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As it sounds, peritoneal mesothelioma is the type of asbestos lung cancer that affects the peritoneum. This is the thin membrane that lines the abdomen and the pelvic cavity.
Approximately, 20% of the reported mesothelioma cases are diagnosed to be peritoneal mesothelioma. This type of mesothelioma is still associated with exposure to asbestos. Inhalation of asbestos dust and particles is the most common cause of mesothelioma. However, in the case of peritoneal mesothelioma, the asbestos dust and particles have been swallowed directly or have somehow ended up in the mucus of the trachea and swallowed that way. They travel to the abdomen where they become lodged in the intestinal tract and finally, they move into the peritoneum.
There are both benign and malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. Benign mesothelioma, like most other cancers, is nothing to be worried about. It can have some uncomfortable symptoms but it isn’t usually fatal. Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is not something to take lightly. This condition is hard to treat as most patients are already in advanced stages of the cancer when diagnosed. It can be almost impossible to detect early unless through an abdominal or CT scan for other purposes. This is because the symptoms often don’t show up for decades after exposure. When the symptoms do finally show up, they include: weight loss, abdominal pain, fever, pain, constipation, swelling, weakness, and loss of appetite. At this point, the patient has already reached the advanced stages. The abdomen appears distended due to the fluid build-up.
Peritoneal mesothelioma has no known cure. The prognosis is poorer for peritoneal than pleural mesothelioma. There are some treatments that can help fight the disease. The success of these treatments depends on the stage of the cancer when diagnosed. If the patient is healthy and strong and the cancer is detected relatively early, then there is a chance that the cancer can be cured. However, as it’s rare for this cancer to be diagnosed early, there is a slim to none chance of totally wiping out the cancer cells.
The most common methodology for treating this cancer is chemotherapy and other drug-related treatments. Radiation and surgery can be options depending on many things that would be discussed during a consultation with the patient’s physician.