The Basics of Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a very aggressive cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. Approximately 20 percent of cancers caused by asbestos are peritoneal mesothelioma. This form of the cancer manifests itself in the mesothelial cells of the abdomen when the asbestos fibers become embedded in the space between the cells. It can take as many as 20 to 50 years for the symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma to appear. Over these years, the asbestos fibers irritate the parietal layer that covers the stomach cavity and they begin to produce cancer cells. Fluid builds up and tumors eventually form.

What are the Symptoms?

Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma are swelling and pain in the abdomen, diarrhea or constipation, unexplained weight loss, nausea and vomiting, and the appearance of lumps under the skin in the abdominal area.

How is It Treated?

Since this type of cancer is usually diagnosed very late in its development, a positive mesothelioma prognosis is not likely, and treatment options are limited. Chemotherapy and radiation are typically used to threat the cancer, along with medication to provide pain relief. For many patients, surgery is not an option because at the point of discovery, this form of asbestos cancer has already spread too far and the patient's poor health may make him or her too weak to recover from the trauma of surgery.

How Does Exposure to Asbestos Cause Peritoneal Mesothelioma?

It is believed that there are two ways that asbestos can get into your system.

1. They can be ingested and then and consequently move through the digestive system into the peritoneal lining.
2. Asbestos fibers can be inhaled and travel to the peritoneal lining through the fluids in the lymphatic system.

Once these fibers get into the system, they become trapped and the body has no way to drive them out.

How Does Someone Get Exposed to Asbestos?

There is no test or conclusive way to find out if you have been exposed to asbestos. The only thing you can do is to review your life's history and current living conditions to know if you've ever been at risk for exposure to asbestos. Here are a few of the risk factors.
Living in an area where asbestos occurs naturally is one factor. Small particles of asbestos can get airborne, making it easy for you to inhale them. You can contact the health department where you live to find out if asbestos is in the local environment.  There used to be many industries that used asbestos regularly. If you ever worked in such a facility, you could have been exposed to it. It is also possible that you may have carried the asbestos fibers home to your family.  Before 1978, a lot of electrical wiring was insulated with asbestos. Asbestos was also woven into clothes and gloves that were worn by those regularly exposed to heat and fire.  Buildings and homes built before 1978 were frequently constructed using material with asbestos in them. Since asbestos is a good insulator, it was often used in floor and ceiling tiles, along with shingles and roofing paper. If any of these things were ever damaged, asbestos fibers could have become airborne.

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Posted in: Basics,Mesothelioma,Peritoneal