduce the symptoms associated with peritoneal mesothelioma to a level that the patient can handle. He or she may also receive pain killers.
Peritoneal mesothelioma is a kind of disease that needs to be treated before it gets the chance to spread to much around the body. That is why it is very important for people that are part of high asbestos exposure risk groups to closely read the above list of symptoms and being able to tell them apart from other symptoms.
Please, feel free to contact asbestosis and mesothelioma centers when and if you require information or help regarding peritoneal mesothelioma.
